If you’re reading this blog post, I can almost guarantee that you’re wondering why some men have chest hair, yet others don’t. The former category has the upper hand. Some men are blessed with a full mane of chest hair, while others struggle to grow even a mildew patch. Of course, the majority fall somewhere in between.
What do you think determines who has more chest hair? And what are the causes behind this phenomenon?
Genetics?
Health? Age?
Gene for hair growth may determine if you have chest hair or not. The primary reason why some men have no chest hair is that they lack the enzyme 5- alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is the hormone that induces the development of chest and facial hair in men.
Also, excessively increased testosterone production and higher levels of DHT are to blame for the lack of chest hair. Toxins such as testosterone inhibitors in food, water, and household products also block the growth of chest hair in men.
A recent study revealed that using the wrong body wash may also cause men to have less or no chest hair.
According to Wikipedia, “vellus hair is already present in the area in childhood, chest hair is the terminal hair that develops as an effect of rising levels of androgens (testosterone and its derivatives) due to puberty. Different from the head hair it is, therefore, a secondary sexual characteristic. Men tend to be covered with far more terminal hair, particularly on the chest, the abdomen, and the face. The development of chest hair begins normally during late puberty, usually between the ages of 12 and 18. It can also start later, between the age of 20 and 30, so that many men in their twenties have not yet reached their full chest hair development. The growth continues subsequently.
Some of the common reasons why some men don’t have chest hair.
1. Hormones
The sole hormone responsible for the growth of hair on the male body, specifically the chest area is the androgen hormone(a type of growth hormone). The higher the androgen level will be, the faster and thicker the hair will grow on the body. Although some men experience low levels of androgen which results in zero to no chest hair in men.
There could be more than one way in which your hormones affect your chest hair growth. One could be that you are falling short on androgen in your body. Your body might not be capable of producing enough androgen to promote hair growth.
The other could be that your estrogen levels are sky-rocketing. Yes, you heard it right. Men too have estrogen in their bodies. The so-called “female hormone” is also found in the male body, just as women have testosterone too. No, it’s not a matter of concern. Both men and women have testosterone and estrogens. The deciding factor is the amount in which they are found in the human body. Males have more testosterone and low estrogen levels in their bodies. With women, it is exactly the opposite.
2. Genetics
Genetics plays a vital role in determining whether or not you’ll be growing an impressive mane or not. Your parents and ancestors might not contribute to your physiological traits but they definitely have a contribution to your genes. Which in turn determines the level of androgens your body will be producing.
That means if you have minimal chest hair growth, you are likely to transfer those same genes to your children, preferably a male child. Similarly, if you had a lot of chest hair, your children would experience the same.
Your parent’s genes affect your overall hair growth immensely. You might likely have received your father’s, mother’s, or even one of your grand parent’s traits. The genes contribute a lot to hair pattern, amount, density, and even growth.
3. Climate
Chest hair growth is also affected by the climatic changes a man goes through. You might have noticed how men of different regions exhibit different traits such as skin color, body, facial hair, and even body structure. Believe it or not, the environment one lives in has little effect on everyone. Some of the environmental factors are pollution, temperature, and humidity.
The only way to survive this is to reside in a region that suits your body better. If your body feels better in tropical regions, live in tropical regions. If your body feels good in a colder region, live in a colder region.
4. Nutritional Deficiency
Nutritional deficiencies such as lack of minerals in the body or the lack of protein and keratin could be inhibiting your chest hair growth. Protein and keratin are responsible for the formation of hair follicles by packing old cells together.
Along with hair growth, nutritional deficiency can affect your hair structure as well. One of the causes might be a person experiencing acute telogen effluvium(TE). It is a known effect of sudden weight loss or lack of protein intake.
In some cases, people who do have some chest hair experience hair loss due to a deficiency of vitamin D in their system.
To overcome this one can aim to keep a healthy and balanced diet. Keep your protein intake up to the mark and that should do it. The average human being requires around 0.6g – 0.8g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
Hair growth usually occurs in the later stages of puberty. So guys in their late teens or low 20s must pay attention to consuming a healthy diet to promote adequate hair growth, not just around the chest, but on the entire body.
5. Medical Problems
Some men who have no chest hair even after being on a balanced diet could be experiencing medical issues. Dermatological reasons could also be responsible for the lack of chest hair in some men. If so, consult with your doctor and you could probably get it treated in time.
Now that we know of the reasons which restrict you from having chest hair, let us shed light on some methods which could promote your chest’s hair growth.
- Testosterone boosting- Since we know that testosterone plays such a vital role in the growth of chest hair or any body hair, we must focus on ways how to boost its production. One can always indulge in exercising.
Resistance training is one of the best methods to boost testosterone. Training done especially with weights is quite challenging on the skeletomuscular system. It creates many micro-tears on the muscles.
To repair the damaged muscles the body releases testosterone. Try indulging in weight training at least three times a week and that must help you. This way we not only enhance our body aesthetically, but we also ensure better chances of hair growth.
- Applying miconazole nitrate- Miconazole nitrate otherwise known as Daktarin cream is a cream used to treat athlete’s foot, vaginal infections, ringworms, and few other fungal infections. Although not medically verified, you can still try to use it to treat your chest hair growth. Apply a small amount on your chest and rub it on the skin.
Be cautious before you start using it though. Consult with your doctor to ensure you don’t develop any allergies. Do not use it if you have an allergy to miconazole or any other ingredient from the product. It is also safe to avoid it if you’re on medication of any sort.
- Using onions as a massager – Rub the onion on your chest in a circular motion. Once the onion runs dry, cut a small section of the onion and continue. This can stimulate hair growth as onions contain sulfur, a mineral known to help with hair growth.
This method is not advised to be used during the day, because of the smell. So practice this method during the night, and shower in the morning after.
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- Supplementation – Men who do not have the time to spare for extra care and activities can turn to supplementation to compensate. Testosterone supplements can come in handy. But before you turn to supplements make sure you consult with your doctor. Only if your doctor deems you low on testosterone, only then should you consume those supplements.
If you are diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency, you may take multi-vitamin tablets. The general vitamin to be held responsible is vitamin D. The less known vitamin is vitamin E. Consumption of fish oil capsules also triggers hair growth overall, henceforth leading to chest hair growth.
- Grooming- Some men who have very little chest hair might benefit from shaving it regularly. This will eventually increase hair thickness. But remember it will only enhance the thickness of the hair which is already there, it will not grow any new ones.
Shaving will not just make the hair thicker because of the hair simply being cut. Rather because with every shave, the skin is cleared of all the closed pores promoting healthy pores making them more suitable for hair growth. An ideal period, to begin with would be two to three weeks. Do not overdo it, as that may irritate the skin resulting in skin inflammation or worse, infections.
- Patience- Have patience and trust the process. Just like your scalp’s hair did not grow in a day or week, your chest hair’s growth will take its time. Even if you have the perfect testosterone levels, no genetic drawbacks, you might still be a late bloomer.
Allow puberty to take its course and the results will impress you. If you figure out a method that will help you grow a speck or two on that chest, go for it after a complete analysis of it. Do not expect any drastic changes overnight. Go through the process and have faith.
The fashion of having chest hair has changed over time. Some known actors such as Tom Selleck in the 1980s pulled it off well. He was popular as the ‘Malboro Man’. This picture here shows what an ideal “Man” would aspire to look like in the 70s and 80s.
Source: Pinterest
Some celebrities pursue the same fashion today as well. Our very known Superman’s (Henry Cavill) shirtless scenes in the movie “Man of Steel”, “Batman vs Superman say it all. Some may argue that a hairy chest might not impress a lot. But trust me, you gotta ask the ladies, they have a different opinion.
Source: Pinterest
It has been considered a symbol of manliness over centuries, yet some men prefer to go without it. In such cases, the phrase fits perfectly, to each their own.
