What is the difference between facial hair and the hair on your head?
Beardbrand: “Facial hair will grow in thicker and flatter than head hair. This means beards are coarser and curlier than the head hair counterparts.”
The Mod Cabin: “Facial hair is classified as terminal or androgenic hair. Androgens, especially testosterone, are responsible for hair growth. In areas sensitive to androgen levels, such as the face, underarms, and genital area, testosterone triggers the production of terminal body hair, which replaces the vellus hair that develops during childhood. In men this includes the arms, legs, chest, and much the rest of the body. The result is darker, coarse facial and body hair. Facial hair is thicker than scalp hair, and has a flatter shaped follicle, making it curlier.”
Black Label Beard: “The main difference between body and facial hair versus head hair is the difference in length and growth cycles. Body hair alternates between growth spurts – when it can grow about 3mm a day with a bulbous follicle – and periods of lying dormant after about three to six months, when the follicle shrinks and the hair turns rigid. That on the head grows continuous to a long length (set a very individual amount”>, which has caused anthropologists to believe that it must have evolved to be purely decorative and alluring to the opposite sex. Whilst it still protects our heads from radiation from the sun, it is definitely extraneous to have a full head of luscious curly locks to do this.”
What is special about men’s grooming products?
Beardbrand: “The skin of the head is very thick and robust, the skin on the face is thinner and more sensitive. In addition, your scalp has more sebaceous glands than your face. With that, it’s much more important to develop a product that is less intense than a product that is designed for your head.”
The Mod Cabin: “Adult males produce about 10 times as much testosterone as women. Testosterone can slow down barrier development and recovery in skin. A major role of the skin is repair. When you get a cut, the skin must be able to repair the wound quickly and efficiently. Lab studies suggest that skin wounds in men, particularly older men, are not able to heal as quickly as in women. Studies have also implicated testosterone as a major factor in slow wound healing. This is especially important in facial skin because many men shave on a regular basis, leading to frequent nicks and cuts. Men’s skin care should be formulated to assist the skin in repairing itself and protect the integrity of the epidermal barrier layer. It’s important to avoid products with synthetic ingredients that can cause irritation and dryness, and to seek products that will nourish the skin.”
Black Label Beard: “Most products for the head or scalp tend to be stronger and strip out the natural oils from the scalp and hairs. If you use regular shampoos that are made for the hair on your head, you will lose natural oils in the beard hairs and your skin will become dry and itch under your beard. That’s why beard oil or balm puts back the oils needed in your beard or skin under your beard to make your hair healthier and your beard stronger.”
Maestro’s Classic: “Beard care needs to be free from the harsh surfactants (i.e. sulfates“> that are typically needed to clean the scalp as they strip your skin and hair of much needed moisture.
Are the products and maintenance for curly and coily-haired beards the same as straight-haired beards?
Beardbrand: “At a shorter length, most beards will appear straight, but when they grow longer you will see the true curls in them. The products we’ve developed focus more on the coarseness of the beard and the health of the skin beneath the beard.”
The Mod Cabin: “Since both types of beards are comprised of terminal hair, rather than vellus hair, they can be maintained using the same products, but the amount and frequency with which they are used may vary depending on the thickness and texture of the hair. Everyone’s physiology is different, and it may take a little experimentation to determine how often one’s skin and hair should be cleansed, and how much product should be applied.”
Maestro’s Classic: “Our beard care line works across all different textured beards; curly, coily, kinky, straight, and fine. It’s just the amount used on the application that varies.”
The responses have been condensed for this article.
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