The pointy sideburns being part of Starfleet regulation is funny because then you have to imagine Chakotay dramatically shaving his after joining the Maquis and then officially deciding to start to grow them again after joining Voyager.

Oh my god I had to check “Investigations”, the second season episode where Tom pretends to leave the ship to flush out the Kazon spy.

The first thing he did, before even leaving the ship, was shave his sideburns.

Then he returns to the ship to appear on “A briefing with Neelix” and they’re back.

I know this is just him taking off some glued on fake hair but the implications for canon is just hilarious. Canonically these sideburns are apparently super important and symbolic, since you won’t even wait for them to grow back but immediately go to the Doc to help you grow the hair out.

In the comic book adaptation of Ashes of Eden, Kirk and Scotty have shaved their Starfleet Sideburns as they try to fit in in a rough and tumble neutral space station.