As we age, our prolonged exposure to testosterone starts to play a visible role on other body hair as well. Just like it transforms the vellus hair on a young man's face into a thick beard, it also changes the nearly invisible hair that grows in places like our ears into thicker strands.
As we age, our bodies lose estrogen; testosterone, unopposed, causes us to grow more hair where men have it, on our faces (and to grow less on our heads).
If you experience a sudden growth of extra hair, see your doctor (an ob-gyn, endocrinologist, or dermatologist) ASAP. Although it's rare, it may be caused by an adrenal gland disorder.
Development and growth
The development of chest hair begins normally during late puberty, usually between the ages of 12 and 18. It can also start later, between the age of 20 and 30, so that many men in their twenties have not yet reached their full chest hair development. The growth continues subsequently.
If you have high testosterone, you will likely have high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is a hormone that's stronger and more potent than testosterone. When the body has high levels of DHT, it will grow more facial and body hair.
Men with high testosterone can experience a variety of troubling symptoms and possible health consequences. Excess testosterone can lead to more aggressive and irritable behavior, more acne and oily skin, even worse sleep apnea (if you already have it), and an increase in muscle mass.
As we age, our prolonged exposure to testosterone starts to play a visible role on other body hair as well. Just like it transforms the vellus hair on a young man's face into a thick beard, it also changes the nearly invisible hair that grows in places like our ears into thicker strands.
H. Harris, publishing in the British Journal of Dermatology in 1947, wrote American Indians have the least body hair, Chinese and black people have little body hair, white people have more body hair than black people and Ainu have the most body hair.
Chest hair growth will normally start during puberty and can keep growing into your twenties. Similar to hormone levels and genetics affecting hair thickness, both factors also mean some men will have fully developed by the end of puberty, but others can see continued growth until a later age.
PROTECTION AGAINST THE SUN: People who have a hairy body are less prone to sunburn and rashes. Another purpose that they serve is to keep us warm. This process goes like this- when we feel cold, our body hair stands on end and trap warm air which is closer to the surface of the skin.
When does body hair growth stop? Pubic hair usually grows first, followed by underarm hair after about a year. Facial hair and other body hair will develop after around 2 years of puberty. Development of body hair will usually stop at the end of puberty.
Like so many things, it comes down to a mixture of genetics and hormones. We know that at least some of the genes for hairiness are carried on the X chromosome – and the way these genes are expressed varies between different men and ethnic groups – but hairiness also correlates with high testosterone levels.
Sex: Male hair grows faster than female hair. Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older.
As you age, your hair may continue to grow, but the growth will become slower, and the follicles that were once coarse and thick will often become finer, thinner and lighter in color.
Why Do Men Have Chest Hair? The reason men grow chest hair comes down to genetics and biology. It is theorized that chest hair was a positive physical attribute thousands of years ago that helped keep your body warm. Chest hair also made it easier to visually spot fleas on the body.
As for the curliness of pubes, Brian Steixner, M.D., Director of the Institute of Men's Health at Jersey Urology Group in Atlantic City, suspects it's because curly hair does a better job at trapping the pheromones secreted from sweat glands around the groin area.
Certain races have higher rates of hair loss compared to others. Caucasians have the highest rates out of all the ethnic groups. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Native American Indians, Inuits, and Chinese have the lowest rates.
Asian hair the most dominant hair type in the world out speeds the rest with a growth rate of 1.3cm per month, and despite an estimated 80,000 to 140,000 scalp hairs, it usually has the least density.
One study conducted by Harvard revealed that 25% of men surveyed had hairy upper backs while 26% of all respondents had lower back hair.
It's caused by excess hormones called androgens. For women, the hair may grow in places where men often have a lot of hair, but women often don't. This includes the upper lip, chin, chest, and back. It can run in families.
Genetics also affect where facial hair grows and when your beard reaches its full potential. “From ages 18 to 30, most beards continue to develop in thickness and coarseness,” he says. “So if you're 18 and wondering why you don't have a full beard yet, it just may not be time.” Ethnicity can also play a role.
The short answer is there isn't a proven link between orgasms and testosterone levels, so we don't know how it affects you in the short term. However, you can take comfort in knowing that masturbating will not negatively affect your testosterone levels—or other aspects of your life—long-term.