Facial hair is a secondary sex characteristic in human males. Many men start developing facial hair in the later years of puberty, approximately between 13-18 years old and most men don’t finish developing a fully adult beard until their early 20s or even later. This can vary, however, and males as young as 11 have been known to develop facial hair that require routine shaving. Further, many women also have some facial hair, especially after menopause, though typically much less than men.
Male pogonotrophy (the growing of facial hair; i.e, beardedness) is often culturally associated with wisdom and virility. Many men style their facial hair into beards, moustaches, goatees or sideburns. However, many others completely shave their facial hair. The term whiskers used when referring to human facial hair indicates the hair on the chin and cheeks. Abraham Lincoln was said to have grown a beard because an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell wrote to him, saying that he would look better with one.
Women typically have little hair on their faces, apart from eyebrows and the vellus hair that covers most of their bodies. However, in some cases women have noticeable facial hair growth. Excessive hairiness (especially facially) is known as hirsutism, and is usually an indication of abnormal hormonal variation. In contemporary western culture, almost all women shave, tweeze or otherwise depilate facial hair which does appear, as there is considerable social stigma associated with facial hair in women. Freak shows and circuses once displayed (usually fake)
