Hair whorl

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Overview

A Hair whorl is a patch of hair growing in the opposite direction of the rest of the hair. It occurs in most hairy animals. Hair whorls occur on the body as well as on the head.

Hair whorls on the head (parietal whorls) have been intensively studied because of the association indicated between brain development and abnormal hair whorls. (Both brain cells and skin cells are derived from an embryo's ectoderm tissue.) Abnormal hair whorls are used as a preliminary predictor of abnormal temperament in most domesticated animals especially cows, but also in evaluating the mental status of apes and humans.

Parietal whorls which are considered to be normal scalp patterns could be a single whorl or double whorls. Cases of triple parietal scalp whorls are less common but do not necessarily indicate abnormality. Abnormal brain development is usually indicated by the complete absence of hair whorls or abnormal placement of whorls on the scalp.