There are lots of things to look forward to as you age: retirement, social security, a discount on your coffee. Unfortunately, ear hair is waiting in the wings as well. As your body grows older, it recruits dormant hair follicles to start growing hair, all as a means of protecting the ear canal from outside disturbances (you know, like bugs). We’re also like sheep in that our body produces more hair in the winter. So if you’re old and based somewhere snowy? Expect some, err, natural earmuffs.

MORE: Why Do We Have Hair?