Functions of Hair NYC - (212) 644-6454 - New York, NY

New York Dermatology 30 East 60th Street (Park/Madison) 8th Floor Suite 805 New York, NY In addition to head hair and the light coating of fine hair that covers our arms, legs and faces and lines our nostrils and ear canals, humans also grow hair in the pubic and axillary (underarm) areas.  History At one time, anthropologists tell us, humans had a protective coating of hair over their entire bodies that helped regulate body temperature and protect their skin from the sun.  Features Hair also serves the aesthetic function of adding beauty to the human body.  Eyelashes and eyebrow hair help keep foreign matter out of the eyes, and hair in the nostrils and ear canal help catch dust, debris and even insects from entering the body.  Pubic hair, may function as a trap for pheromones, the odors produced by the genitals that might stimulate sexual behavior.  212.644.6454