Gynecology Sexual anatomy

Facial hair Wikipedia

Image:Beard3.jpg|right|thumbnail|A typical Full Beard

Facial hair is a secondary sexual characteristics|secondary sexual characteristic in human males. Most men develop facial hair in puberty.

Male pogonotrophy (the growing of facial hair; beardedness) is often culturally associated with wisdom and virility. Many men style their facial hair into beards, moustaches, goatees or sideburns. A man's facial hair (especially short hairs that were missed in shaving) is often affectionately known as his whiskers (however, only nonhuman mammals have true whiskers). However, many others shaving|shave their facial hair.

Women rarely grow hair on their faces (apart from the fine fuzz that all people have covering their entire bodies). However, a very Bearded woman|few women are afflicted with noticeable facial hair growth. Excessive hairiness (especially facially) is known as hirsutism, and is an indication of hormonal variation.

The amount of facial hair on a man's face varies from individual to individual, and also between ethnic groups. For example from men from many East Asian or Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American backgrounds (Mongoloids) typically have less facial hair than those of Caucasoids (Europeans and Middle Easterners). However, as with all generalizations, this isn't always the case for everyone. For instance, Northern Mongoloids and Eastern Africans can be quite hairy.
Image:Lincoln.jpg|thumb|Abraham Lincoln

Last Modified:   2005-12-19