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The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) tweeted on Wednesday that after nearly four weeks in space, Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi made the first mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). His first haircut was done by fellow NASA astronaut Frank Rubio.
In the photo, AlNeyadi sits relaxed in a green shirt while Rubio focuses on getting a haircut with a trimmer with a suction device that prevents hair from floating and polluting the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station.
The reason for using a vacuum is to ensure that loose hair doesn’t float around the orbiting space station. Loose hair can clog filters and affect air flow and filtration, according to NASA. Floating hairs can also pose a safety hazard, as they can be inhaled or irritate astronauts’ eyes.
Astronauts on long-duration space missions like AlNeyadi do need a haircut. That’s why a group of clippers can be found aboard the International Space Station. The device is connected to a vacuum that picks up trimmed hair so they don’t fly around the space station.
As for shaving, it is similar to shaving on earth, except that the electric razor also has a vacuum.
AlNeyadi has yet to see him shave, but astronauts on the International Space Station shave with foam or electric razors, which are preferred because these methods don’t require water and the follicles collect themselves.
Astronauts also have their personal hygiene kits. Where possible, personal preferences, such as the brand of toothpaste, are taken into account, according to NASA.
How does hair grow in space?
The space agency has documented how astronauts trim and shave in space. Hair growth in space was also one of the early scientific experiments conducted.
Back in 2016, hair follicles from 10 astronauts who each spent about six months on the International Space Station were collected and studied. Follicles were collected at various points in their time in space, including before launch and after return.
“We found that spaceflight altered human hair follicle gene expression,” said Dr. Masahiro Terada, a researcher at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and colleagues.
They also found that many genes that suppress hair growth were more active during spaceflight, “suggesting that it may grow more slowly or stop altogether in orbit.” The study also suggests that male and female hair follicles may respond differently to the environment in space . They found that the activity of some genes related to hair growth was more stable in female astronauts compared with male astronauts.
How do astronauts wash their hair?
Unlike on Earth, astronauts wash their hair differently. On the International Space Station, they use a leave-in shampoo with very little water, and they have to catch floating droplets quickly.
They wet their hair with a very small amount of water and then use a “leave-in” shampoo like they do on Earth. They then “rinse” the soap out of the hair with a damp towel and dry it with the dry part of the towel before brushing. “The air conditioning system will absorb condensation from towels and hair and return them to the water recovery system,” NASA said.
An early video shared by Expedition 36 flight engineer Karen Nyberg shows the astronauts washing their hair.
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