Widow's peak

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Image:Mina widows peak.jpg
A young Iranian woman with a widow's peak

A widow's peak (widow's brow) is a descending V-shaped point in the middle of the hairline (above the forehead). The trait is inherited genetically and is dominant.[1] The term comes from English folklore, where it was believed that this hair formation was a sign of a woman who would outlive her husband.[1]

The peak refers to the beak or bill of a headdress, particularly a widow's hood, making people think a woman was being given a mourning hood for her husband's soon-to-be passing.[2]

Vampires such as Dracula are often depicted in popular culture with a widow's peak. Hannibal Lecter is described as possessing a widow's peak.

Men with male-pattern baldness develop what appears to be a large widow's peak.

See also:

References

de:Geheimratsecken

fi:Calvities frontalis tl:Puyo


Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content

Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .

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