hair

[Kzinistzerg]

Oh, yeah, there's a hair topic, right there... but it's different.

I pose a qustion: what would happen if a: you had really long hair, b: were bald, or c: shaved your head?

would this affect your werewolf form?

[Figarou]

Oh, yeah, there's a hair topic, right there... but it's different.

I pose a qustion: what would happen if a: you had really long hair, b: were bald, or c: shaved your head?

would this affect your werewolf form?

Thats a good question. I'm still trying to figure out where the hair goes on this female werewolf emoticon.

[outwarddoodles]

Really I'd doubt it would go with what your thinking. Even if the person was a swimmer and shaved all their hair. If their body is uncapible of growing hair (is there a desise like that?) the DNA of the werewolf form probaly still will. The amount of hair and texture does depend on the individual but the fur wouldn't have a connection. Hair isn't living and wont matter. It depends on the individual's wolf form. And having your hair cut in wolf form probaly wouldn't matter. For you'll lose it changing back to human and then it'll regrow as you change back.

So I say it wouldn't matter.

[Arania]

Well, I can see it going either way, depending on individual intrepretation.

For the full wolf form, human hair length I would say definately wouldn't have any sort of effect, but for the gestalt, which in its nature a hybrid, I could see the human hair remaining if the individual had particularly long hair or not.

Question being what do people visualize happens to the long human hair or lupine fur when transforming? Does it retract or fall off? I've never been partial aestically speaking to the "fur falling off" concept, but retracting also seems a bit strange to me anatomically, unless it were reabsorbed, which seems to be a waste.....

[Vuldari]

I will agree with the idea that baldness would be overrided by the Wolf TF, and that shaving in either form would be mostly irrelevant, (as the hair grows back with every Shift), but I am a bit curious about the Long Hair question. (...being as how I have long hair myself...)

If a Woman (or a Man like moi), with long hair shifts into wolf or gestalt form, what does happen to it? If it retracts or falls out, then there would not be any memory within the Werewolfs genes to tell the hair on the head to grow back to it's previous length, I think. Assuming that it is removed in either wolf/gestalt form, what happens when it grows back? Would it grow back short, or long?

*question to anyone* What are your thoughts?

[outwarddoodles]

Thats what I think. The memory in the wolf's genes will not remember short or long hair. I'm starting to guess they'll have long hair. Alot of werewolf artists seem to give them long hair with their mane. ( Yes theres Goldie but also lots of other artists.)

[Vilkacis]

Realistically, I can't say for sure, but I imagine the hair would grow back to a certain, constant length after every shift.

Cinematically, I would expect the hair to grow back to the state it was before the shift.

Ideally, I would prefer the werewolf to have a certain amount of control over the shift, so they could grow it to just about any reasonable length, given enough practice at it.

-- Vilkacis

[Apokryltaros]

Provided that, since the tf in Freeborn will not be like the tf in Cursed, in that, it won't be like with the hair falling out before growing back in, I'm of the idea that one's hairstyle would affect one's fur-shape, in that, a person with long hair would have a mane-like dealie when transformed, or that a shaved swimmer would have thinner fur. Or possibly look as though he had five'o'clock shadow all over his body when in human form.
But that's my two-cents.
Also, if a person suffers from genetic allopecia, that is, he or she is born without the ability to grow hair, becoming a werewolf is very unlikely to help this particular problem. It's like trying to buy lightbulbs for a house with no electrical wiring.

[Vuldari]

Realistically, I can't say for sure, but I imagine the hair would grow back to a certain, constant length after every shift.

Pesonally, I think that the existing hair would remain, and the fur would grow in addition to that, so humans with long hair would become werewolves with large manes. (And men with large beards would have "extra fuzzy" cheeks and necks...as wolves don't really have chins to speak of.)

If it didn't remain, but fell out or was reabsorbed instead, I agree with Vilkacis that it would grow back to some consistant, pre-set (...by the genetics, not by the persons usual hairstyle preference) length each time. But what would that be...short or long? What would be genetically predetermined to be "Average/Natural" hairlength? ...would this vary from male to female?

[outwarddoodles]

Pesonally, I think that the existing hair would remain, and the fur would grow in addition to that, so humans with long hair would become werewolves with large manes. (And men with large beards would have "extra fuzzy" cheeks and necks...as wolves don't really have chins to speak of.)

I'm thinking that too.

If it didn't remain, but fell out or was reabsorbed instead, I agree with Vilkacis that it would grow back to some consistant, pre-set (...by the genetics, not by the persons usual hairstyle preference) length each time. But what would that be...short or long? What would be genetically predetermined to be "Average/Natural" hairlength? ...would this vary from male to female?

I don't think gender would vary. I'm afraid they may become bald. So maybe thats why its a good way to go with above.

[Vuldari]

I don't think gender would vary. I'm afraid they may become bald. So maybe thats why its a good way to go with above.

...if ALL hair was re-absorbed durring the reverse shift, I suppose they would.

Maybe there is some distinct diference in the chemical composition of Werewolf hair compared to Human hair, in a way that only Werewolf hair is capable of being re-absorbed, therefore, only the chemically distinctive hair would dissapear durring the reverse shift, leaving all normal, dead, human hair behind. ...just a thought.

[outwarddoodles]

Maybe there is some distinct diference in the chemical composition of Werewolf hair compared to Human hair, in a way that only Werewolf hair is capable of being re-absorbed, therefore, only the chemically distinctive hair would dissapear durring the reverse shift, leaving all normal, dead, human hair behind. ...just a thought.

Don't worry. I like your thoughts, they're good.

[Vilkacis]

Pesonally, I think that the existing hair would remain, and the fur would grow in addition to that, so humans with long hair would become werewolves with large manes.

I like this view as well.

-- Vilkacis

[Silverclaw]

Gestalt form- I think that long hair would stay, looking like a mane kindof. What Vildari said Though I dont think something like a perm would survive the process looking the same.

Wolf- They would look like normal wolves. I suppose the hair could retract/absorb. Not really sure.

I'm not sure about what the hair would be like after transforming back to human. Logicaly, I suppose it would grow back kindof longish for each werewolf. Would have to keep getting hair cuts at different places then
Or the body could 'remeber' somehow the length and style as they revert

[Arania]

Of course, playing devil's advocate (I'm also all for the gestalt form's "mane" reflecting human hair length) what about when they shift to full wolf? Would there be any trace of hair length there? I could forsee a gestalt form having something like Goldie depicts, but not a full wolf. Therefore, the human hair would have to retract to some degree.

Also - what about textures? Would someone with naturally very curly hair have a curly coat? *actually sketched something like this quite some time ago - it was most amusing*

[Terastas]

What I figure is that, during the shift, hair grows into fur all over the body, including places where we already have it, IE: the werewolf's fur would be thicker/longer. Therefore, a bald man would have the typical wolven headfur, whereas someone that had hair prior will have a sort of mane going down the back of their head.

Someone with long hair... What I imagine is that it would be possible, but rare, for a werewolf to have long hair. One big necessity for werewolves would be anonymity -- apart from their packmates and any human familiars they might be lucky enough to have, nobody should be allowed to see them while in gestalt form. The only thing worse than being seen, of course, would be being seen and being recognized for something that carries off from their human form, long hair being the best example.

So a werewolf could have long hair. It's just that no werewolf in their right mind would ever want to.

[outwarddoodles]

Wolf- They would look like normal wolves. I suppose the hair could retract/absorb. Not really sure.

Yes, wolves with long hair would look sorta funky.

Also - what about textures? Would someone with naturally very curly hair have a curly coat? *actually sketched something like this quite some time ago - it was most amusing*

I wouldn't think so. The werewolf DNA would have much different information in it and thus the coat would probaly be regular. I guess this can go the same for hair colors. Though I think fur should be the same color as the human's hair.

Someone with long hair... What I imagine is that it would be possible, but rare, for a werewolf to have long hair. One big necessity for werewolves would be anonymity -- apart from their packmates and any human familiars they might be lucky enough to have, nobody should be allowed to see them while in gestalt form. The only thing worse than being seen, of course, would be being seen and being recognized for something that carries off from their human form, long hair being the best example.

True true. Same for coat color again. Say someone was a certain color werewolf it may be pointed out as someone elses hair.

[Kzinistzerg]

Actually, they might have a wavier coat, but probably not an actually curly coat. though ,of course, if you were a were-rex, this could happen...

rex is a breed of cat with curly fur.

[outwarddoodles]

Actually, they might have a wavier coat, but probably not an actually curly coat. though ,of course, if you were a were-rex, this could happen...

rex is a breed of cat with curly fur.

Oh those cats are sooo cute!!!!

But as I said, it depends on the werewolf DNA, wolfs don't naturly have curly hair unless their genes have a mutation.

[Scott Gardener]

I've been mulling that over, and I have a personal vested interest in that, because I've got long hair, and I'm balding up top.

Since wolf fur and human hair have a different texture, I've generally pictured werewolves reabsorbing human hair and growing wolf fur at the same time. Wolf fur might not coincide exactly with human hair color. (For example, a human with dark brown hair might have a black wolf form. It depends on the genetics of the werewolf who bit him or her, if you're going by the infectious bite method.)

Since reabsorbing hair is a confabulated physiology, and since hair has all kinds of body-unfriendly stuff in it (especially if you've had a perm, dye your hair, etc.), I would expect some of it to get pulled out and shed, just like a lot of fur does in the consensus interpretation. I don't see werewolves dropping their hair like a wig, however.

Lycanthropy in my storyline cures baldness, though a werewolf who is skilled enough with shifting can look bald for a little while. It takes a lot more practice than just hiding the bridging eyebrows, but it can be done.

I've got an unwritten story idea about a bald guy deciding to become a werewolf to cure his hair loss, only to develop a bad Hollywood neurosis--subconsciously believing he's vulnerable to silver and forced to shift on full moons. He knows objectively that those myths don't actually apply to werewolves (in his world), but he still can't stop himself from shifting when he knows there's a full moon. What's worse, he's starting to develop a taste for blood.... In my mind, I thought The Howling's Robert Picardo would be a perfect casting choice for the story.

[outwarddoodles]

Since wolf fur and human hair have a different texture, I've generally pictured werewolves reabsorbing human hair and growing wolf fur at the same time. Wolf fur might not coincide exactly with human hair color. (For example, a human with dark brown hair might have a black wolf form. It depends on the genetics of the werewolf who bit him or her, if you're going by the infectious bite method.)

Yeah. I think fur and hair color can be differnt colors because they have different codes and information for each form.

Since reabsorbing hair is a confabulated physiology, and since hair has all kinds of body-unfriendly stuff in it (especially if you've had a perm, dye your hair, etc.), I would expect some of it to get pulled out and shed, just like a lot of fur does in the consensus interpretation. I don't see werewolves dropping their hair like a wig, however.

Ooo....etheir way would seem to be bad.

[Vuldari]

I agree with the idea that FUR color does not have to be related to the persons normal HAIR color at all. In fact, I would like to think that werewolves would have multiple shades of fur, in textures/patterns unlike humans single-tone hair.

I also agree that, assuming werewolves with long head-hair/Manes could exist, it would be tremendously foolish to allow it if the WW does not want to be recognized. As for Full-Wolf forms with the same long hair/mane...that does sound pretty goofy.

[Apokryltaros]

I agree with the idea that FUR color does not have to be related to the persons normal HAIR color at all. In fact, I would like to think that werewolves would have multiple shades of fur, in textures/patterns unlike humans single-tone hair.

I also agree that, assuming werewolves with long head-hair/Manes could exist, it would be tremendously foolish to allow it if the WW does not want to be recognized. As for Full-Wolf forms with the same long hair/mane...that does sound pretty goofy.

What about the maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus?

[Vuldari]

What about the maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus?

Interesting...

...but that is just darker fur in approximately the same place as human hair. It is not really long. Like my avatar, for example. I used a photo of myself for that, and my long, dark brown hair looks odd enough in a vertical stance. Having hair of that same length on the head/neck of a horizontally posed Feral wolf body would look really aquard. That is what I meant.

Cool reference pics, BTW. I was not aware of that perticular species of wolf.

[WolvenOne]

Okay, quick blurb here....

I would think that going from human to, wolf-gesalt form, the human hair would become part of the wolf fur. As such, I would imagine that most Werewolves would keep thier hair fairly short, and avoid things growing thier hair waist long.

As for going back to human, well.... realistically I would think that all fur/hair on the body would fall out and that a werewolves human-hair would grow back. That's just me though.