I noticed this recently. I have hair everywhere else on my legs, but the backs of my calves are completely bald. Since I have dark hair and pale skin it’s quite noticeable when I’m wearing shorts. What might be causing this?
The area that doesn’t have hair is the region where the calf muscle protrudes, leading me to wonder if it might be due to my pants rubbing against the area. Could this happen? What can I do to ameliorate this situation??
Thanks.
I am a girlie and I have the same problem! Well, it’s not really a problem since I only have to shave the front of my calves- the backs have no hair at all, and even the fronts have some bald patches. Weird. Its been like this for about 3 years now ( I am 38). I have always wondered if wearing daily pantyhose at a job for 8 years had anything to do with it.
two words:
trousers. Friction
Yes, it could be due to abrasion from your pants. The obvious solution is to wear shorts or a skirt. When I used to work in a restaurant, the large amount of change I kept in one poket used to shave a patch on my right thight. Really weird.
Thanks.
The problem I’m having with the abrasion theory is that if the friction between my pant legs and my calves is enough to prevent hair follicles from sprouting there, then surely the amount of friction I experience from sitting down and getting in and out of chairs all day should be sufficient to keep me from growing hair all over my butt.
But this is not the case.
On an outside chance, have your blood sugar checked. Diabetic neuropathy can cause or is associated with peripheral body hair loss. (pretty sure on this, but can’t find a cite)
I have bald patches at the bottom of each shin, just above my ankles. It looks really stupid when I’m wearing shorts and no socks. My socks may have ripped the hair out, but then I would expect to have a ring around my leg rather than just the front.
A friend of mine has this same deal–his legs are totally hairless from the sockline down. Looks like he shaves (I roomed with him for a long time, so I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t…). Weird.
My husband has no hair on his legs in a circle about 3 inches wide about 3.5 inches about his ankles. He attributes it to 18 years of wearing combat boots that lace all the way up. I suppose hi-top sneakers would do about the same.
Whats funny is he has about 1/2 inch of fringe just at his ankle. Guess he didn’t lace as tightly there!
I have no hair on the insides of my upper thighs (, and never have. No idea why. I assume this is not the case for everyone, but I don’t know.
I’m not saying I’m qualified to judge if you have a medical condition, but you know, genetic variation and all.
See amusing thread here.
I’ve got bald calves too, my experience was pretty much identical to panache45’s (in the link above).
I used to get bald patches in the middle front part of my thighs when I wore long underwear through the winter. Friction and such, plus I believe, depending on the weave of the underwear it would sometimes pull hairs out.
Friction alone couldn’t be the cause of bald patches or nobody would have any hair on their kneecaps or toes. It might perhaps contribute if an area is for some reason predisposed to not having a very healthy crop of hair (not enough nutrients :D?), or a person has very fine/delicate/sissy hair folicles to start with, so I think it’s mostly a matter of genetics (which allow different areas to be preferentially rubbed smooth, although sometimes even patches clear with no friction).