General information
There are three different types of hair in humans: Beard hairs belong to the terminal hairs, i.e. those hairs which are more strongly pigmented, longer and thicker than the rest of the body hair. – Terminal Hair
- Lanugo hair
- Vellus hair
Structure of terminal hairs
All terminal hairs have the same structure and consist of three layers:
- The hair medulla is located in the middle of the hair shaft and represents about one third of the diameter of the hair. This is where the fats and degradation products of cells are mainly found. – The hair cortex, which is the main component of the hair shaft, is attached to the outside of the hair.
The cortex consists of a multitude of fibres made up of keratin (a structural protein). This is how the terminal hairs achieve their high elasticity and tear resistance. – The cuticle layer is on the very outside. This serves to protect the hair cortex by completely covering it with cells stacked on top of each other like roof tiles.
Beard growth
Whiskers are not present from birth, but develop only during puberty under the influence of hormones. Since their growth is stimulated by the male sex hormone testosterone, only men have beard growth. Only in a few cases does a beard also form in women, which is then often referred to as a “lady’s beard”, especially in the menopause phase, i.e. after the woman’s last menstruation has taken place and her hormone balance has changed.
However, men also have a wide range of variation in the location and extent of beard hair. Beard hairs in the area of cheeks, mouth, chin and upper neck are characteristic. Normally, the beard begins to grow in men between the ages of 14 and 19.
In most of them the first beard hairs are visible above the upper lip, where they are initially still soft and only become the typical firm beard hairs in the course of time. However, it often takes several years before a complete beard is formed. How strong the beard growth is, i.e. on the one hand how extensive and evenly it spreads over the face and on the other hand how fast the hair grows, varies greatly from person to person and depends on both genetic disposition and the testosterone level in the blood.
Removal of the beard hairs
A widespread misconception is that whiskers would grow faster once shaved. This impression is probably due to the fact that the stubble left after shaving is quite hard and wide. While for some men it is sufficient to shave once a week to prevent a visible beard, others even have to remove the beard hairs several times a day to avoid having visible hairs on their face.
The removal of beard hairs is usually done with a razor, razor plane or shavette. How much of the existing beard is removed and how much remains is subject to the personal ideal of beauty. Some prefer to remove the whiskers completely to have a naked face.
Others leave some selected parts of the hair or even the whole beard. Still others trim the beard hairs only in their length. Which forms of beard hair are preferred depends mainly on the current fashion and religious affiliation. For example, while older men nowadays tend to have moustaches or full beards, many younger men prefer goat or three-day beards. Only a few decades ago, wearing sideburns, whiskers or gag beards was still fashionable.
