Underarm hair

Underarm hair
Underarm hair
Details
Identifiers
Latin	hirci
TA98	A16.0.00.021
TA2	7061
FMA	70756
	Anatomical terminology [ edit on Wikidata ]

Underarm hair , also known as axillary hair or armpit hair , is the hair in the underarm area ( axilla ).

Development [ edit ]

This is an illustration demonstrating the Wolfsdorf Staging for axillary hair development in children. ^[1]

Underarm or axillary hair goes through four stages of development, driven by weak androgens produced by the adrenal in males and females during adrenarche , and testosterone from the testicle in males during puberty . ^[2]

The importance of human underarm hair is unclear. It may naturally wick sweat or other moisture away from the skin, aiding ventilation. Colonization by odor-producing bacteria is thereby transferred away from the skin (see skin flora ). ^[3]

Male axilla
Female axilla
Axillia of a pubescent male, note the short, stray hairs characteristic of this stage (Wolfsdorf 2)

Function [ edit ]

Reducing friction [ edit ]

Armpit hair prevents skin-to-skin contact during activities that involve arm motion, such as running and walking. The same applies to pubic hair. ^[4]^{[
better source needed
]}

Spreading pheromones [ edit ]

The armpits release odor-containing pheromones, a naturally produced chemical that plays an important role in sexual attraction. Armpit hair traps odor, making the pheromones even stronger. A study in 2018 including 96 heterosexual couples found that there were stress-relieving benefits to smelling a romantic partner's natural scent. ^[5]

Impact of hair removal [ edit ]

Effect on odor [ edit ]

А 2012 study on the impact of hair removal on odor found that shaved armpits were rated the same as unshaved armpits. ^[6]

Chemical absorption [ edit ]

A 2017 study on chemical absorption from deodorants as a result of hair removal showed an increase in chemical absorption from .01% to .06% where skin has been damaged by recent shaving. ^[7]

A 2003 study on aluminum antiperspirant usage and the age of breast cancer onset tentatively concluded that “underarm shaving with antiperspirant/deodorant use may play a role in breast cancer.” ^[8]

References [ edit ]

^ Pineau, Jean-Claude (2020). "Age estimation of teenage boys during puberty" . American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology . 41 (3). Williams & Wilkins: 188?193. doi : 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000573 . PMID 32796206 . S2CID 221257760 .
^ Auchus RJ, Rainey WE (March 2004). "Adrenarche - physiology, biochemistry and human disease" . Clinical Endocrinology . 60 (3): 288?296. doi : 10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01858.x . PMID 15008992 .
^ Paye M, Maibach HI, Barel AO (2009). Handbook of cosmetic science and technology (3 ed.). Informa Health Care . p. 703. ISBN 978-1-4200-6963-1 .
^ "MRSA superbug? Part 1" . PsycEXTRA Dataset . 2007. doi : 10.1037/e721542007-001 . Retrieved 12 July 2022 .
^ Hofer MK, Collins HK, Whillans AV, Chen FS (January 2018). "Olfactory cues from romantic partners and strangers influence women's responses to stress". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . 114 (1): 1?9. doi : 10.1037/pspa0000110 . PMID 29293018 . S2CID 40410769 .
^ Kohoutova D, Rube?ova A, Havli?ek J (April 2012). "Shaving of axillary hair has only a transient effect on perceived body odor pleasantness". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology . 66 (4): 569?581. doi : 10.1007/s00265-011-1305-0 . ISSN 0340-5443 . S2CID 16607684 .
^ Klotz K, Weistenhofer W, Neff F, Hartwig A, van Thriel C, Drexler H (September 2017). "The Health Effects of Aluminum Exposure" . Deutsches Arzteblatt International . 114 (39): 653?659. doi : 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0653 . PMC 5651828 . PMID 29034866 .
^ McGrath KG (December 2003). "An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving". European Journal of Cancer Prevention . 12 (6): 479?485. doi : 10.1097/00008469-200312000-00006 . PMID 14639125 . S2CID 24938503 .

External links [ edit ]

Media related to Underarm hair at Wikimedia Commons

[1] Pineau, Jean-Claude (2020). "Age estimation of teenage boys during puberty" . American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology . 41 (3). Williams & Wilkins: 188?193. doi : 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000573 . PMID 32796206 . S2CID 221257760 .

[2] Auchus RJ, Rainey WE (March 2004). "Adrenarche - physiology, biochemistry and human disease" . Clinical Endocrinology . 60 (3): 288?296. doi : 10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01858.x . PMID 15008992 .

[3] Paye M, Maibach HI, Barel AO (2009). Handbook of cosmetic science and technology (3 ed.). Informa Health Care . p. 703. ISBN 978-1-4200-6963-1 .

[4] "MRSA superbug? Part 1" . PsycEXTRA Dataset . 2007. doi : 10.1037/e721542007-001 . Retrieved 12 July 2022 .

[5] Hofer MK, Collins HK, Whillans AV, Chen FS (January 2018). "Olfactory cues from romantic partners and strangers influence women's responses to stress". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . 114 (1): 1?9. doi : 10.1037/pspa0000110 . PMID 29293018 . S2CID 40410769 .

[6] Kohoutova D, Rube?ova A, Havli?ek J (April 2012). "Shaving of axillary hair has only a transient effect on perceived body odor pleasantness". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology . 66 (4): 569?581. doi : 10.1007/s00265-011-1305-0 . ISSN 0340-5443 . S2CID 16607684 .

[7] Klotz K, Weistenhofer W, Neff F, Hartwig A, van Thriel C, Drexler H (September 2017). "The Health Effects of Aluminum Exposure" . Deutsches Arzteblatt International . 114 (39): 653?659. doi : 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0653 . PMC 5651828 . PMID 29034866 .

[8] McGrath KG (December 2003). "An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving". European Journal of Cancer Prevention . 12 (6): 479?485. doi : 10.1097/00008469-200312000-00006 . PMID 14639125 . S2CID 24938503 .

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