Now my friends and I like to talk about beauty stuff. This may not come as a surprise because this blog is a representation of what I (and my friends) find interesting to talk about or want to know more of. A couple of days ago we had our weekly “meeting” (nothing fancy just laughing, eating, and drinking together) and Monica asked me a question that I didn’t know the answer to.
She asked me if there’s a difference between men’s and women’s hair. Now my friends and I all didn’t know the answer so we grabbed our phones to find out!
What we found is that genetically there is not much of a difference. But we found some things that we found interesting! I did my best to write all the things we found below so that you don’t have to scrape the web but can find all the answers and information you want right here!
Is there a difference between men’s and women’s hair? Genetically, no, but we link the differences we believe exist to our relative perception and cultural norms, which is what we’ll get into below.
Do Men and Women Have the Same Hair Growth Hormones?
Looking at science can help us understand why men and women don’t have different types of hair, and it all comes down to androgen. Androgen is a hormone in the testosterone group. Men and women have androgen. Men usually have higher levels, which is why men have more body hair.
The adrenal glands and ovaries produce androgen in a woman’s body. Androgen levels are much lower in women, which explains why they don’t have excessive body hair.
Both men and women have decreased amounts of androgen upon reaching the age of 40 or older. The decrease in androgen production is one of several causes of hair loss.
Essentially, the same hormone drives men’s and women’s hair growth. The only difference lies in the amount of androgen hormone produced.
Does Men’s Hair Grow Faster than Women’s?
Most people would say yes to this question, but the real answer is actually no! Men’s hair does not grow faster than women’s. It may appear that way because most men have their hair cut more frequently. They may style their hair in shorter fashions, but it’s not growing out any more quickly.
Another consideration is that men are retaining more hair than women. Men don’t tend to blow dry, curl, straighten, and style their hair as frequently as women. Men that grow their hair longer usually just shampoo and condition; nothing more.
Because men are not manipulating their hair into different styles and applying heat to their hair daily, they are retaining more hair. They are less likely to get split ends and damage their hair with a curling or flat iron.
Do Men and Women Have the Same Hairline?
While the hair of both men and women are the same, the patterns of growth differ. Men have a masculine hairline in the shape of an M. Women have hairlines that are straighter and sometimes U-shaped.
A man’s hairline is positioned farther back on the head. This position gives the look of a more prominent forehead and masculine face. Females have a fuller temporal area that leads to a more feminine hairline.
Do Men and Women’s Hair Grow in the Same Direction?
The answer here is no. The direction of women’s hair growth is determined by the presence of a cowlick. A cowlick gives a slight whorl pattern that sends flowing locks backward. Men’s hair tends to grow straightforward, toward the face.
Do Men and Women Both Suffer Hair Loss?
Men and women do suffer hair loss but in different ways. Men tend to have receding hairlines. Over time, this can lead to baldness. What is known as male-pattern baldness begins with the receding of their M shaped hairlines.
Usually, women will experience more of a thinning hair loss. This type of hair loss is due to them losing hair in places throughout their head. It is characterized by an overall hair loss experience, but it doesn’t usually lead to baldness.
Do Men Have Thicker Hair than Women?
Hair thickness is not characterized differently for a man or a woman. Genetics determines the thickness of a person’s hair. It will vary from person to person because our DNA differs from everyone else.
The only difference in hair thickness is that men have thicker body hair. Hormones are the cause of this as men have more testosterone than women.
Do Men and Women Have the Same Hair Texture?
Hair texture is most often noticed in women’s hair because women tend to wear their hair longer. We can easily see that a woman has either coarse hair, curly hair, wavy hair, or straight hair.
Men don’t have different hair textures than women. People may believe men’s hair has a different texture because they style it differently. When men grow their hair out, you can usually see that they have the same kind of texture.
Can Men and Women Use the Same Hair Products?
Speaking in terms of ingredients, men and women can use the same hair products. Just because the bottle says made for men, doesn’t mean a woman can’t benefit from it. The differences in hair products comes down to simple marketing techniques.
Women’s hair products tend to be packaged in beautiful, eye-catching bottles. Splashed along the front are ingredients like coconut milk, berries, and root extracts. You will find shampoos and conditioners for dry, frizzy, colored, and curly hair types. Women tend to like a product that offers botanical ingredients and a pleasing, feminine aroma.
Men’s hair care products are starkly different. Along the aisles of any department or drug store, you will find packages that are simple, gray, and interestingly plain. Men’s shampoos, conditioners, and hair gels are not splashed with bright colors and lists of botanical ingredients.
They are utilitarian in marketing style and focus more on the science behind the product. Men’s products usually offer a more woodsy, masculine smell. The bottom line here is that hair gel is hair gel and pomade is pomade.
Why Do Men and Women Have Different Hairstyles?
Traditionally women always had longer hair than men. It was a sign of virtue and status. An interesting article from Time magazine states that for one to have long hair they had to be free of disease and were known to be a devoted person.
Today, hairstyles are an extension of one’s personality and beliefs. Not to mention, a woman may decide that she likes the way her hair looks shorter, while a man may feel like he can only rock longer locks. So, while men and women may generally have different hairstyles, that’s not a hard rule that anybody has to follow.
Now, I hope that, just as we did that night, you learned a lot from this article. We found it hard to believe that women’s hair does not grow faster (or slower) than men’s hair. I always thought so because the men I know go to a hairdresser every 6 weeks or so where I go maybe twice a year.
I also found it interesting to learn a lot more about the differences in texture, the hairline of men and women, and if we can use the same products.
I think I didn’t say too much when I said that you would find all the information and answers in this article! We really did go deep and all of us enjoyed it that evening :). Now I sure hope that you also enjoyed the article and found it helpful!
Now, if you found this article interesting, I might have some other articles for you that can pique your interest. Below I have put some links to other articles related to this one that can help you find the answers to other beauty-related questions!
How does shampoo kill bacteria?
Want to know how shampoo cleans your hair? Click the link here to find out.
Now that you’ve learned a lot about the differences between men’s and women’s hair, you might find it interesting to know more about how shampoo and conditioner actually works.
