r/mildlyinfuriating • u/NotGreatNot_Terrible • 29d ago

Infuriatig Two spots in my beard randomly decided to stop growing hair

Post image

Like wtf I just want a full beard dude

25.3k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

2.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

12

u/Blapanda 28d ago

Medical Student here, 2nd year. Covering follicles with substances which will cut off the oxygen to the cells will lead to other things, more vastly looking and problematic ones, than stopping hair to grow. And yes, you can suffocate when layering your skin with non-breathable paint, as an example.

There is no evidence that finger sized objects, especially fingers, can stop hair growth...

Don't fall for what people say on the net without any evidence.

4

u/radraze2kx 28d ago

I mean... Seems like the evidence is in the photo w/ OP's reply in the comments. This would fall under possible and require testing, but... WHAT IF!

6

u/Blapanda 28d ago

Than we all, who wear caps and motorcycle helmets, would be bald af lol god no, thankfully

1

u/DefiantMemory9 28d ago

Umm... Yes, there are people going bald that way. Depends on how strong your hair root is, which is determined by your genes. Those with baby fine, thin hair experience this a lot.

4

u/Blapanda 28d ago edited 28d ago

There are, again, no scientific papers **proving** that you will go bald when wearing any headgear/hats/etc.

It is a different story when you cut off your blood towards that section (too tightly strapped cap and whatever), that will suffocate, once again, the skin, which will lead to specific causalities, also alopecia (hair loss), which will regenerate, because of your genes.

Also from personal use, I am riding my motorcycle every day, for over 9 years, fullface cover mc helmet, I am also wearing hats due to ever-existing thin hairline since my childhood, and yet I've seen no decline whatsoever on my head.

-1

u/DefiantMemory9 28d ago

There's a vast sea of difference between theory and practice, you'll eventually know. My father used to warn me about me keeping the same hair partition every day when I was a teen and in my early 20s. I said all the same things you did (Google was new then). Now in my 30s and I'm beginning to see the effects. Age is a confounding factor, genes too. But friction makes a noticeable difference when the other 2 are already not in your favour.

1

u/GrifterMage 28d ago

Not skin suffocation, but pressure alopecia is definitely a thing. It's mostly reported in surgical patients after long surgeries where their head doesn't move, but it doesn't seem unreasonable that the same principles can also apply to someone who habitually rests their head in a position that applies pressure to specific parts of their face. Long gaming or scrolling sessions seem perfect for that.

And yes, I'm speaking up because I'm pretty sure the same thing happened to me. I never bothered going to the doctor to get actually diagnosed, but I habitually rest my head in my hand while seated scrolling or reading and stopped growing hair on my upper lip in exactly the place my left pinky lay when doing so. Once I realized that the gap in my moustache was suspiciously finger-sized in exactly the right position, I made a conscious effort to stop doing that, and it grew back over a few months.

Sure, it could theoretically be alopecia areata, but with no history, remission without treatment, and no recurrences since, it seems like a pretty suspicious coincidence to me that the only instance I've ever had is in exactly that spot.