Parents often tell their adolescent children that when they start shaving, their hair will grow back thicker and faster every time. For many of us, this appears to be true: when the hairs on your legs, underarms or other parts of your body begin to grow back after a shave, they do seem to be much coarser.
Before we address hair thickness, let’s rule one thing out up front–shaving your hair does not make your hair grow any faster. Hair growth is controlled by the follicles, which are completely unaffected by shaving. Shaving also has no effect on the color of your hair–while some people believe hair grows back darker after shaving, there’s simply no truth behind it. These two myths have their root in one simple cause: hormones. When puberty kicks in and body hair starts growing, it always starts off looking a little lighter in appearance and grows a little bit slower. As you transition into your adult years, body hair naturally darkens and speeds up in its growth rate. It has absolutely nothing to do with how frequently you shave!
Now, let’s get back to the issue of whether or not your hair grows back thicker when you shave it. If hair is left unshaven, you’ll notice that the end of each strand is slightly tapered at the end. This is a result of the shape of the hair shaft, and leaves the thinnest part of the strand exposed. When you slice that strand with your razor blade, you’re cutting it at the thickest part, making stubble appear to be coarser. As the hair grows back in, the end tapers off again, no thicker or thinner than it was before.
Verdict: Fiction. Thicker, darker hair after you shave? As Gob Bluth would say, it’s an illusion. Waxing, on the other hand, does affect hair growth, but in the opposite way than the shaving myth describes. Because the process pulls hair directly out of the follicle, repeated waxing will damage the follicles to the point where some of them will stop growing hair altogether, and the hair that does still grow may be lighter and thinner. So don’t be afraid to use that razor! It won’t do anything to affect the way your hair grows in.
What hair removal method do you prefer?
Photo: Thinkstock
Funny this topic should come up as I just finished trying to do my own at-home waxing. Let’s just say I’ll be at the spa tomorrow trying to clean up the mess! I prefer waxing but won’t try to do it myself again.