Abdominal hair

Abdominal hair is the hair that grows on the abdomen of humans and non-human mammals, in the region between the pubic area and the thorax (chest). The growth of abdominal hair follows the same pattern on nearly all mammals, vertically from the pubic area upwards and from the thorax downwards to the navel. The abdominal hair of non-human mammals is part of the pelage, (hair or fur).

Before puberty, the abdominal region of both males and females is covered with very fine vellus hair. In response to rising levels of androgens (mainly testosterone) during and after puberty, the skin of the abdomen begins to produce coarser, longer and more pigmented hair (terminal hair). This process primarily affects men. Initially hair grows in a vertical line from the pubic area up to the navel and from the thorax down to the navel. Slang terms for this line of hair include "happy line", "happy trail", "tiger line", or "treasure trail". Although the development of abdominal hair normally begins during puberty, it may also start later, between the ages of 20 and 30. With some men, the abdominal hair will stay within a clearly defined vertical line, but in others, terminal hair will appear laterally as well as vertically, particularly in the area around the navel. This lateral spreading can continue into middle age.

Some women may develop a small line of hair from the pubic area up to the navel. Excessive abdominal hair on women, following the male pattern, is a type of hirsutism.

Various studies of Caucasian subjects have documented four general patterns of pubic and abdominal hair including:

Richard Zickler performed a 1997 study of 800 photographs of the above patterns and their occurrence in males and females, paying particular attention to the development of hair during puberty. In Zickler's study the horizontal pattern was most common in females with an incidence of about 80 percent. The acuminate pattern occurred in about 55 percent of males and occasionally in females. The disperse pattern occurred in about 19 percent of the males studied.

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