There is no correlation between shaving and increased hair growth. This myth is not based on any evidence. We hear this theory often from our patients.
Does shaving make your hair grow back thicker and faster?
Does shaving make your hair grow back thicker and faster? Is it better to wax?
4 answers to “Does shaving make your hair grow...”
A: Shaving and excess hair.
Fortunately, you can shave, pluck, wax or nair unwanted hair, without causing more unwanted hair to grow. Think about it, with 75% of men experiencing some degree of permanent hair loss (male-patterned baldness) at some point in their lives, all they would need to do is shave their heads periodically to... more
A: This is a hair removal myth
Hair growth is stimulated by age-related genetic factors, hormonal influences, and the environment. Sometimes, infection or inflammation can cause premature loss of hair. Waxing and shaving have the side effect of causing folliculitis, deepithelialization, and ingrown hairs. Laser hair removal is safely... more
A: Shaving does not make your hair grow faster or thicker
It is a proven fallacy. Testing has shown that the growth of hair is not thicker or faster once shaving begins. Many patients prefer to wax as it gives a smoother result and lasts longer than shaving.
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138 posts
18 Aug 2008
The idea that shaving can make hair grow faster/thicker/darker etc is an ancient old wives' tale. Hair is dead. It has no nerves. It has no idea that it is being cut. The follicle does not know or care that the hair shaft is being cut. Shaving has NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER on hair growth! So, how did this silly rumor get started? It almost certainly got started because when young boys start shaving, initially they have very thin beards. Over time, due to changes in their hormones, their beards become thicker. The thicker beards are thicker because of hormonal changes, not because of shaving!
10 posts
3 Sep 2008
Many of my clients blame themselves for causing the hair problem: "I never used to have these thick hairs before. Ever since I shaved them when I was a teenager, they are out of control." The truth is: You didn't bring this on yourself. Shaving DOES NOT affect the hair growth." When we compare shaving with plucking or waxing, shaving seems to make the hair grow faster. There are two reasons why. First, hair follicles can extend 3mm deep from the surface of the skin. When it comes to regrowth, shaved hairs already have a headstart comparing with the plucked ones. Second, research shows plucking or waxing can abort hair growth and induce the hair follicle from anagen phase (actively growing) to telogen phase (resting). But eventually, these plucked hair follicles still circle back to active growth. There is no proven long term difference between shaving and plucking. So don't feel guilty about having used a razor before. With the help of lasers, you can finally win the battle.
21 posts
29 Mar 2009
when scientists are measuring the thickness of hair, do they use the diameter of the root or the tip? I ask because i shaved the area right above my elbow (which has never been shaved) and left the other arm untouched. when the shaved hair grew back, the hair was darker looking and much longer than the surrounding hair. it is not 'downy soft' like the hair around it. it doesn't make much sense to me but visually it is really obvious...i even asked my brothers and sister to guess which arm i shaved and they could all tell. so perhaps instead of the hair being tapered like it is naturally, it comes out the same diameter as the root, giving a thicker appearance. just a hypothesis...
46 posts
27 Jun 2009
The hair appears darker and thicker after shaving only because you are cutting off the hair at the mid-section. This does not mean your hair is actually thicker or darker. Hair appears finer after waxing, for instance, because the hair is growing completely new again, and you don't have a "stump" of hair left over from shaving. Hope this makes sense.
unregistered guest
22 Jul 2009
No,It dosent grow faster thats all i can say?
21 posts
23 Jul 2009
"The hair appears darker and thicker after shaving only because you are cutting off the hair at the mid-section. This does not mean your hair is actually thicker or darker." Of course this is well known, but since we are concerned with the APPEARANCE of the hair, it doesn't matter whether it actually is the same thickness or not, what matters is how the hair looks to others! That's like telling someone who is blond to dye their arm hair black because it would still be the same thickness. Of course it would be, but since we are concerned with making the hair APPEAR finer, it wouldn't make sense.