Comments on: Grizzly Adams

Question: Grizzly Adams

chuckdarwin — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:05:28 -0800

Why do the white hairs in my beard grow so much faster than the brown hairs do?

When it comes time to trim my beard, the brown ones are much shorter, and this happens every time. There is a very noticeable and measurable difference.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:43:12 -0800

Damn you chuck...you've ruined my whole day...

Being a nice guy on a Saturday morning, I decided to check my beard to see if there was a similar situation.... and provide what feedback I could...... only to find that THERE ARE HARDLY ANY BROWN HAIRS LEFT! So, on a morning when I was already feeling old as shit, you made me look into the mirror to confirm it!

That said, I noticed that the few brown hairs I do have were the same length as the white hairs since the last time I trimmed it (about two weeks ago). So, whatever you're experiencing may not be universal.

And, for the sake of saving another askme down the road, my ear hairs are about the same length as my nose hairs.

By: louigi

louigi — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:18:36 -0800

I have one single white hair. It's in my right eyebrow and yes, it grows about three times as fast as the rest of them. I will be curious to hear the answer to this one.

By: bonobothegreat

bonobothegreat — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:38:49 -0800

I also would like to confirm this phenomenon and would like to know the answer.

By: Heretic

Heretic — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:29:28 -0800

According to the article "Different Growth Rates of Pigmented and White Hair in the Beard: Differentiation vs. Proliferation?" by W. Nagl (British Journal of Dermatology, 1995; 132:1 pp. 94-97), white (unpigmented) hairs grow at roughly twice the rate of normal beard hair (with the maximum rate being about three times the rate of pigmented hair). I am no scientist, but from what I understand, this research claims that the lack of pigment in white beard hairs apparently changes the keratin and chromatin make-up and the melanin synthesis of the hair nuclei. If I'm reading this correctly, these factors control the growth rate of hair, and unpigmented (white) hair exhibits a substantially higher growth rate.

By: Fuzzy Skinner

Fuzzy Skinner — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:02:57 -0800

Yeah, I have a few white eyebrow hairs, and they stick proudly above the rest. Until I pluck those bastards out and burn them, burn them with fire! I think it's the same process that causes your ears to start start growing hair as your head hair starts falling out.

It's a cruel, cruel joke played by Mother Nature, and the best response is to act like you don't notice in order to not give her the satisfaction of punking you.

And, Huron Bob... mirrors are overrated.

By: o2b

o2b — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:38:13 -0800

So, does Steve Martin have to get a ahaircut twice as often as the rest of us?