Faster growth in summer?

[Blood donor]

Morning from tropical Africa where it is always summer! The internet is inconclusive as to whether facial hair grows faster in summer, but more articles seem to agree that it does. But I don't trust google as much as the good folk here, so what are your thoughts? I'll even do my first ever poll!!

Not to sway your replies, but I think it does. However amazingly close I get a morning shave, I have stubble in the evening most days. On the rare times I shave at night and then lie immobile in bed under air conditioning, the amount of stubble seems less in the morning. I need a trip somewhere cold to compare.....

Tim

 

[Invicta]

I don't think it does. What does have some effect is the level of exposure to UV light on the skin. The skin does seems to feel different especially after heavy exposure to UV and that seems to affect the shave. However I still get the same result at the end of the shave.

However amazingly close I get a morning shave, I have stubble in the evening most days. On the rare times I shave at night and then lie immobile in bed under air conditioning, the amount of stubble seems less in the morning.

It would grow less when the body is at rest.

 

[bberg100]

Does your grass grow faster in the summer?

 

[Hoka Hey]

I'm in Minnesota. It gets a little chilly here in the winter. Always takes a while to adjust to the cold. Facial and head hair seems to grow faster in the cold. Of course there's nothing like a -20 degree day to tighten up your pores. It may be that slight tightening that gives the impression it's growing faster though. I think it grows faster as an adaptation to the temperature, but I wouldn't bet money on it.

 

[Hoka Hey]

Well, a shower and a shave later, I've come up with a scientific explanation why hair grows faster in the cold. Metabolism. Your metabolic rate goes up to generate body heat. Increased metabolism speeds up all bodily processes. More dramatic effect with longer term exposure. An Arctic explorer, a guy running a trap line, or working outside all day burns a ton more calories than simply shoveling the sidewalks. Running a dog sled team in February, putting a stick of raw butter in a cup of cocoa sounds a lot more appetizing than it does in July.

Extreme physical activity in the heat would have a similar effect, but wouldn't have that little bit extra Mother Nature provides in the cold.
I'd put money on it.

 

[santamariasteve]

I've never noticed any difference in the growth of facial hair or head hair during the various seasons.

 

[BigJ]

Frankly I have not noticed much difference.

 

[Graybeard57]

The lawn grows faster in the summer, though. Definitely.

 

[modyblu]

I believe that hair and nails grow at variable rates instead of constant rates.
Sometimes my hair seems to stay at same length then all of a sudden and there is a growth spurt, same for my nails.
It doesn't seem far fetched that beard growth would be any different.
Although, I don't believe the season has anything to do with it.

 

[xxvaleria]

I suppose it's possible as all of your other bodily processes speed up and slow down for arcane reasons of their own. Some are cyclical, some are activity-based, some are age-related, and some are just strange--like why do fingernails and toenails grow at different rates?