Conspicuous features

With the end of puberty the pubic hair as well as armpit and extremity hair should be visible and distinct in both sexes. For hormonal or physical reasons, there may be only a few hairs after puberty. In order to clarify this, it is possible to consult a doctor.

Conversely, if there is too much body hair, there may be a physical cause such as hormonal dysregulation, and here too, consultation with a doctor can help. An unnaturally pronounced growth of body hair is called hypertrichosis. It can occur in both men and women.

A distinction is made between congenital or acquired hypertrichosis. An unnatural increased body hair of the woman, which corresponds to the male body hair, is called hirsutism. Hirsutism can be caused by hormone-producing tumors or by drugs such as androgens, anabolic steroids or steroids.

If the reason is the excessive body hair in the hormonal system, hormone therapy can help. Physical methods such as bleaching, laser or epilation are also used for hair removal. In case of abnormalities and questions, gynaecologists as well as dermatologists or endocrinologists can give advice.

The development of the typical male body hair and thus the development of the male secondary sexual characteristics, begins in the first phase of puberty (10-15 years) and can continue until the age of 30. But even in childhood, the whole body, apart from the inner surfaces of the hands or feet (groin skin) and mucous membranes, is covered with a light, colorless down hair (vellus hair). About 90% of this down hair is replaced by a darker, more pithy terminal hair in the following body parts during puberty: Nose, ears, cheeks/chin, chest, armpits, stomach, back, buttocks, arms and legs.

However, the hair is not equally pronounced in every man or present in all the above-mentioned body parts, it varies according to genetic characteristics or different habitats. Also, the time of the onset of the expression of terminal hair may vary greatly from one individual to another.Usually the terminal hair begins in the armpit and genital region and continues in the following years into hair on the cheeks, back, abdomen, etc. The development and development of body hair is controlled by androgens, i.e. the male sex hormones.

The more androgens (testosterone) are present, the stronger the body hair usually becomes. Thus, an additional supply of androgens (e.g. by anabolic steroids) can also cause increased body hair in men. An abnormally strong hair on individual body parts or the entire body, which does not necessarily show the typical male hair pattern, is called hypertrichosis.

This can occur without any disease value, but can also be the result of various diseases (blood diseases, hereditary diseases, hormone-producing tumors, anorexia) or medication. Common to all causes is that the increased body hair occurs androgen-independently. However, the idea of the ideal or abnormal degree of hair varies from culture to culture, with male hair usually being more accepted than female hair.