I understand if I were to shave off my pubic/chest/under-arm hair it would itch greatly while it grew back but that it would grow back. If this is the case why is not necessary to trim these 'hair'eas in the same way as it is to trim hair on the head? Does pubic hair cease growing once it's reached a certain length?
Nick, Devon, England
- All hair grows at a contstant rate, but eventually falls out. With body hair, which typically does not grow as long as head hair, the rate at which it falls out is greater. This results in hair that appears to reach a certain length then stops growing.
Katherine, London, UK
- I don't know if pubic hair simply falls out more frequently - mine doesn't - but it certainly wears away faster. Pluck a good long 'un and look at the end, and you'll see it tapers away to nothing. Since almost all your pubic hair is tucked between your skin and your clothes, the constant friction wears it away faster than hair on your head.
Richard Miller, Addlestone, UK
- Every hair follicle on your body goes though a cycle of producing a hair, then the hair falling out, then the follicle being dormant, and then regrowth of a new hair. Left alone, head hairs grow far longer than any others, for most people the growth period is about 5 or 6 years, at 6 inches a year. This results in roughly waist length hair (some people, especially women, can grow it far longer). I think the dormant period for each fillicle is 1 or 2 years. I grew mine long 3 times, the longest uncut period being 6.5 years, by which time the longest hairs were about 30 inches, and the whole lot wasn't getting any longer. By this point, only some of your hairs are 30 inches long, there's an even distribution of all lengths, from nothing in the dormant follicles, a few inches in others, up to the full length in others. Each follicle's point in the cycle is independent of the others. The same is true for all other areas of the body - in any square inch there will be some dormant follicles, some with the maximum length of hair, and most with some length in between. The only difference is that the maximum length is much shorter in the non-head areas.
Gordon Dallas, Glasgow, UK
As an enthusiast with a profound understanding of the human body and its intricacies, particularly in the realm of hair growth, I can confidently shed light on the concepts discussed in the provided article.
The question posed by Nick from Devon, England, delves into the mysteries of body hair growth, specifically in regions like the pubic, chest, and underarm areas. The inquiry revolves around the peculiarities of these "hair"eas compared to the hair on the head, pondering why trimming is not as necessary.
The responses from contributors offer a nuanced perspective rooted in the science of hair growth. Katherine from London explains that all hair grows at a constant rate but eventually falls out. Body hair, which generally doesn't reach the lengths of head hair, has a higher rate of falling out, creating the illusion that it stops growing after a certain length.
Richard Miller from Addlestone, UK, introduces the element of wear and tear. He suggests that pubic hair doesn't necessarily fall out more frequently, but due to constant friction between clothing and skin, it wears away faster. This could explain the need for less maintenance in terms of trimming compared to the hair on the head.
The comprehensive response comes from Gordon Dallas in Glasgow, UK, who elaborates on the hair follicle cycle. He describes how each follicle on the body goes through phases of producing hair, hair falling out, dormancy, and regrowth. Head hairs, if left alone, can grow much longer than other body hairs, with a growth period of about 5 to 6 years. This results in varying lengths of hair on different follicles, creating a diverse distribution.
Gordon's explanation highlights the independence of each follicle's cycle, emphasizing that the point in the cycle is unrelated to others. This information applies not only to head hair but also to all areas of the body. The only distinction lies in the maximum length achievable, which is shorter in non-head areas.
In summary, the concepts discussed include the constant rate of hair growth, the higher rate of hair fall in body hair, the impact of friction on wear and tear, and the cyclical nature of hair follicles, which contributes to the diverse lengths of hair in different regions of the body.
