Does Hair Grow Back Thicker When You Shave?
May 21, 2011It's time to
settle this question once and for all. The success of your next romantic
encounter might depend on knowing the answer. If you shave your face, legs, or
even pubic hair today, will it grow back thicker tomorrow - and make you look
like a werewolf?
That's a scary picture that you don't have to wait
for Halloween to appreciate.
Let's see what some medical doctors said when
asked, "Does your hair grow back thicker when you shave?"
Dr. Jerri Hoskyn, M.D., is an assistant professor
of dermatology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in
Little Rock, Arkansas.
Dr. Hoskyn's short answer is NO. Your hair does
not grow back thicker when you shave. Shaving does not cause hair to grow back
faster, darker, or coarser either. It's just another urban legend.
"Shaving ... has no effect on the part of the
hair shaft below the skin surface, which is where growth and pigmentation
occur." That's the clinical explanation of why shaving does not cause hair
to grow back thicker.
Dr. Hoskyn offers this suggestion of why many
people believe the myth. "Although the hair may seem to grow faster after
shaving, this is just an illusion. A small amount of growth on a clean-shaven
face is much more noticeable than a small amount of growth on a bearded
face."
Dr. Hoskyn clarifies these misconceptions further,
"Likewise, the blunt, stubbly ends of new growth can give the illusion of
darker, coarser hair."
Dr. Kitha Griffin, an Atlanta dermatologist, also
says the perception that your hair grows back thicker when you shave is just a
myth. She explains the apparent thicker hair growth after shaving as an
illusion.
"New growth is often sharp-tipped and
stubbly, depending on the removal technique." This may look or feel
similar to the bristles on a brush, but there is no more hair present than
before shaving.
Dr. Griffin notes that if it were true that your
hair grew back thicker when you shave, all men would have thick beards. Don't
forget all the bald men who would shave their heads instead of spending
thousands of dollars for hair implants.
Common Sense
All of the hair we can see on our bodies is
already dead. The living hair is buried deep under our skin in the hair
follicles. How can your hair grow back thicker when you shave, when it is
already dead?
Other Hair Myths - Debunked
* Your hair continues to grow after death - Your
skin becomes dehydrated and shrinks, giving the appearance that your hair is
growing longer. Ditto for fingernails.
* Hair grows thicker when cut during a full moon -
Although the full moon does control the ocean tides, it has absolutely no
effect on your hair. Unless you already turned into a werewolf because your
hair grows back thicker when you shave.
* Masturbation causes hairy palms - We all heard
this one when we were teenagers. No, you won't get hair on your palms. Maybe calluses
if you do it excessively.
What should you do when you hear a body hair
removal myth? Ask the hair removal experts.
Source
Posted by Hafez Hafez.