I’m Unhappy with the Growth of My Facial Hair

Dr. Rassman,

I am 25 years old, and my beard only grows on my neck and under my chin. Only a few stray hairs appear on the cheeks and face. The beard growth is of low-medium density, but with very thick hairs (the hair on my head is also thick.) I also have a moustace that grows under my nose and above the lip, but it abrputly stops and does not continue at all past the lower lip. In short, I have a beard only under my chin (not on the chin) to the base of the neck, and only above the upper lip.

What could cause this?

Different patterns of hair growth in the scalp and facial hair are usually inherited. There are some dermatological disorders that can cause patchy hair loss in those areas, such as alopecia areata, but it does not seem to be the case in the way you describe yours. If there is no one else with this pattern in your family, I’d suggest seeing a hair specialist/dermatologist to rule out other causes of hair loss. If you are diagnosed to have a genetic pattern of hair loss in those areas, you may be a candidate to restore your facial hair with hair transplantation.