Everyone grows armpit hair. Normally, hair grows evenly. But when there is uneven hair growth, you will see uneven hair on the left or right side.
Table of Contents
Why do I have more Hair In One Armpit Than the Other?
Armpit Hair growth cycle
Your hair grows in four phases. While one hair is growing at the anagen phase, another might be at the resting phase. This causes uneven hair growth.
- Anagen – Growth phase
- Catagen – Transition phase &
- Telogen – Resting phase
- Exogen – Shedding phase
Anagen is the first phase called the growth phase. During this phase, your hair grows 1 centimetre per month.
The next phase is called the Catagen phase. It is also called the transition phase that lasts up to 2-3 weeks. This phase is where your hair follicle starts to degrade, resulting in cutting off nutrients and essential oils needed to grow your hair. During this phase, your hair tends to go to the resting stage.
Now comes the Telogen phase that lasts for 2-3 months. Over here, all the nutrients and oil supplies are cut off. As a result of it, your hair starts to rest. This is the period where your hair stops growing completely.
Finally enters the Exogen phase. During this phase, either your dead hair sheds off or starts to go to the first Anagen phase, where your hair grows again.
Genetics/Heredity
Each strand of your hair has its own genetic formation. One strand is independent of another. Hair strand determines whether you will have thick or thin hair.
According to ScienceDaily,
Activation of the gene Lhx2 leads to increased hair growth.
You can also inherit this growth pattern if any one of your family members has this kind of hair.
High/Less Number of Hair Follicles
According to Healthline, a hair follicle is a small pouch in your skin from which hair grows. It is responsible for growing hair.
While the amount of hair follicles differs in two armpits, if your right armpit has more hair follicles, it will grow more hair, whereas if your left armpit has more follicles, it will grow more hair.
Ageing
As ageing starts, your hair follicles may die. Hair follicles are intact to the skin.
Hair follicles of one side of the underarm may die while others may be functioning. It also causes uneven hair in your underarm.
Nutritional Deficiency
Lack of nutrients like vitamin A, C, E, B, zinc and biotins slows down the growth. Nutrition deficiency also causes uneven hair.
Medication
According to a study, medication can change the texture, colour and hair thickness.
Taking medication during health problem can affect hormone resulting to cause uneven hair.
Improper Care
Your armpit sweats a lot. The sweat build-up may clog the hair follicles. As a result, hair growth may stop and have uneven hair.
Frictional Alopecia
Moving your hand creates friction causing hair loss and breakage. You can also suffer from frictional alopecia. According to Wikipedia, it is due to the rubbing of hair, follicles and skin around the follicles.
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Why People Have Armpit Hair?
When you hit puberty, your body produces androgenic hormones. This hormone develops vellus hair into terminal hair. Armpit hair is terminal hair.
Evolution
Our ancestor is hairy. According to this research, hair retains heat in a cold climate and keep out the heat in a hot environment. It works as a skin repellant and protects the body from UV rays.
Human when moved from scorching hot temperature to cool savannah, body developed thermoregulation losing most furs from the body except eyebrows, armpits and pubic area. It helps to hunt during the day in hot grassland without overheating.
To Prevent Infection
Armpits sweat, but the hair absorbs it. Thus, it prevents infection.
To Reduce Friction
Armpit hair reduces friction during skin to skin contact.
To make Pheromone Stronger.
The armpit releases an odour that contains a pheromone that attracts the opposite sex. Armpit hair traps odour – since moisture attaches to hair – this makes the pheromone even stronger.
According to this research, human scent works as a stress reliever.
Is it Normal to Have More Hair in One Armpit?
It is completely normal to have more hair in one armpit because your one armpit may have more amount of hair follicles. Additionally, it may have completed the resting phase and started the anagen phase to grow new hair.
Armpit Hair Stopped Growing on One Side?
Your armpit hair may stop growing on one side because hair follicles might get clogged due to build-up products. Your follicles can also die due to damage and age. As a result, it stops growing hair.
Does armpit hair grow at a different rate?
Armpit hair grows at a different rate which totally depends upon its growth cycle. One side of the armpit hair may be at the resting phase, while another side of the armpit hair may be at the anagen phase. This totally differences the growth rate.
Conclusion
Your left armpit has more hair because
- It has a higher number of hair follicles
- It has started anagen phase
- You are genetically inherited to have more hair at your left armpit
This is the same approach for your right armpit to have more hair.
