Evolution has been kind to us. If it weren’t for the gradual natural changes in our genome, we would still be living like our ancestors with thick hair all over our bodies.
But nature has a way of not letting us forget our hairy roots, which is why we still carry some symbolic remnants of our ancestors with us in the form of body hair. Although we don’t have any need for body hair, we still grow them in abundance due to our genetic makeup.
Why do men grow back hair? Men grow back hair because of various hormonal, chemical and physical factors. The hair on our body has reduced significantly over centuries due to evolution, but we still have genetic leftovers of our ancestors in us which cause body hair growth.
There is a lot of reasoning behind why men grow back hair and all of them are interesting enough to give you a perspective of how we have developed as a species. Read on more to find out why we have back hair in the first place and why we still grow back hair.
A Hairy Situation
If you were to trace the evolution of man, you will not be surprised to learn about our hairy past. We humans come from a lineage of primates that have always had their bodies covered with thick hair or rather, fur. Nothing in nature is without purpose and our hair is no exception. The early primates lived in very harsh surroundings where they would face extreme winters and arid environments alike.
To protect us from these external and indirect dangers, we developed a type of protection in the form of body hair. The hair we have on our body now is nowhere near as thick as we had back then. The type of hair we had, protected us from the cold, sheath us from the harshness of the sun and provided a cushion for us so that we could sleep and sit in comfort.
The human hair is an interesting aspect of our body because it shows us exactly how we have evolved. As man became more sophisticated, the hair on our body started to take a decline as well. This is because we didn’t need to have hair on our bodies to protect us from the same conditions that were present in the past. Although, it is important to note that there were far more complex factors involved which caused us to lose our fur over time. But as we did, humans had developed warm clothing for the winters and airy attire for the summers.
We adapted appropriately and even started to develop ways to groom our bodies. Again, this change didn’t happen overnight, of course. It had to take thousands upon thousands of years for us to become the sophisticated primates we are today. The leftover “fur” we have now is all there is left of our distant past and this is partially why men still grow back hair today.
But you can’t, of course, blame it all on our ancestors as well. Our genetics dictate the growth of hair and external aspects of our body such as nails and bone growth. If you come from a family that has had significant body hair growth, then you can bet the chances of you going through the same experience as well.
All Aboard the Hormonal Rollercoaster
Body hair is very normal, and people have varying degrees of growth. Some experience no growth at all while others experience a fur-like coating on their back and chest. The only irregular type of hair growth found in humans is caused by genetic abnormalities where you grow excess body hair that resembles that of our distant primate relatives.
Back hair may come out thicker and flatter, meaning that it does not grow out in long strands as your chest hair would. This is again, based on several different factors. Back hair is also difficult to get rid of on your own which makes it a nuisance for many men.
Also, the role of hormonal changes is an extremely important factor that governs the amount of body hair growth you experience in your life. For example, a newborn has almost no hair on their body except for what you will commonly see on their head. Over time, we start to develop hair follicles on our skin and with the right hormonal changes, our hair growth starts to kick in.
These hormonal changes are experienced throughout life but are most prominent when we transition into adulthood. Hormonal fluctuations cause different reactions in your body which causes your outward appearance to change quite dramatically. This is perhaps why people are sometimes shocked to meet childhood friends or distant relatives after years. The changes they go through during puberty and later stages in life grant them a completely different appearance.
Think about it, do you even remember having back or even chest hair when you were younger? Chances are that you didn’t, and you only started to experience back hair growth during puberty. You have hormones to thank for that, among other factors.
Now that you know why we can move on to the various methods of managing back hair.
Enter: Grooming
Did you know that there is a billion-dollar market just for hair removal products? Several companies focus solely on how you can manage or remove excess hair. From shaving brands to waxing salons. There are numerous options available today which you can opt for to get your back groomed.
The easiest way for you to manage back hair is to book an appointment with the nearest waxing salon. These salons specialize in excess hair removal and can help you get the look you want without you having to do much. All you would have to do is talk with a consultant and let them know about the type of waxing you want and the amount of hair you want to keep. The specialists will then take care of the rest.
Speaking of waxing, if you want to try removing hair at home then you can also ask a very, very close friend or your spouse to have your back waxed. We recommend that you use the Lifestance European Wax Warmer Hair Removal Wax Kit (Amazon). This kit will set you up for a very long time. You can get professional results from the comfort of your own home.
Back hair can also make some men feel insecure enough to the point that they don’t even want to discuss their issues. For people who want to try waxing in privacy, the home waxing option is the best way to go. You can also try shaving just the back of your neck to make it appear like you don’t have back hair as well.
A common scenario that men face is when they avoid wearing T-shirts because of their neck hair being exposed. Some men combat this issue by shaving just the back of their neck while others opt for a deeper cleanse. If you can live with just shaving off the back of your neck, then you’re in luck because you can even do this at home!
However, the neck shaving method requires a lot of patience, practice and the right tools, of course. You would only want to use the best shaving blades you can find because any wrong glide of the blade can cause severe razor-burn and irritability. You may use almost any high-grade razor for this task but we recommend that you go for the Gillette Fusion5 ProShield Chill Men’s Razor (Click to view pricing on Amazon).
Shaving the back of your neck will allow you a quick fix for your back-hair problem. This is for emergencies only though, as you will start to develop a stubble on your back in just a few days which you will need to manage by either trimming it again with a razor or with an electric shaver. Avoid using hair removal creams as they may contain chemicals that cause damage to the skin with regular use. Please talk with a dermatologist before you opt for any chemical hair removal options.
Back hair can be troublesome but is a constant reminder of our ancient roots and our diversity as a species. Every guy has a different situation when it comes to body hair growth. Some have it more than others. Similarly, some choose to embrace it while others choose to manage it. In the end, what matters is how you feel about your body hair. If you are comfortable enough to flaunt it then, good for you. But if you don’t like it then there is no need to curse your luck. There are hundreds of men with the same issue and almost all of them deal with it as part of their regular grooming routine.
