Why do we have armpit hair?

This is an automatically translated article.

Most people go through puberty and develop armpit and other body hair. Armpit hair often comes with different pros and cons. Whether to shave or shave armpit hair will also depend on the preferences and goals of each individual.

1. Why do we have armpit hair?

Many people wonder, why have armpit hair? In fact, underarm hair usually starts to appear when you hit puberty. Between the ages of 10-12 for women and 11-14 for men, the body's pituitary gland activates and secretes a group of hormones, called androgens, in the ovaries and testes. These are called sex hormones, and help get the apocrine sweat glands to start working (your body usually has another sweat gland, the exocrine sweat glands, located on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet). . The apocrine sweat glands are associated mainly with the hair follicles in the armpits and pubic area.
Your body hair will go through many changes over time. When you're a baby, your body grows hairs that help regulate body temperature. It is often referred to as “baby hair” or “peach fluff” because of the appearance of these hairs being short, thin, and very light in color. Areas where fluff is common include the ears, nose, and even eyes.
However, as you approach puberty, your body hair will continue to change. The fluff will become an adult, looking thicker, stronger and darker than before. Also, for most people, sensitivity to androgen levels can also affect where adult hair grows on the body. As more androgens are produced, there are more mature hair growth areas, such as the legs, arms, chest and feet.
As for facial hair, underarm and pubic hair all belong to the same type of hair, also known collectively as mature hair or terminal hair. They usually begin to grow as fine hair, which will change during puberty and progress to stiffer, darker hair. These types of hair tend to fall out frequently and as a result your armpit and pubic hair will be less than 6 inches long.

2. What is the effect of armpit hair?

While the presence of armpit hair can be inconvenient at times, it is like any other body hair that offers certain benefits. Here are some outstanding effects of armpit hair, including:
2.1 Good for Pheromone Production Armpit hair can really help you attract your other half. This is because the armpits secrete an odorant that contains pheromones, a naturally produced chemical that has a sexual attractive effect, also known as a gonadotropin. Leaving the armpit hair intact will help prevent odors caused by sweat clinging to the armpit hair. This makes the pheromones even more active.
A recent study of 96 couples found that smelling your partner's natural body scent can help reduce stress. And people have also noticed that there is a strange attraction coming from the natural scent of the body.

2.2 Helps reduce friction Armpit hair also helps prevent skin-to-skin contact when you do certain activities, such as walking or jogging. The same goes for pubic hair, as they help reduce friction during sex and other activities.

2.3 Prevents Some Other Health Conditions Besides reducing skin friction, having underarm hair also helps you prevent some of the following health problems:
Underarm pimples Ingrown hairs Skin irritation Residual acne Folliculitis caused by ingrown hairs

3. Benefits of shaving armpits

Giving you a smooth underarm area isn't the only benefit you can expect from underarm shaving:
3.1 Limits underarm sweating You're tired of perspiration sweat too much or face sweat marks left on the shirt. To solve this problem, you can shave your armpits clean because they help retain sweat on the skin.
However, there are also some people who naturally sweat more than usual. This condition is called hyperhidrosis, which causes you to sweat a lot in your hands, feet, and armpits.
3.2 Reduce Armpit Odor Underarm sweat is directly linked to body odor (BO), as it is the result of bacteria breaking down sweat. When you remove the hair under the armpits will help reduce the odor. According to a new study, men who remove underarm hair with a razor can significantly reduce underarm odor within 24 hours. In addition to cleaning armpit hair with a razor, you can also use hair removal methods or cleaning products that easily penetrate the skin and hair follicles.

4. You can't grow armpit hair: What does this mean?

If you are unable to grow armpit hair, this could be the result of genetic factors or a certain medical condition, including:
Asthma Diabetes Kidney disease Abnormalities in the pituitary and thyroid glands If you've had laser armpit hair removal, your armpit hair won't grow back for 6-12 months.
When you have answered the question of what is the effect of armpit hair, you will no longer have trouble with hair in this position. As well as know about the benefits and effects of armpit hair.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com