Last updated on August 28, 2020
Question:
Thanks for answering all my questions.
When it comes to facial hair, how do I know when I have facial hair? Being a dirty blonde, I have had blonde hair on my upper lip my whole life. When I get facial hair will they get darker and thicker? Now they are just soft and very light. What does that mean?
Thanks.
Answer:
People have two types of hair: vellus and terminal hair. You have terminal hair on the top of your head and as a child, you had vellus hair most everywhere else. About the only places you don’t have hair is on the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands.
Vellus hair is fine (small in diameter) and without pigment, so it is mostly clear. Because it is so fine, it breaks off easily and doesn’t tend to get very long. It is also very soft to the touch.
Terminal hair is thicker in diameter and pigmented. It will grow much longer than vellus hair.
What you have right now on your lip are vellus hairs. As these hairs change to terminal hairs, they will first grow long. It is hard to see the vellus hairs straight on, but people seeing you from the side will notice your fine hairs are getting long. That is where the term “peach fuzz” comes from. Since you are blonde, you won’t notice your hairs getting much darker. You’ll know you have terminal hair when you realize that if you don’t start shaving them off, you’ll be chewing on them when you eat. Usually, you’ll realize that you’re growing facial hair when people start to comment that you are looking scruffy and need a shave. Also, terminal hairs when cut short feel like something akin to sandpaper.