Facial hair

Facial hair is hair grown on the face, usually on the chin, cheeks, and upper lip region. It is typically a secondary sex characteristic of human males. Men typically start developing facial hair in the later years of puberty or adolescence, between seventeen and twenty years of age, and most do not finish developing a full adult beard until their early twenties or later.[1] This varies, as boys may first develop facial hair between fourteen and sixteen years of age, and boys as young as eleven have been known to develop facial hair. Women are also capable of developing facial hair, especially after menopause, though typically significantly less than men. Men may style their facial hair into beards, moustaches, goatees or sideburns; many others completely shave their facial hair and this is referred to as being "clean-shaven". The term whiskers, when used to refer to human facial hair, indicates the hair on the chin and cheeks.[2]

A Hindu Sadhu with a full beard and moustache from Varanasi, India.

In male adolescence
Abraham Lincoln is said to have grown his beard on the recommendation of the eleven-year-old Grace Bedell.[3]

The moustache forms its own stage in the development of facial hair in adolescent males.[4] Facial hair in males does not always appear in a specific order during puberty and varies among some individuals but may follow this process:

  • During puberty, the first facial hair to appear tends to grow at the corners of the upper lip (age 11–15).
  • It then spreads to form a moustache over the entire upper lip (age 16–17).
  • This is followed by the appearance of hair on the upper part of the cheeks and the area under the lower lip (age 16–18).
  • It eventually spreads to the sides and lower border of the chin and the rest of the lower face to form a full beard (age 17–21).[5]
  • Although this order is commonly seen, it can vary widely, with some facial hair starting from the chin and up towards the sideburns.
  • As with most human biological processes, this specific order may vary among some individuals depending on one's genetic heritage or environment.

Military

Depending on the periods and countries, facial hair was prohibited in the army or, on the contrary, an integral part of the uniform.

In religions

Many religious male figures are recorded to have had facial hair; for example, numerous prophets mentioned in the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) were known to grow beards. Other religions, such as Sikhism, mandate growing beards. Amish men grow beards after marriage, but continue to shave their moustaches in order to avoid historical associations with military facial hair due to their pacifistic beliefs.

On women

Women typically have little hair on the face, apart from eyebrows and the vellus hair that covers most of the body. However, in some cases, women have noticeable facial hair growth, most commonly after menopause. Excessive hairiness (especially facially) is known as hirsutism and is usually an indication of atypical hormonal variation. Many women depilate facial hair that appears, as considerable social stigma is associated with facial hair on women, and freak shows and circuses have historically displayed bearded women. Many women globally choose to totally remove their facial hair by professional laser treatment.

Styles of facial hair
  • Top to bottom from left to right: Stubble (1)
  • Moustache (2)
  • Goatee (3)
  • French cut (4)
  • Mutton chops (5)
  • "Friendly" muttonchops (6)
  • Van Dyke (7)
  • Full beard (8)

In great apes

Great apes such as orangutan males seem to have facial hair as well. In chimpanzees and bonobos, facial and body hair become sparser in adulthood due to the aging process, which is in stark contrast to humans, whose facial and body hair become stronger. Because infant great apes have thicker "facial" (as well as body) hair than their older counterparts, it is not androgenic but part of the fur complex. The sensitivity to androgens seems to have been acquired by humans on the gene KRT37 relatively recently.

See also

References
  1. "The No-Hair Scare". PBS. Archived from the original on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
  2. "whiskers". Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  3. "Abraham Lincoln's Letter to Grace Bedell". www.abrahamlincolnonline.org. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  4. "Adolescent Reproductive Health" (PDF). UNESCO Regional Training Seminar on Guidance and Counselling. 2002-06-01.
  5. "Puberty -- Changes for Males". pamf.org. Retrieved 2009-02-20.

Further reading
  • Jack Passion, The Facial Hair Handbook, Jack Passion, LLC; First edition (May 19, 2009). ISBN 978-0-87975-551-5.


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