It is normal for people to have armpit hair, but why exactly do people have it?
Armpit Hair
Armpit hair, which is also known as axillary hair, starts during puberty. When males are at 11 to 14 years old and females are at 10 to 12 years old, the pituitary gland triggers a hormone group known as androgens. These are triggered within the testicles and the ovaries.
Such sex hormones make the apocrine sweat glands begin to function. This apocrine sweat gland is linked to hair follicles in the axillary and pubic areas.
In general, hair experiences various changes that come with age. Babies have lanugo hair that changes into vellus hair during childhood. This hair aids the body with temperature regulation.
When puberty arrives, body hair changes again. These vellus hairs become terminal, which means that they get darker, strong, and thick. Androgen level sensitivities also affect where this terminal hair grows. It could be in the legs, arms, stomach, chest, or feet.
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What Does Armpit Hair Do
While the presence of armpit hair may come across as inconvenient, it benefits the body in various ways. For one it is actually good for pheromones. Armpit hair may help in attracting a mate. This is due to how the armpit expels an odor that has pheromones, which is a chemical that is naturally produced and that has a role in sexual attraction.
When armpit hair is left intact, odor-trapping is facilitated because of how moisture attaches to hair. Because of this, pheromones become stronger.
Interestingly, a 2018 study covering 96 couples discovered that some stress-relieving benefits could be yielded from smelling the natural scent of a person.
Aside from this, armpit hair also reduces friction as it prevents skin-to-skin contact during some activities, such as walking or running. This is also the case with pubic hair, as it decreases friction during sex and other types of activities.
Having armpit hair can also prevent some issues from surfacing. These include razor burns, ingrown hairs, armpit pimples, skin irritation, and skin tags.
Benefits of Armpit Hair Shaving
There are also some benefits that come with shaving armpit hair. For one, shaving the armpits can make one swell less, since hair holds moisture. However, there are cases where people sweat excessively. This is known as hyperhidrosis, which makes a person excessively sweat in their armpits, feet, and hands.
Sweat in the armpit is also directly connected to body odor due to the bacteria that breaks sweat down. Hence, when armpit hair is removed, trapped odor is also reduced.
A 2016 study among men discovered that armpit hair removal through shaving significantly reduced odor in the next 24 hours. Similar results were seen in a study from 1953.
For both studies, researchers found that the removal of underarm hair by waxing or shaving made it easier for cleansing products and soaps to get into the follicular openings and skin.
Overall, when it comes to shaving, it is the personal decision of a person to shave armpit hair or not. There are some that do so for aesthetic purposes, though there are benefits with leaving the areas natural.
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