Most of us are sensitive to our looks and will always want to ensure we like the person we see in the mirror. This is even more with us women. Our bodies and how we look will greatly influence our self-esteem and confidence. However, there have been concerns and many questions regarding our body hairs; why they are curly, whether shaving them has health risks, whether they will grow back thicker if shaved, and many more.
My body hairs have always been my concern, especially because I am a little hairy. I have also been having some troubling questions about body hair. For this reason, I committed myself to do extensive research about arm and body hair to try and answer some of these questions. In this informational guide, I have responded to many questions regarding human body hair.
Benefits of Arm and Body Hair
If you have a hair body, do not look at it with an entirely negative eye; because those hairs are very beneficial. While it may be inconvenient at times, body hair is beneficial to the body in many ways.
- Prevents certain health conditions. People with hairy bodies are less prone to rashes and sunburns.
- Serve to keep the body warm. It is a biological process where the hair stands on end when we feel cold and trap the warmer air close to the skin.
- Promotes quick healing of the skin. In the event of cuts, wounds, bruises, and sores, the hair follicles contain stem cells that ensure quick healing. The hair follicles also have a network of nerves, blood vessels, and fats that speed up the healing process.
- Reduces the risk of chafing. Have you ever wondered why you experience a burning sensation after shaving or waxing the underarms? The underarm arm skin with no hair tends to rub against the arm skin hence the fiery feeling. Keeping the hair reduces this risk.
- Aids blood circulation. You may not love the hairs on your legs, but they indicate sufficient blood circulation. Loss of hair on the leg can be a symptom of peripheral artery disease.
- Disperses body odors. Studies reveal that body hairs help disperse body odors. Shaving and waxing mean that the body will not be able to disperse these odors very quickly.
- Reduces friction. The armpit hair prevents skin-to-skin contact when doing activities such as walking and running hence lowering friction.
Why is My Arm Hair Curly
Are you probably wondering why your arm hair is curly while your hair is not? I used to ask myself that all the time. The main reason for the hair on your arm is heat dissipation. The hair tends to be curly because exposure increases with surface area.
The hair structure of arm hair may differ from the hair on your head in texture and structure. Even the hair on the head may have different structures in different head locations. This is not something you have control over; it is just genetics. Therefore the structure, shape, and texture of your body hair are influenced by the structure of your genetics.
If your parents, even just one of them, had curly hair, you may have either wavy or curly hair. The curl of your hair is largely determined by the shape of your hair follicle.
Can Hair Change From Straight to curly
Most people have also wondered whether their hair can change from straight to wavy or curly or vice versa. The answer is yes, it is possible.
Hormonal Shifts
As said earlier, the shape of your hair is greatly influenced by genetics. However, the gene for curly hair is not completely dominant. This gene can remain dormant until activated. Once the gene has been activated, it will change the shape of the hair follicle, which will, in turn, change the shape of the hair.
During times of great hormonal changes, your hair can curl or straighten. Hormonal shifts associated with the following can change your hair’s structure and shape.
- Puberty
- Menopause or aging
- Pregnancy
At times of such shifts, several hormones may change the shape of your hair. Here are some examples.
Insulin
This is a sugar-regulating hormone, but studies revealed a strong correlation between insulin resistance and hair loss.
Thyroxine and Triiodothyronine
Abnormalities associated with these hormones affect the state of the hair. Hyperthyroidism may make the hair oily, thinner and brittle. On the other hand, hypothyroidism may lead to dry and brittle hair.
Androgens
These are male sex hormones but increase in both sexes during puberty. The hormones in both boys and girls contribute to increased hair. In females, an increase in androgens can change the shape of the hair follicle from flat to round. The change in the shape of the hair follicles can instigate a change in the structure of the hair from straight to curly or curly to straight.
The Perm Permanent
Have you ever heard someone say their curly hair results from rem they had in the past. They never lied. This could be that they received a perm when about to experience a hormonal shift. If this is the case, the perm may cause a permanent change in the shape of the hair follicle.
Perms use chemicals and heat that break down and reconfigure the protein bond in the strand and the follicle. These chemicals can permanently damage the hair follicle resulting in a permanent change.
Shaving Arm Hair
Like shaving other body hair, shaving arm hair is a personal decision. It is simply an aesthetic preference like growing a mustache. However, there is no health benefit associated with arm hair shaving. Most of us choose to do so because of the look and feel of smooth arms. If you are thinking of shaving your arm hair, you must learn some of the best methods, risks, and benefits associated with the same.
Will My Hair Grow Back Thicker?
Contrary to the popular misconception, your hair will not grow thicker once you shave. The color, shape, texture and structure, and growth speed are not affected by shaving. After shaving, it may feel coarse because shaving gives it a straight blunt edge, but it does not change the hair. Most people have also been asking if it is safe to shave arm hair. The answer is yes; it is safe only if done properly such that nothing goes wrong.
Benefits of Shaving
Even though there are no proven health benefits of shaving your arm hair, some personal benefits come with shaving.
- For those who love smooth and hairless, arms shaving is beneficial
- Reduces odor associated with sweat. Since most hair is porous, it is likely to trap and hold on to sweat, promoting odors.
- Reduced sweating or less noticeable sweating since most hair holds onto moisture.
Risks and Side Effects
Shaving your arms or other parts of the body may result in unwanted effects, especially if not safely done. Using a dull blade to shave may result in nicks and cuts, ingrown hairs, skin irritation, and razor burns. Areas of your arms with uneven skin, such as the elbow, are also prone to cuts and nicks since it is hard to see.
Ingrown hairs are red and painful bumps that result from the hair growing back into the skin instead of straightening out.
Another risk is folliculitis, a form of skin irritation that is an inflammation of the hair follicles. It may be caused by shaving with a dull blade, bacteria, and wearing tight clothing. When caused by shaving, it may result in keloids which are dark-raised scars that may be permanent on the skin
Top 5 Shaving Tools
To ensure the whole process of shaving is safe, it is important to use safe tools. Here is a list of the top 5 shaving tools you can use to ensure it is safe and with reduced or no risks.
- King of shaves Prostyle multi styler grooming kit
- Wahl rechargeable multi grooming kit
- Philips body groom series 3000body trimmer
- Wahl groomsman essentials battery grooming kit
- Wahl rechargeable body groomer
Conclusion
The shape of your hair is largely hereditary; the structure of your genetics determines it. If you do not love how they look, you can always choose to shave them; this is a temporary solution. You may consider threading, waxing, sugaring, and electrolysis for those looking for permanent solutions. However, it is time that you start looking at our curly arm hair with another eye as they are very beneficial health-wise. If they have grown thicker, there is always an option of shaving them.
