DEAR DR. GOTT: I have hairs growing from my earlobes and on the edge of my left ear. I’ve cut them, but they grow back. What would cause hair to grow in these areas? Is there a Y-linked factor?
DEAR READER: Researchers once thought it was an inherited trait believed to be passed along on the Y chromosome. That apparently isn’t true. We do know that hair growth is linked with testosterone levels in males as they age, but I am at a loss to explain why a man may have a bald head but will grow hair in unwanted areas of the body like the ears and nose.