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Delphi
July 20th, 2013, 01:48 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/science/studying-recent-human-evolution-at-the-genetic-level.html?_r=0


I thought this article might interest some people. I saw a few posts about why Asians have coarse hair. It's not your imagination!

tl;dr: Asians have a genetic mutation that causes smaller breasts, distinct teeth, very little odorous apocrine sweat glands, 25% more non-odorous eccrine sweat glands, and most importantly (to us), thicker hair shafts.

ravenheather
July 20th, 2013, 07:09 AM
All I can say is no fair!

alexis917
July 20th, 2013, 08:32 AM
I'm half Asian, does this mean I can still join the X-Men?
The article was really interesting!

The-Young-Maid
July 20th, 2013, 08:44 AM
Cool, this was a neat read thanks for sharing!:)

Delphi
July 20th, 2013, 11:26 AM
I'm half Asian, does this mean I can still join the X-Men?
The article was really interesting!

:p simple! Do you smell when you sweat? Or do you not remember the last time you used deodorant? My husband’s cousin is Hispanic and part Asian two generations back, but her and her kids also carry the same traits.

Sharysa
July 20th, 2013, 11:31 AM
In other news, it's only East Asians who get widespread "Asian Hair" genes. The Asians in other parts of Asia are probably screwed. *lol Filipino*

I actually have to use DEODORANT, OMG. Not because I smell particularly bad, but because I only sweat somewhat less than normal.

jeanniet
July 20th, 2013, 01:36 PM
Um...EAST Asians, not Asians per se. There are a whole gamut of people who fall under the "Asian" label but aren't East Asians and don't have the characteristics described!

3 Cat Night
July 20th, 2013, 02:00 PM
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I love this kind of stuff.

NinaJean
July 20th, 2013, 02:07 PM
Hmmm, I wonder if wayyyyy back in my lineage I have some east asian..... because it takes temperatures over 95 degrees for me to even break a slight sweat.

seaj
July 20th, 2013, 02:18 PM
My paternal grandparents are Filipino, Spanish and Chinese and two generations later there is a whole range of hair textures. Most of my cousins got the black, thick, heavy, straight, coarse hair, but one ended up fine, thin, brown hair. I would describe my own hair as closer to Indian hair.

kidari
July 20th, 2013, 04:05 PM
The part where they speculate natural selection having a hand is interesting where males preferred mates with thicker hair and smaller breasts. I'm Korean and the traditional Korean dress is designed to downplay the breasts and make them appear smaller. The dress is in two parts: the main piece is essentially like a skirt that you place directly above your breasts and then a cropped jacket you wear over the skirt piece. The skirt squishes the breasts down and the jacket pretty much hides it.

MsBubbles
July 20th, 2013, 04:39 PM
Perhaps the same mutation also eliminated cellulite from these lucky people! And perhaps some stupid Northern European mutation is responsible for my thin hair and abundant cellulite! (Can you tell I have an issue with cellulite?)

Delphi
July 20th, 2013, 05:44 PM
Hmmm, I wonder if wayyyyy back in my lineage I have some east asian..... because it takes temperatures over 95 degrees for me to even break a slight sweat.

Nah, people with this mutation sweat a lot more than others, just no BO when they do so.

luxepiggy
July 20th, 2013, 06:22 PM
Deodorant? What is that? LOL! (^(oo)^)`

I really have to struggle to break a sweat, though, and while my hair is definitely that stereotypically East-Asian-straight, it is M rather than C. Perhaps the mutated gene doesn't express all of the associated traits in some individuals?

Delphi
July 20th, 2013, 08:34 PM
My mom has the mutation too. No BO, small boob, but fine wirery thin 2c hair. I blame my hidden crinkle hairs on that side of my genes. Maybe there are multiple copies and she only has one set or something.

hypersensitive
July 20th, 2013, 10:17 PM
Very cool read! Thanks for sharing! I feel like I have special mutated genes now...well, not very special as 1/5 of the world's population carries it...

alexis917
July 20th, 2013, 11:22 PM
:p simple! Do you smell when you sweat? Or do you not remember the last time you used deodorant? My husband’s cousin is Hispanic and part Asian two generations back, but her and her kids also carry the same traits.

I actually never felt the need to use deodorant...it doesn't smell much.
Once we started changing in gym class, I wanted to buy a deodorant to apply after class like the other girls and fit in, haha.

leslissocool
July 21st, 2013, 12:53 AM
Gah lucky! I want that gene!

silvertongue
July 21st, 2013, 01:17 AM
Interesting read! The teeth bit was new to me. Mutant pride \m/ (although I suppose we are all mutants, no?)

frejafjord
July 21st, 2013, 02:16 AM
I love reading about the evolutionary seperations between the human races. Very very interesting read, thank you!

Sharysa
July 21st, 2013, 10:08 PM
Perhaps the same mutation also eliminated cellulite from these lucky people! And perhaps some stupid Northern European mutation is responsible for my thin hair and abundant cellulite! (Can you tell I have an issue with cellulite?)

No cellulite, but Asian skin can get pretty damn high-maintenance. I have HORRIBLE stretch marks--not from getting pregnant or gaining a lot of weight, but just from growing up during puberty. (And I didn't even grow that much, since I was a small kid and I'm only five feet as an adult. :( ) My skin also dries out/greases up depending on how hot or wet the weather is, tans in a literal HOUR if the sun is bright enough, and the subsequent tan-lines are a bitch if I want to wear skirts or sleeveless shirts.

Then my sister actually has DELICATE skin. Scratches or paper cuts leave welts on her.

Delphi
July 22nd, 2013, 12:01 AM
Your sister's condition is called "Dermatographic urticaria". It's not because she's Asian. That happens to people of all races.

E. Asians do get cellulite, as evidenced by all the anticellulite cream and massage tools that's being marketed all over the place in Asia...and my thigh... :(

E. Asian skin are different from other groups in a number of ways though. Our skin scars more easily, are more sensitive to hyperpigmentation, are more sensitive, drys faster, oils up faster, doesn't burn as easily, and age slower (http://www.vivawoman.net/2010/10/07/six-things-to-know-about-our-asian-skin/).

mleung
July 22nd, 2013, 09:01 PM
since delphi mentioned aging, i just had to add this: http://static.fjcdn.com/large/pictures/66/20/6620f2_1588811.jpg ^_^

Sharysa
July 22nd, 2013, 09:19 PM
Delphi: Huh, we all thought it was just her skin being more prone (than usual) to cuts and bruises. Interesting, and thanks for the correction.

Mleung: I haven't seen that comic in a while! Thanks for the laugh!

Although it is irritating that I'm in my twenties and constantly mistaken for a high-school student. According to old classmates, I haven't aged since graduation.

Silverbrumby
July 22nd, 2013, 10:19 PM
:p simple! Do you smell when you sweat? Or do you not remember the last time you used deodorant? My husband’s cousin is Hispanic and part Asian two generations back, but her and her kids also carry the same traits.

My husband is half indonesisn and never needs deoderant.

Delphi
July 22nd, 2013, 10:36 PM
Hehe. I only know it because I used to have a milder version of it. It got better and better as I got older and now I rarely get a welt from pressure or scratches.

It's definitely not a fun condition to have.

Neneka
July 23rd, 2013, 07:58 AM
Lucky people indeed. And very interesting. :)

alexis917
July 23rd, 2013, 08:06 PM
Your sister's condition is called "Dermatographic urticaria". It's not because she's Asian. That happens to people of all races.

E. Asians do get cellulite, as evidenced by all the anticellulite cream and massage tools that's being marketed all over the place in Asia...and my thigh... :(

E. Asian skin are different from other groups in a number of ways though. Our skin scars more easily, are more sensitive to hyperpigmentation, are more sensitive, drys faster, oils up faster, doesn't burn as easily, and age slower (http://www.vivawoman.net/2010/10/07/six-things-to-know-about-our-asian-skin/).

I was about to acknowledge that we get hyperpigmentation faster, and you beat me to it! :p