Facial hair ishair grown on theface, usually on the chin, cheeks, and upper lip region. It is typically asecondary sex characteristic of humanmales.[1]Men typically start developing facial hair in the later stages ofpuberty oradolescence, at around fourteen years of age, and most do not finish developing a full adult beard until around sixteen or later. However, large variations can occur; boys as young as ten have also been known to develop facial hair,[2] and some men do not produce much facial hair at all.
Men maystyle their facial hair intobeards,moustaches,goatees orsideburns; many others completelyshave their facial hair and this is referred to as being "clean-shaven". The termwhiskers, when used to refer to human facial hair, indicates the hair on the chin and cheeks.[3]
Women are also capable of developing facial hair, especially aftermenopause, though typically significantly less than men. Women with lots of facial hair, the extreme beingbearded ladies, have been considered asfreaks by society and sometimes been part ofcircuses.Trans men typically develop more facial hair while undergoingmasculinizing hormone therapy as part of their wider gender transition.[4]
In the West in the nineteenth century, most men maintained some facial hair. According to a 1976 study byUniversity of Washington economist Dwight Robinson, who reviewed illustrations in theIllustrated London News, facial hair peaked in the 1880s (90%). The wearing of beards dropped significantly, although mustaches remained popular until the 1940s.[5]
The moustache forms its own stage in the development of facial hair inadolescent males.[7] Facial hair in males does not always appear in a specific orderduring puberty and varies but may follow this process.
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 depending on one's genetic heritage or environment.
Depending on the periods and countries, facial hair has been prohibited in armies or, on the contrary, an integral part of the uniform.
Many religious male figures are recorded to have had facial hair; for example, numerous prophets mentioned in theAbrahamic religions (Judaism,Christianity andIslam) were known to grow beards. In Shia Islam, trimming beards is allowed butshaving them is forbidden.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. InSikhism, one of theFive Ks followed byKhalsaSikhs iskesh, which forbids the cutting or shaving of hair, both scalp and facial.
Women typically have little hair on the face, apart fromeyebrows and thevellus 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 ashirsutism and is usually an indication of atypicalhormonal variation. Many womendepilate facial hair that appears, as considerablesocial stigma is associated with facial hair on women, andfreak shows andcircuses have historically displayedbearded women. Many women globally choose to totally remove their facial hair by means ofelectrolysis (permanent) orlaser hair removal (semi-permanent).
Primates such as thebearded emperor tamarin have what look like whiskers. Adultorangutans have varying degrees of facial hair. Inchimpanzees andgorillas, facial and body hair become sparser in adulthood due to the aging process, which is in stark contrast tohumans, whose facial and body hair become stronger. Because infant greatapes 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 geneKRT37 relatively recently.
