Body hair, in sex-assigned at birth males, is mostly affected by genetics and androgens (which are hormones such as testosterone). If you have body hair in your axilla (or armpits) and pubic area, and you have gone through puberty, your hormones are probably normal. You may have less chest hair due to genetics.
Hormones called androgens, which are present in both sexes, stimulate body hair (known as vellus hair) to darken and coarsen. Men have higher levels of androgens than women, so their body hair tends to be more prolific.
Keeping chest hair is a matter of choice. While some men prefer keeping it, others prefer a clean look. A lot of men also opt for permanent chest hair removal for varied reasons. While some remove it for hygiene purposes, reducing sweat and body odour, others do it to flaunt their body.
A Hairy Chest Might Mean You're More Intelligent
Although the research is dated, another study found that a majority of members of Mensa, or the genius club, had thick chest hair as well. It's not completely clear why hairy men seem to be more intelligent on the whole. And it's entirely possible this is a coincidence.
Although vellus hair is already present in the area in childhood, chest hair is the terminal hair that develops as an effect of rising levels of androgens (primarily testosterone and its derivatives) due to puberty. Different from the head hair, it is therefore a secondary sexual characteristic.
Men all have roughly the same amount of testosterone. Certain genes make your hair follicles more or less sensitive to the amount of testosterone in your body. Basically, an enzyme converts testosterone into a substance that shrinks hair follicles.
What Percentage Of Guys Have Chest Hair? A study of over 1100 men ages 17 - 71 found that only 6% had no chest hair at all, while 56% displayed a moderate amount of chest hair. 38% of men displayed a light amount of chest hair.
Overall, 40 percent of the women agree. However, 43 percent of the total women surveyed prefer men keep all their chest hair, considering it a sign of masculinity. And 17 percent want a smooth chest without a single hair. For the men, 83 percent said they have just let their chest hair grow.
In addition, despite what we've come to believe through popular culture, many women actually find a hairy man to be quite attractive. According to a survey by Askmen.com, 76% of women said they like it when men have some chest hair.
A survey of 117 male members of the high intelligence society Mensa found they were more likely than average to have a hairy chest. The most intelligent also had hair on their backs.
The development of chest hair begins normally during late puberty. 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. In older adult years androgens cause thickening of the hair.
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.
One study found that 17% of women preferred a fully shaved chest, whereas 53% wished men would trim their chest hair. This shows that women actually prefer chest hair, but it should be maintained or trimmed nicely if the hair is bushy or hair sticking out of a man's shirt.
Testosterone promotes body hair growth in men. As a result, one common symptom of low testosterone is a loss of body hair. You may notice thinning of your armpit or pubic hair. Many men find the change is most noticeable in their beard because they don't have to shave as often.
The findings suggest that women generally prefer men's body hair levels resembling those of their current partners and fathers. During ovulation, however, women prefer less hairy men.
The simple answer is yes, shaving body hair can help reduce body odour! Underarm hair is a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria, which thrive under the protective cover of the body hair, boosting the smell of perspiration as a result.
Bald men are no more virile and they don't have higher testosterone levels, though they do tend to have hairier arms, legs and chests. Perhaps most surprisingly, bald men don't actually have any fewer hairs on their heads.
It reduces friction
Armpit hair prevents skin-to-skin contact when doing certain activities, such as running and walking. The same thing happens with pubic hair, as it reduces friction during sex and other activities.
Signs and symptoms of high testosterone in men
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.
It protects the body against trauma and also against ultraviolet damage. Hair coloration helps to camouflage against predators and in some instances serves as a sexual attractant like the mane of the male lion. Endowed richly with nerve fibers, it has tactile and communicative functions.
The reason for this is not known but it could be due to poorer circulation, lower free circulating hormone amounts or other reasons. Lower amount of body and facial hair in men can accompany sever disorders such as Klinefelter syndrome, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and XX male syndrome.
Another fascinating thing about pubic hair is its unusual texture and composition compared to the rest of the hair on our bodies and heads. You can't quite use it to floss with, but pubic hair is considerably thicker than either axillary* (underarm) hair or that on our legs, chests (for some, backs) and scalps.
Too much testosterone can cause symptoms that effect a woman's physical appearance including: excess body hair, specifically facial hair.