The human body has two types of hair – skin-hair and beard-hair. Both are produced from follicular stem cells and share many common features. However, the most noticeable difference between them is that skin-hair grows outwards while beard-hair grows downwards.
Skin-Hair is produced at the root level of the follicles and grows upwards. When these follicles reach the surface of the skin and become visible, they get trimmed off by the epidermal layer, thus resulting in small round bumps called ‘pores’. These pores have no openings and remain closed for about 6 months. They are then opened again by the sebaceous glands and produce oils that contain pheromones, hormones and other substances that attract mates. In this way, the epidermis is constantly releasing chemicals into the atmosphere that help to promote reproductive success.
Beard-Hair is produced beneath the epidermal layer inside the dermis. This type of hair produces large amounts of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, etc., that strengthen the dermal layer of the skin. Beard-Hair grows downwards and reaches the surface of the skin only after undergoing several stages of maturation. After reaching the surface of the skin, it continues to grow until it becomes long enough to make its appearance noticeable.
Accordingly, the development of a beard may lead to increased testosterone levels, but too much testosterone can cause male pattern baldness. To prevent this from happening, keep your testosterone levels low and maintain a balance using beard oil.
