I know that guys from Japan, China or Korea don’t easily get thick facial hair (as in: having a literal beard) or it’ll take longer to grow in comparison to Euro-Western men for some reason even if both groups didn’t shave, what I mean is in a week: the American guy is starting to grow a beard while the Japanese guy hasn’t gotten it yet despite both waiting 7 days unshaven.
Like this: both guys work for the same corporation where suits are required & must be presented with decorum, the Japanese guy hasn’t shaven for that long but still looks clean while the American guy shaved yesterday before work as the beard has grown, so basically the American guy has to shave frequently while the Japanese guy doesn’t use the razor that much.
It’s the same thing with SE Asian (Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesians) guys since it’s not common for them to heave beards within a week on the same extent as European & Western men. Rather it only displays a small patch of facial hair instead of a full beard if left unshaven, it grows at a slower pace for them while its rapid for both Western & European guys.
I read this and immediately thought “well, that’s completely wrong”.
I’m British, so to me “Asian” usually means from the Indian Subcontinent. Some of those guys can be very beardy!
Anyway, the answer to your question is a phenomenon called Neoteny.
Basically, it’s the retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood. It occurs almost exclusively through sexual selection.
In East Asia populations, there is a mutation in the EDAR gene which is associated with the specific differences you’ve mentioned (along with thicker head hair, less prominent chins, smaller boobs, etc).
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I grew up in the US and I always used “Asia” on its own to mean East Asia and think everyone else I knew did as well. Anywhere else just was called something else (India, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and so on). I don’t think it hit me until I moved to Japan in my 30s, but I definitely see it a lot still in USAmerican-heavy online groups.
Any idea how that functions in Scandinavia , with less hair, but big sturdy women (big breasts, strong ect) and men too?
Scandinavians can often have thick beards, or am I wrong? Maybe their body hair looks like it’s less because it’s lighter?
Most of us aren’t growing beards in our teens 😅 It’s more like the old japanese man who have let it grow for 50 years to get one.
Anecdata: i am Eastern European, and can’t grow a beard. Like, I am trimming it once in couple of weeks
Genes.
Far Eastern Asians generally have less body hair. Not just men, not just facial.
Other people do too - the reason I gave up growing a beard. Can’t get beyond the scraggly phase.
More reading:
many of the distinguishing features of East-Asian people have recently been linked to a single gene mutation.
edit: Far Eastern, not all Asians.
What do you mean ‘far eastern asians’?
I think the premise is wrong and the perception is cultural.
the premise is wrong and the perception is cultural
No to both. It’s tricky, talking about these things, because the spectre of racism looms, but it’s a real thing nonetheless. See my answer.
It’s not restricted to males though.
You’re heavily dealing in stereotypes. I would like to throw in there are plenty of Caucasian guys who can’t grow a full beard. And there are those in Asia who can grow a thick one as well. The distribution is subject to the generic lottery and the individual’s production of testosterone.
You’re heavily dealing in stereotypes.
There are genetic differences between people across the globe. It’s not a stereotype to say the average East Asian is shorter and has black hair.
Facial hair growth is genetics, nothing to do with testosterone levels which Americans are obsessed about.
Eh, probably more phenotype than stereotype?
They also have funky other differences like dry ear wax, non-stinky sweat, they turn bright red when drinking alcohol and a lot of them have blue-ish birthmarks.
It’s fascinating what genes can do! Just like sneezing when looking at a bright light or having the coriander=soap gene.
non-stinky sweat
Not exactly. Those with the mutation have fewer apocrine sweat glands which bacteria that make smells tend to like. The other sweat still smells like sweat.
Thank you for the clarification! That’s one of the few desirable mutations 😓
its deficiency alcohol dehydrogenase2 in asian, that gives the red flushing, not all asians apparently have this though. also lactose intolerance is more common too.
I got ‘lucky’ and the tiny bit of my DNA attributed to my Neanderthal ancestors is responsible for my awful skin. I have, apparently, incurable dandruff that’s spread to my ears and face. It’s a real pain. Unless I am constantly (and I mean that) washing my face and scalp, it never goes away. Dealt with it all my life.
My friend, in all likelihood that is not dandruff, it is probably psoriasis provoked/worsened by something environmental or dietary.
Dandruff arises from a fungal infection.
Tell that to the antifungal shampoo and face wash I was prescribed that did nothing to help.
That supports my point, it’s not dandruff.
If it were dandruff the antifungal would have an effect.
In all likelihood you have psoriasis (which I also have so I’m not stupid, I know it’s an incurable autoimmune disorder) provoked to bloom by something in your diet.
If there’s any kind of medication, I’ve tried it. Ask my GP and my ENT doctors.
I feel like you haven’t listened to a word I’ve said.
I feel like you haven’t READ a single one of mine.
Me too! A couple of drops of lavender oil in a very neutral ungreasy moisturiser works wonders for me for my face, and tea tree oil shampoo is the best thing I’ve found for my scalp.
Don’t use shampoo. Shampoo is designed to strip away all natural oils and moisture and sell you more products to deal with it.
