The vast majority of us are self-conscious about our appearance and will go the extra mile to ensure that we will appreciate the person we are looking at in the mirror. This is considerably more common among the females. The way we look at our bodies will have a significant impact on our levels of self-esteem and confidence. Concerns have been raised, and many questions have been asked, about our body hairs, including why they are curly, whether or not shaving them poses any health risks and whether or not shaving them would cause them to grow back to become thicker and many more.
Some of us may have concern on body hairs particularly if you are naturally hairier. We hope that this guide will help to answer some of the concerns that you may have about human body hair.
Benefits of Body and Arm Hair
Do not see the fact that you have body hair only through a pessimistic lens, since the benefits of having hair on your body cannot be overstated. Even though it might be annoying or causing inconvenience at times, having body hair serves a number of important functions for the human body.
Body hair can prevent you from certain health conditions. People who have a lot of body hair have a lower risk of getting sunburns and rashes.
Help maintain the body at a comfortable temperature. When our bodies sense a drop in temperature, a biological reaction causes our hair to stand on edge, which in turn draws warmer air close to the skin.
Accelerates the body and skin’s natural ability to repair and heal itself. The hair follicles contain stem cells that expedite the healing process in the case of traumatic injuries such as cuts, wounds, bruises, and sores. In addition, the hair follicles include a network of blood vessels, nerves and lipids, all of which work together to hasten the recovery process.
It helps to prevent chafing by reducing friction. Have you ever wondered why you get a burning sensation after waxing or shaving your underarms? If so, you’re not alone. Because the skin beneath the arm does not have hair, it has a tendency to brush against the skin of the arm, which results in a burning sensation. Keeping the hair minimises the likelihood of this happening.
The body hair will help to facilitate the flow of blood. Even if you despise the hairs on your legs, the fact that they are there is an indication of healthy blood circulation. A sign of peripheral artery disease is the possible thinning or loss of hair on the legs.
Disperses bodily smells. According to a number of studies, body hairs are responsible for helping to disperse and diffuse body odour. Because shaving and waxing reduce the amount of hair on the body, thus it will take longer for these odours to leave the body.
It causes less friction. The hair in the armpits keeps skin from touching skin during certain activities like walking and jogging, which in turn reduces the amount of friction that occurs.
Why is Your Arm Hair Curly
You’re probably curious about why the hair on your arm is curly while the hair on your head is straight. That was a question that often occurred to some of us in the past. Heat dissipation is the primary function of the hair that’s growing on your arm. Because the amount of exposure rises with surface area, the hair often has a curled appearance causing an increase in surface area for improving the heat dissipation.
It’s possible that the structure and texture of the hair on your head and your arms have quite different hair structures. Even the hair atop one’s head could have a distinct structure depending on where it is located on the head. You have no influence or say in this matter since it is determined by your genes. Because of this, the structure of your DNA may have an effect on the texture, structure, shape and overall appearance of the body hair you have.
If your parents had curly hair, even if just one of them did, there is a chance that you will also have curly or wavy hair. The shape of your hair follicle is one of the primary factors that determines the curl of your hair.
Is it possible for your straight hair to become curly?
The majority of individuals have, at some point in their lives, pondered the possibility of their hair transforming from straight to wavy or curly, or vice versa. The correct response is “yes,” and the possibility exists.
Hormone changes
As was already said, heredity and genes significantly impact the shape and structure of your hair. The gene for curly hair is not entirely dominant, however, until it is activated, this gene may stay dormant. Once the gene is activated, it will alter the shape of the hair follicle, which will then transform the shape of the hair.
Your hair may curl or straighten when your hormones are undergoing a radical transformation. The following hormonal changes might alter the structure and shape of your hair.
- Aging or menopause
- Puberty
- Pregnancy
During the times of such hormone’s changes, the structure of your hair during such adjustments may be changed. Here are some illustrations.
Insulin
This hormone controls the blood sugar, but research found a direct link between insulin resistance and hair loss.
Triiodothyronine and thyroxine
These hormone anomalies impact the condition of the hair. The hair may become thinner, greasy and brittle due to hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, may cause dry and brittle hair.
Androgens
Androgens are considered as male hormones. But during puberty, both female and male sexes do experience an increase in these male sex hormones, thus both males’ and females’ hormones have a significant role in increasing body hair. An increase in androgens in females might cause the shape of the hair follicle to transform from flat to round. To reiterate, the shape of the hair follicles may vary, thus causing the structure of the hair to change from straight to curly or vice versa.
The Permanent Perm
Have you ever heard someone claim that a previous perm caused their hair to become curly permanently? Never did they lie. It’s possible that they had been through a hair perm process just before undergoing a hormonal change. If so, this situation may result in the perm causing a long-lasting modification to the hair follicle’s shape.
During the perming process, the heat and chemical used will reconfigure and break down the bonds of protein in the hair strands and the hair follicle. These chemicals have the potential to damage and alter the shape of hair follicles permanently.
Arm Hair Shaving
Shaving one’s arm hair as well as shaving other body hair are all your personal choice. It is simply a matter of aesthetic preference just like growing moustache hair. However, shaving your armpits has no health benefits. Most of us, especially the females, choose this because of how smooth our arms feel and the appearance. If you’re considering shaving the hair on your arms, you should educate yourself on the best practices, benefits as well as the risk of doing so if any.
Does My Regrowth Hair Become Thicker After Shaved?
Contrary to what many believe, your hair won’t become thicker when you shave them. Shaving has no impact on the shape, colour, structure, texture or rate of new hair growth. Shaving gives the hair a blunt and straight edge, which may make it feel coarse after shaving, but the hair remains the same physically. The majority of individuals have also enquired as to whether shaving arm hair is safe. The short answer is yes, but only if everything is done correctly and without incident.
Benefits of shaving
- Although shaving your arm hair has no medically proven health benefits, there are still certain personal benefits for some individuals.
- Arms shaving is beneficial for individuals who like hairless and smooth skin.
- Arm shaving helps to reduce the stench or odour that comes from sweat. The porous nature of most hair makes it prone to soak up and hold in moisture from perspiration, which encourages strong odours.
- Arm shaving also helps to decrease perspiration or less noticeable perspiration or sweating since most hair soaks up and holds in moisture.
Risks and Negative Impacts
Shaving your arm hair or other areas of body hair might cause undesirable consequences, particularly if done improperly and unsafely. Razor burns, ingrown hairs, nicks, and cuts may all occur while shaving with a dull or blunt blade. Cuts and nicks are more likely to occur on parts of your arms with uneven skin, like the elbow, since they are harder to spot.
Red and sore lumps called ingrown hairs that are caused by hair growing back into the skin rather than straightening out.
Folliculitis, a skin irritation that causes the hair follicles to inflame, is another concern and risk. It could be brought on by bacteria infections, using a dull razor to shave, and wearing restrictive tight garments. Shaving may also lead to growth of keloids that are dark, elevated scars that may remain on the skin permanently.
It is essential to use shaving tools that are safe and friendly in order to make the whole process of shaving risk-free and safe.
Conclusion
Hereditary factors, such as your genetics structures, have a significant role in determining the shape of your hair, whether it is curly or straight. You always have the option to shave them if you do not like the way that they appear; however, this is just a temporary remedy. Waxing, threading, sugaring, and electrolysis are some of the permanent hair removal methods that you might explore in the market if you are interested. On the other hand, it is time for you to begin looking at your curly arm hair from a different dimension because they can be potentially highly beneficial to your health.
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