Widow's peak: Difference between revisions
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A number of fictional people have a widow's peak.<ref name=redmond>{{cite article|title=What Causes Widow's Peak Hair?|author=Redmond, J.C.|editor=Arnold, Paul|date=September 2, 2009|url=http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/34508.aspx#ixzz0lnpCjzQS|accessdate=April 21, 2010}}</ref> In film this trait is often associated with a [[villain]] or antagonist;<ref>{{cite news |title=It really was love at first bite |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/aug/14/weekly-notes-queries-widows-peak |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=15 November 2012}}</ref> [[Count Dracula]] is an example.<ref>[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VillainousVidowsPeak Villainous Vidows Peak at [[TV Tropes]]]</ref> [[Eddie Munster]] – from the television program "[[The Munsters]]" – also had this distinctive hairline.<ref name=redmond/> Another villain depicted as having widow's peak hair is [[Joker (comics)|The Joker]] from "[[Batman]]" comic books and films, [[Vegeta]] from the Dragon Ball franchise is known for his widow's peak.<ref name=redmond/> [[Hannibal Lecter]] is described as having one in the novels that feature his story. |
A number of fictional people have a widow's peak.<ref name=redmond>{{cite article|title=What Causes Widow's Peak Hair?|author=Redmond, J.C.|editor=Arnold, Paul|date=September 2, 2009|url=http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/34508.aspx#ixzz0lnpCjzQS|accessdate=April 21, 2010}}</ref> In film this trait is often associated with a [[villain]] or antagonist;<ref>{{cite news |title=It really was love at first bite |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/aug/14/weekly-notes-queries-widows-peak |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=15 November 2012}}</ref> [[Count Dracula]] is an example.<ref>[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VillainousVidowsPeak Villainous Vidows Peak at [[TV Tropes]]]</ref> [[Eddie Munster]] – from the television program "[[The Munsters]]" – also had this distinctive hairline.<ref name=redmond/> Another villain depicted as having widow's peak hair is [[Joker (comics)|The Joker]] from "[[Batman]]" comic books and films, [[Vegeta]] from the Dragon Ball franchise is known for his widow's peak.<ref name=redmond/> [[Hannibal Lecter]] is described as having one in the novels that feature his story. |
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| ⚫ | Notable people with widow's peaks include [[Paul Ryan]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Ryan shirtless? We're more interested in his widow's peak. |last=Feldmann |first=Linda |publisher=The Christian Science Monitor |date=August 13, 2012 |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2012/0813/Paul-Ryan-shirtless-We-re-more-interested-in-his-widow-s-peak |date=November 15, 2012}}</ref><ref name="wp">{{cite news |title=Paul Ryan’s widow’s peak: A game-changer in GOP veepstakes?| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/paul-ryans-widows-peak-a-game-changer-in-gop-veepstakes/2012/04/05/gIQA2qfHyS_blog.html |last1=Roberts |first1=Roxanne |last2=Argetsinger |first2=Amy |newspaper=Washington Post |date=April 6, 2012}}</ref> [[Ronald Reagan]],<ref name="wp" /> [[Andrew Jackson]].<ref name="wp" /> |
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A notable fictional [[protaganist]] character with this iconic feature is [[pulp-fiction]] [[hero]] [[Doc Savage]]<ref name=redmond>{{cite article|title=What Causes Widow's Peak Hair?|author=Redmond, J.C.|editor=Arnold, Paul|date=September 2, 2009|url=http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/34508.aspx#ixzz0lnpCjzQS|accessdate=April 21, 2010}}</ref>. |
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| ⚫ | Notable |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 14:12, 26 June 2013
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A widow's peak is a V-shaped point in the hairline in the center of the forehead. Hair growth on the forehead is suppressed in a bilateral pair of periorbital fields. Normally, these fields join in the middle of the forehead so as to give a hairline that runs straight across. Widow's peak results when the point of intersection on the forehead of the upper perimeters of these fields is lower than usual.
Definition
A widow's peak is a distinct point in the hairline in the corner of the forehead;[1] it is a dominant inherited trait,[2] and typically does not skip generations (because it is a dominant trait).[3] There are varying degrees of the peak.[3] People who do not have a widow's peak have a hairline that runs straight across.[3]
Etymology
The term stems from the belief that hair growing to a point on the forehead – suggestive of the peak of a widow's hood – is an omen of early widowhood.[4] The use of peak in relation to hair dates from 1833.[5] The expression widow's peak dates from 1849.[5] The use of peak may refer to the beak or bill of a headdress, particularly the distinctive hood with a pointed piece in front – a biquoquet[6] – which widows wore as a hood of mourning dating from 1530.[5] Another explanation for the origin of the phrase suggests that it may be related to the mourning caps worn as early as the 16th century. A mourning cap or 'Mary Stuart Cap' is a cap which features a very distinctive triangular fold of cloth in the middle of the forehead, creating an artificial widow's peak. The use of peak referring to a point in the cloth covering the forehead dates to at least 1509 when it appears in Alexander Barclay’s The Shyp of Folys:
And ye Jentyl wymen whome this lewde vice doth blynde Lased on the backe: your peakes set a loft.[7]
Causes and associated syndromes
David W. Smith and M. Michael Cohen hypothesized the widow's peak hairline to be an anomaly[8] that results from a lower-than-usual point of intersection of the bilateral periorbital fields of hair-growth suppression on the forehead.[9] This can occur because the periorbital fields of hair-growth suppression are smaller than usual, or because they are more widely spaced.[9] Wide spacing also explains the association between ocular hypertelorism – that is, the eyes being abnormally far apart – and widow's peak;[9] this was suggested by findings in an unusual case of ocular hypertelorism in which surrounding scalp-hair growth was suppressed by an ectopic (displaced) eye.[8] Widow's peaks are a symptom of Donnai-Barrow syndrome, a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the LRP2 gene.[10] Other genetic syndromes occasionally associated with widow's peaks include Waardenburg syndrome and Aarskog syndrome.[11]
A study of women conducted by Nusbaum and Fuentefria in 2009 found that 81% had a widow's peak.[12]
Notable examples
A number of fictional people have a widow's peak.[13] In film this trait is often associated with a villain or antagonist;[14] Count Dracula is an example.[15] Eddie Munster – from the television program "The Munsters" – also had this distinctive hairline.[13] Another villain depicted as having widow's peak hair is The Joker from "Batman" comic books and films, Vegeta from the Dragon Ball franchise is known for his widow's peak.[13] Hannibal Lecter is described as having one in the novels that feature his story.
Notable people with widow's peaks include Paul Ryan,[16][17] Ronald Reagan,[17] Andrew Jackson.[17]
References
- ^ "Dominant and Recessive Traits". Retrieved April 21, 2010.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Human Traits: autosomal". Introductory Biology I Lab Projects. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b c Dougherty, Kristiann (September 12, 2007). "Genetics – widow's peak". Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ^ Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ a b c Expressions & Sayings:W. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ Randle Cotgrave (1776). "A French and English dictionary". Anthony Dolle (Golden Ball). Retrieved December 11, 2011.
- ^ Wilton, David. Wordorigins.org. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ a b Smith, D.W.; Cohen, M.M. (November 17, 1973). "Widow's Peak Scalp-Hair Anomaly and its Relation to Ocilar Hyperthelorism". The Lancet. 302 (7838): 1127.
- ^ a b c Hall, Judith G.; Allanson, Judith; Gripp, Karen; Slavotinek, Anne (2007). Handbook of physical measurements. Oxford medical publications. p. 336. ISBN 0-19-530149-8, 9780195301496.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - ^ Donnai-Barrow syndrome, National Institute of Health, http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/donnai-barrow-syndrome
- ^ William Reardon (2008). "The Bedside Dysmorphologist". Oxford University
- ^ http://udel.edu/~mcdonald/mythwidowspeak.html
- ^ a b c Template:Cite article
- ^ "It really was love at first bite". The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
- ^ Villainous Vidows Peak at TV Tropes
- ^ Feldmann, Linda (November 15, 2012). "Paul Ryan shirtless? We're more interested in his widow's peak". The Christian Science Monitor.
- ^ a b c Roberts, Roxanne; Argetsinger, Amy (April 6, 2012). "Paul Ryan's widow's peak: A game-changer in GOP veepstakes?". Washington Post.