# Why do older men produce more body hair?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 18, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031 "2006-02-18T00:08:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![WalkAndTalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@WalkAndTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalkAndTalk)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/1 "2006-02-18T00:08:55Z")

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If testosterone is the main cause for body hair, and males start producing less and less testosterone starting in their twenties, do older men (especially white men) produce more body hair in their middle to late years.

For instance; I have very very low testosterone levels – always have. Why, now in my 50s, am I producing much more hair on my belly, upper arms, ears, - basically everywhere?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/2 "2006-02-18T00:14:01Z")

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The Master speaks although it isn’t a conclusive answer.

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_124.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_124.html)

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**Author:** ![WalkAndTalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@WalkAndTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalkAndTalk)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/3 "2006-02-18T00:22:27Z")

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> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> The Master speaks although it isn’t a conclusive answer.
> 
> [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_124.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_124.html)

Thanks, but I read through that thread and the question I am seeking an answer for was not addressed.

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/4 "2006-02-18T01:39:38Z")

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The hair stays the same. The rest of the body is shrinking.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/5 "2006-02-18T01:46:13Z")

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Don’t get too frustrated with the lack of answers. As best I can find, this is still a pretty big mystery to scientists. I has something to do with DHT (dihydrotesterone) which is down the metabolic chain from testosterone but influences secondary sex characteristics like body hair growth. There are a number of hormonal systems that have feedback with one another and it ends up being a pretty complicated system. Research is ongoing.

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**Author:** ![WalkAndTalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@WalkAndTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalkAndTalk)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/6 "2006-02-18T02:04:58Z")

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> [@kunilou](#):
>
> The hair stays the same. The rest of the body is shrinking.

While my question is serious, I must admit you have me laughing with your reply.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-men-produce-more-body-hair/345031/7 "2006-02-18T02:19:01Z")

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Some of us got all that extra hair in one fell swoop in our early teens.  
(Hi, Puberty! Thanks for the back hair!)

Nose and ear hair came much later, though, so there must be a separate trigger for those.