Will my neck hair grow back thicker and darker?

Question

I accidentally shaved the front of my neck a little bit. It was never hairy, but will it grow back thicker and darker now?

Adaeze Okeke, MD · Answer

When shaving your hair it doesn't grow back thicker, it's an illusion. When you shave you cut the hair on an angle so it may appear thicker and coarser. If you are getting laser hair removal on your neck, it is absolutely OK to shave. We recommend shaving in between treatments and not waxing or tweezing as those processes remove the hair follicle.

Laser hair removal targets the pigment in the growing hair follicle. At any given time only a small number of hair follicles are growing, the rest are dormant. We recommend having at least 6 treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart to effectively target the maximum number of hair follicles. Think of it more as a thinning process. Good luck, I hope you achieve you're after!

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! No, your hair will not get any thicker or darker. Shaving hair doesn't change its thickness, color or rate of growth. Best of luck!

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

No, your hair will not get any thicker or darker after shaving. No worries. If you want to remove hair on the neck area, there are better options than shaving. Consult your dermatologists for options and advice. Good luck!

Mark A. McCune, MD · Answer

This is a very common misconception. Shaving hair on your neck or any other part of your body will not cause changes to the color or thickness of the hair. Best, Dr. McCune

Michele S. Green, MD · Answer

Shaving your hair does not make it grow back thicker, or make any changes to your hair. Best, Dr. Green

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD · Answer

There is no relationship between the thickness of the hair shaft/color of the hair and shaving.

Jonathan Weiler, MD · Answer

Hi foreverfascinated,Shaving your face or any part of your body will not make the hair grow back thicker or darker.

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

This will not change the hair at all. It is a recommended practice by some (including me) to shave the face in females. This helps exfoliate and leads to better skin health.

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thanks for your questions, but it is an old wives tale.  Shaving does not usually make your hair grow back thicker or darker.  Shaving is actually good for your skin since it causes exfoliation.  Good luck and don't worry.

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Will my neck hair grow back thicker and darker?

Answers (9)

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