The bodies of most mammals including humans and animals have a layer of hair follicles just below their skins. Each part of the body other than the soles and palms has hair follicles. However, follicles on each area of the body give rise to different types of hair.
This is the reason why you only see peach fuzz on your cheeks while thick and coarse hair on your legs or pubic regions. Thus, hair growth on the body is classified into two types; vellus and terminal hair.
As the visibility, color, and strength of both types of hair are variable, the way to groom them is also different. So, let us find out the differences between vellus hair vs. terminal hair and how to deal with both here.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: Vellus Hair vs Terminal Hair: What Are the Differences?
- Part 2: Will Vellus Hair Turn Into Terminal Hair?
- Part 3: Vellus Hair vs Terminal Hair: What Hair Should I Remove?
- Part 4: Is Vellus Hair a Sign of Regrowth After Shaving or Laser Hair Removal?
Part 1: Vellus Hair vs Terminal Hair: What Are the Differences?
Here are the basic differences between vellus hair and terminal hair.
Vellus Hair
Also known as baby hair or peach fuzz, vellus hair is
- Thin
- Almost colorless
- Soft
- Short
- Nearly invisible hair that grows on the full body.
The shallow hair follicle with a small dermal papilla is the reason why vellus hair appears as mentioned above.
It is called baby hair as it is the type of hair that grows on the bodies of newborn babies until they hit puberty. Also, it is called peach fuzz because it resembles the texture of the skin of peaches.
The function of peach fuzz is to protect the body against the harshness of the environment and insulate it as well as mentioned in the Cleveland Clinic blog [1].
Furthermore, even the features of peach fuzz differ among individuals but here is how they appear in general.
- Texture: Soft and matte
- Color: Matches the color of the skin
- Growth Areas: Face, neck, arms, legs, chest, bald scalp, stomach, and nose
Terminal Hair
As the person hits puberty, some changes occur in the hair follicles and dermal papilla that turn vellus hair into the terminal. The shallow hair follicle with a small papilla develops into a deep hair follicle and large dermal papilla as stated by Hairless NYC Clinic [2].
This changes the color and texture of the hair making them thick, dark, strong, and coarse. In children, this type of hair is only present on the scalp and eyebrows while in adulthood, terminal hair is seen on the scalp, upper lip, chin, sideburns, pubes, lower legs, beard, and underarms.
Also, it is seen on the back, chest, arms, and legs of men as it covers 90% of the bodies of men as mentioned by Cleveland Clinic [3]. Additionally, here are the characteristics that can
- Texture: Hard and shiny
- Color: Dark black, blonde, brown, or ginger
- Growth Areas: Scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, underarms, and pubic region
Part 2: Will Vellus Hair Turn Into Terminal Hair?
Yes, vellus hair can definitely turn into terminal hair. But, it depends upon the area you are talking about and your hormonal status. So, here are the conditions for the vellus to turn into the terminal.
Puberty
The physiological transformation of vellus hair into terminal hair occurs in puberty. This is because the hormones in childhood are replaced by adult hormones and these include,
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
- Other androgens
These hormones cause changes in the anatomy of the hair follicles and stimulate them to grow thick and dark hair.
PCOS
In PCOS, the cysts present in the ovaries cause hormonal imbalance. Testosterone is the hormone that increases hair growth while estrogen reduces it.
In PCOS, the level of progesterone and testosterone increases while that of estrogen falls. Resultantly, vellus hair turns into terminal hair. Also, note that these changes are apparent on the face, cheeks, legs, and arms of women.
Menopause
The modification between vellus and terminal hair in menopause is very unique as explained by the Endocrinology Center [4]. The level of female hormones like estrogen and progesterone begins to fall in menopause and the level of male hormones like androgens remains the same.
However, the ratio of male vs. female hormones shifts towards the male side and women start developing terminal hair in place of vellus
Pregnancy
Just like puberty and menopause, there are physiological changes in hormonal levels in pregnancy. The levels of estrogen and progesterone both increase. However, the amount of progesterone is greater.
Consequently, a pregnant lady has more thick hair in the areas where vellus hair grows.
Medical Conditions
The medical conditions in which there is hormonal imbalance, the chances of hirsutism are high. In hirsutism, vellus hair can change into terminal and such conditions include,
- Adrenal disorders like adrenal hyperplasia
- Thyroid disorders like hyperthyroidism
- Ovarian issues like PCOS
Under the Influence of Certain Drugs
Last but not least, any drug that affects the levels of hormones or stimulates the hair follicles in place of natural hormones also leads to the formation of terminal hair. Some of such drugs are,
- Minoxidil
- Clomiphene
- Tamoxifen
- Danazol
- Phenytoin
Part 3: Vellus Hair vs Terminal Hair: What Hair Should I Remove?
Women prefer skin with no speck of hair on it, even though the hair is as invisible as vellus hair. Thus, let us which type of hair you should remove.
Pros and Cons of Removing Vellus Hair
The pros of removing excess vellus hair are given as,
- Silky smooth hair-free skin that enhances skin glow and radiance
- Effortless application and texture-free appearance of the makeup
In contrast, here is why it is recommended not to remove vellus hair,
- Loss of skin insulation provided by vellus hair
- Skin becomes more prone to friction
- Pain, skin rashes, and redness that come with hair removal
Pros and Cons of Removing Terminal Hair
Terminal hair is the type of hair removed most commonly. It is because,
- Terminal hair removal enhances physical appearance greatly
- It is an essential part of maintaining hygiene and grooming
- It reduces sweating and accumulation of impurities on the body
The cons of terminal hair removal depend upon the hair removal method. Some examples include,
- Razor burns in shaving
- Pain and ingrown hair in waxing
- Expense in laser hair removal
- Time consumption and pain in threading
What Hair Should I Remove?
It is obvious that the hair that is apparent on the skin and impacts the self-esteem of women adversely is the type of hair that you should remove. Thus, although you can get rid of both vellus and terminal hair, it is recommended to remove the terminal hair only.
Part 4: Is Vellus Hair a Sign of Regrowth After Shaving or Laser Hair Removal?
The adult type of hair only develops when a teenager hits puberty. Before puberty, most hair is vellus and it grows into terminal hair after puberty.
Now, if you remove terminal hair with a temporary method like shaving or waxing, terminal hair will regrow back. However, hair regrowth is a different story with laser hair removal.
In this case, the laser helps you get rid of the terminal hair by destroying the hair follicles and you notice regrowth of vellus hair after a while. This vellus hair grows from weakened follicles which soon will gain their strength back.
So, if you are seeing peach fuzz growing back in the areas treated with laser hair removal, it is a sign of hair regrowth after your treatment. It is also a sign that you should plan a laser hair removal follow-up session in a few days.
Conclusion
The thick beard hair of men is terminal while the soft peach fuzz on the cheeks of women is vellus hair. However, it is important to know that both men and women develop both types of hair.
It is just that, men have more terminal and women have more vellus hair. The vellus hair also changes into terminal hair with fluctuations in the levels of hormones.
Additionally, women prefer to remove the terminal hair as it makes them more confident and men like their body hair as it makes them appear more masculine. Thus, the removal of terminal hair is a personal choice.
References
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23098-vellus-hair-peach-fuzz
- https://www.hairlessnyc.com/vellus-hair-versus-terminal-hair/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23140-terminal-hair
- https://www.endocrinecenter.com/blog/unusual-hair-growth-and-menopause-whats-the-link#:~:text=You%20may%20notice%20that%20some,abdomen%2C%20a%20condition%20called%20hirsutism.
