# Could med/biol type person please explain bizarre phenomenon?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 28, 2003, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705 "2003-11-28T08:30:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![einstein\_s\_lovechild\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@einstein\_s\_lovechild\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/einstein_s_lovechild_1)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705/1 "2003-11-28T08:30:29Z")

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A few months ago I broke my wrist (colles fracture). When I came out of plaster, my wrist, my hand and a large section of my lower forearm were massively hairy (increased length and girth of hairs, much darker, and sproating out of hitherto hairless sectors). Even the underside of my arm is now massively hairy (not the palms though luckily). My physio said everyone complains of the same issue, but she does not know what causes it and whether it goes away.

Does plaster cause this or increased blood flow to the region or something else? Do you know if it goes back to normal (either on its own or after removing it)?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705/2 "2003-11-28T11:56:46Z")

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Wow, if someone’s discovered a hair-growth method that actually WORKS, someone’s gonna be very very rich soon. q;}

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**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705/3 "2003-11-28T12:53:22Z")

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Dude, sounds like that instead of just setting the fracture, they accidentally grafted a gorillas hand on, in place of the original. Happens all the time, as your physiotherapist has noticed 😉

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**Author:** ![SeekingTruth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@SeekingTruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeekingTruth)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705/4 "2003-11-28T13:10:18Z")

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A wag, but here we go. Could it be because with the cast friction and everyday living didn’t wear it away? Less likely, but not disputed (yet) moiture/lack of sunlight somehow?

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**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-med-biol-type-person-please-explain-bizarre-phenomenon/215705/5 "2003-11-28T13:22:40Z")

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Excessive hairiness, also known as hirsutism and [hypertrichosis](http://www.keratin.com/ah/ah006.shtml):

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*Pressure hypertrichosis \*\*
> 
> Hypertrichosis can be promoted in areas under physical pressure such as under a cast or any pressure from any work or recreational activity where weight is applied to a part of the body for a long time. For example, This pressure may act in the same way as physical trauma and promote a very mild injury to the skin and hair follicles that then respond with hair growth.