[thedoc (OP)]

Chris,
I am a huge fan of your podcast and I've thoroughly addicted many of my colleagues here in Canada.
Recently I've participated in Movember a fundraiser nation wide for cancer research in which men raise money by growing a moustache, beard, or any combination of facial hair growth over the course of the month of November
hence the "M" in ovember.  My question is: its been 10 years since I've grown a goatee or any hair on my chin and this year its grown in snow while in two distinct strips at the corners of my mouth.  I've trimmed it twice now and in each case the while has been cut away to reveal my natural brown colour in my moustache. My eyebrows do the same thing but to a lesser degree.
Given your recent question about red heads, blonds and brunettes, I was wondering why later growth would come in a different colour.

I don't want people to think I'm dyeing my chin hair as I have almost no grey anywhere at 44.

Thank you for the great show.

Mark











Asked by Mark Munro


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[chapter podcast=1000903 track=14.11.11/Naked_Scientists_Show_14.11.11_1002925.mp3]  ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3]

[thedoc (OP)]

We answered this question on the show...

Sara -   To get to the root of the issue, I spoke with dermatologist, Jane Sterling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File

[CliffordK]

I can't say I've ever noticed this.  I do have both grey and brown hair, in some places more salt than pepper, and in other places, more pepper than salt.

I wonder if in your case, the grey hair is a bit more vigorous growing than the brown, so trimming the grey reveals the slower growing brown.

Perhaps some hair follicles are slower growing than others.  Notes I'm seeing about grey hair indicates that over time the melanocytes die off, or produce less colorant.  Perhaps it is also related to the amount of hair that grows.  So, in your case, the follicles with the most vigorous growth turn grey quicker while the slower growing ones retain their natural color longer.

Assuming a reasonable amount of symmetry, grey does often come in around the edges of the hair, or in certain areas before hitting the entire head.

[RD]

... My question is: its been 10 years since I've grown a goatee or any hair on my chin and this year its grown in snow while in two distinct strips at the corners of my mouth.

Isn't it the same reason people go grey at the temples first , ( rather than vitiligo ),
possibly due to the way cells-migrate and features-grow as the face forms ...
https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/images/d/dd/Face_001.mp4