Ok, so I had this weird thing happen.
I was watching Jeopardy one night, and I was scratching my chin while pondering what the capital of Montenegro was (it’s Podgorica, by the way) when I noticed the strangest thing in the world.
It was, as best as I could describe it, a Frankenstein whisker growing on my face.
This thing was nuts.
I kept picking at it, feeling it, and wondering what the heck was going on.
I went to the bathroom mirror and looked at this mega beard follicle sitting squarely on my chin.
How the heck I didn’t notice it until now was beyond me.
But as I sat there looking at this enlarged beard follicle, I was trying to figure out what was going on.
After all, it looked about 3x the size of any other whisker on my face.
So, I did what any man would do – I pulled it out – and I was SHOCKED.
Seriously.
This single follicle was huge!!
But then I noticed something, it wasn’t just a single hair, no, it was like three hairs melded into one.
It was weird.
So, instantly I whipped out my phone and started searching furiously online.
Trying to figure out what this could be and if it was normal.
I went to the WebMD health checker thing, answered a few questions, and found the answer:
Beard cancer (no, not really, but that was the result I was expecting).
Instead, it was this:
Pili multigemini.
…yeah, that’s not a constellation or zodiac sign.
No, its actually a rare phenomenon that happens to a lot of guys (source).
While it can happen anywhere on the body (as evident in this study listed on the NIH website), its most often found on men’s faces (probably because it’s the one area that we see and touch daily).
So, it led me on this hunt of cures, fixes, and just generally, if anything I, or others like me, can do to deal with pili multigemini hairs.
Here’s what I found out:
While Rare, Pili Multigemini Appear To Be Harmless (In Moderation)
A stray pili multigemini likely won’t be a cause for alarm in most men; those who have several of them may think otherwise.
Mentioned in the NIH study referenced above, the 33-year-old man had a broad patch of pili multigemini hairs growing on his back for ten years and was only experiencing itchiness.
So, how should you deal with it?
Best Method For Removing Pili Multigemini Hairs – Plucking, Laser, or Waxing?
Given that they are relatively harmless, most men will simply use their trusty pair of tweezers, remove them, and go on about their day.
If you are thinking about waxing, this is likely going to be overkill, here’s why:
Waxing and plucking are essentially do the same thing:
Rip the hair from the root out of the skin.
Plucking with tweezers is better for spot treatment, whereas waxing is better for broad areas or defining lines (i.e., eyebrows, chest, back, etc.)
However, some men who have a significant bankroll and never want to see a pili multigemini in the same spot ever again may opt for laser treatment.
While we think this is a bit excessive compared to a simple pluck of the tweezers, it’s at the very least a permanent method to rid your face (or anywhere else on your body) from growing a hair in this exact spot ever again.
Are There Preventative Measures To Avoid Pili Multigemini’s From Occurring?
In short, no.
From our research, we couldn’t find any definitive link between shaving, beard care, face creams, etc that may cause an increase in pili multigemini’s from sprouting up.
Some men do claim electric razors increase their occurrence, however, this hasn’t been scientifically tested.
Ingrown or infected Pili Multigemini’s Hurt!
Given that these Frankenstein hairs typically occupy 3 or 4 times the space of a typical whisker, when they become ingrown…boy do they hurt.
Your best bet with pili multigemini’s is to try and use either an alum block or witch hazel regularly.
These post-shave products are astringents and natural antiseptics.
They can play a crucial role in reducing the possibility of infection.
To make it work easier into your shave routine, we would recommend just simply getting an aftershave balm.
But at the end of the day, you now know what those weird beard hairs are called!