When we think of defining manly features, one that sits at the top of the list would have to be a full and hairy chest.
There was once a time where getting chest hair meant that you were becoming a man, and the bushier the better, but in reality, hairy chests aren’t seen that much these days and can even be near impossible for most men to grow.
What else is there to know about chest hair?
We’ve uncovered some fascinating facts about this hair, including the fact that it’s normal to be totally uneven and that women can grow just as much chest hair as men. There’s a lot more than meets the eye for this special section of body hair.
Chest hair is a pretty spectacular thing, so no matter how yours grows or how you like to wear it, you’ll be pretty impressed with these facts we’ve uncovered.
Better yet, you’ll have an interesting icebreaker for the next time you’re stuck in a boring conversation, so check out these cool facts about chest hair that we found.
#1 Chest Hair Used to Be a Lot Worse
Evolution is fascinating to research, and chest hair is one part of the evolution that we can really be thankful for.
Around three million years ago our chest hair spanned our entire body and looked like fur covering us all over. When the earth started to heat up, that full coverage of hair wasn’t needed, and eventually, it shed as we learned how to sweat.
Even if your chest hair is out of control today, at least it doesn’t cover your entire body like a winter coat, so you have that to be grateful for.
#2 Chest Hair Attracts Women at Different Times
During the 1970s it seemed every woman swooned after a man with manly chest hair patterns, but it turns out that might not have been true for ladies of all ages.
A study of almost 300 women found that when a woman was of fertile age, she preferred a man with a cleaner chest. As women got older and approached postmenopausal age, they liked their men with a full chest of hair.
This might be why we see a lot of older men strolling the beach in little more than Speedos and a full-grown rug on their chest, because they know women their age are into it.
#3 Uneven Chest Hair is Totally Normal
If you’re a man with chest hair, you’ve probably spent quite a few hours in the mirror checking it out. One thing you might have noticed and tried to fix is that it never looks even.
The good news is, this patchy or uneven growing chest how to grow chest hairhair is normal, and it’s rare to have it even.
Research found that in a group of 1,200 men, their chest hair grew in the same unique patterns spread onto different areas of the chest and that it was common for men to have an asymmetrical hairy chest pattern.
If you’ve been trying to get your normal chest hair to even out and look the same on both sides, you’re simply wasting your time.
#4 It Can’t Be Forcibly Grown
If you’ve never had a lot of chest hair and felt you were missing something in the department of masculinity, we don’t have any good news for you.
So, how to grow chest hair?
Unfortunately, chest hair can’t be grown if it’s not naturally appearing, so while there are things that promote chest hair growth it’s impossible to get some to grow in specific areas of the body.
The best you can do is embrace your bare chest and tell yourself there are plenty of men who undergo waxing, shaving, and chest hair removal cream to get exactly what you have.
#5 Chest Hair DNA Can’t Tell You’re a Man
DNA is a fascinating thing, and one of the best sources of DNA that we have is our hair. However, if a detective were to find a piece of your chest hair they would be able to tell a whole lot about you, expect whether you were a man or woman.
Gender is one of the only things that can’t be determined by looking at the DNA of a piece of hair, so even if it’s thick and long, there’s no real way for anyone to know where it came from.
#6 You and Your FIL Might Have the Same Chest Hair
This fact is a little weird, so bear with us while we explain. Some researchers believe women choose their partners based on an inheritance from their mothers.
This inheritance is called sexual imprinting, and it means that a woman might choose her mate if they resemble her own father’s looks.
Funnily enough, this applies to chest hair patterns and growth as well, so there’s a good chance that you and your father in law could share the same hairy chest or lack thereof.
Better avoid trying to get a look though, otherwise, it could cause some confusion.
#7 Hormones Are to Blame For No Chest Hair
Many men spent their teenage years and early 20s waiting for their chest hair to bloom. No matter what they tried, they weren’t able to get it to grow and probably felt a little ripped off in the process.
However, hormones are to blame for having no chest hair, specifically androsterone and testosterone.
If you have a deficiency in either it could lead to a lack of hair growth in particular parts of the body, including the chest, or it could have to do with how your body processes it.
Interestingly enough, these androgens are also responsible for muscle development and prostate function, so as men we owe a lot to them.
#8 Women Have Chest Hair, Too
When we say women have chest hair, we’re not implying they’re walking around with a mane of hair sticking out of their shirts, ala Saturday Night Fever, but rather more inconspicuous than that.
Science shows that women have just as many hair follicles as men do on their chest, which might come as a surprise.
The key difference, though, is that men also have high levels of testosterone which causes these follicles to grown and also sprout dark-colored hairs from them whereas women’s usually lay dormant or grow only light and fine hairs.
#9 There’s a Way to Trim It
If you’ve ever attempted to trim your chest hair and make it more manageable, you’ve probably realized this is a task with a lot of trial and error involved.
There’s an easy way to trim chest hair the right way and that’s with a body groomer. These are similar to facial shavers or nose hair trimmers but made specifically for the body, so you can use it on more than just your chest, like your pubic region as well.
For ultimate smoothness in other parts, we recommend a hair removal cream for the least amount of stubble.
Related Questions
Grooming is an important part of a man’s everyday routine, but when it comes to chest hair you might need some direction on how to do it right.
These are some common questions men have about their chest hair that can clear up the basics so you can ensure you’re taking the very best care of it.
How Long Does Chest Hair Have to Be to Wax?
The frequency of waxing depends on how long the hair is but also the coarseness of it. For men with coarser hair, you should let it grow no more than ½ inch before you wax it.
After regular waxing and once it starts to thin out, it can be waxed shorter than this. If your hair is too long to wax, you can shave it and then book an appointment for two weeks later to have it waxed.
Should You Shave Chest Hair?
While you can choose to shave your chest hair, men should be aware of the disadvantages it comes with.
Shaving chest hair will need to be done a few times a week to keep it smooth and it can lead to other issues like infected hair follicles and bumpy, irritated skin. For these reasons, waxing the hair is usually more effective.
Does More Hair Mean More Testosterone?
Testosterone is one of the most important hormones when it comes to determining how much hair someone has on their bodies, but most men have the same amount unless they suffer a deficiency.
The difference is how our bodies respond to this hormone, with men who are sensitive to it usually growing more facial hair and chest hair.
