Hair Swirls and Handedness

Q: My mom told me that my baby will be right-handed because his hair swirls clockwise. Is this correct? Does the hair of left-handed people always swirl counter-clockwise and the hair of right-handed people clockwise?

A: Actually, scientists HAVE discovered a correlation between the direction of hair swirls and handedness, but it’s not an either/or proposition. Like with most all facets of development, genetics play a major role.

According to a study conducted by the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, there may be one gene that controls handedness and hair-swirl direction. They are therefore looking for a single gene that has “right” and “random” forms.

The idea is that those individuals with one or two copies of the “right” form of the gene would be right-handed and have clockwise hair swirls. Two “random” forms of the gene mean that the person could be right-handed or left-handed and have hair swirls that go in either direction.

Research revealed statistics that showed that if the hair swirls clockwise, there’s a 95-percent chance that the individual will be right-handed. The research showed that left-handed people were equally likely to have hair that swirls in either direction (the same was true of the ambidextrous).

While there is still a LOT of research to be done, the information we have at present tells us that we’re looking at a pretty accurate method of determining someone’s handedness. Of course, if you’re looking at someone who’s bald or has long hair that is pulled straight, you’re out of luck.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Babies hair

Hair whorl: The myth

How to take care for your baby's hair

How to wash a baby's hair