Beauty Myth: Does Shaving Really Make Your Hair Grow Back Thicker?

Since the beginning of time women have been trying to be more beautiful… I have a feeling Eve ate the apple because she thought it would improve her skin.  So over the years it’s only logical that some myths about beauty treatments can develop.  But one myth that has been around forever really drives me crazy: that your hair grows back faster/thicker when you shave it.  Many people believe this.  I’ve heard beauty professionals, YouTube gurus, and even men desperate to protect their hairlines all buy into this myth.  I even knew a guy who was planning to shave his head so he wouldn’t go bald.. and he claimed his veteran hairdresser advised him (I think she probably didn’t like him and found an easy way to stop giving him haircuts, but that’s my own theory).  

I think this myth bothers me so much because, not only is is widely believed, but it is so easily disproved.  So for the record: YOUR HAIR WILL NOT GROW BACK THICKER OR FASTER IF YOU SHAVE IT.

If it seems like I’m yelling, it’s because I am (in my head, not out loud, I don’t want to disturb my neighbors).  Think about it… when you shave, you are skimming a blade on the surface of your skin.  Everything that determines hair growth, texture, color, etc, is all deep below the surface.  There is nothing a razor can do to the surface of your skin that can change your hair in any way other than shorten it temporarily.  It’s like saying that buffing your floors will make your downstairs neighbors fat.. it won’t (but if you’re noisy, it may make them angry and stress eat.. but I may be personalizing on that one).

Other hair removal methods, waxing, tweezing, lasers, all affect the hair deeper below the surface at the root (ever wax or tweeze and see a little bulb at the end of the hair coming out?  That’s the root, and it’s now been weakened.)  Think of it like the difference between cutting grass and pulling weeds.  The grass is just going to grow again like always, but the weeds will not grow back or they will come back weaker.

How fast your hair grows depends on your body, genetics, metabolism, diet, etc (the myth about hair and nails growing faster in the Summer is true, but that’s for another post).

As for your hair feeling thicker… you know when you cut your hair shorter how it feels thicker and fuller?  That’s the same with shaving.  As the hair grows back it is short stubble so it FEELS thicker and coarser.  If you let the hair grow out it would feel like normal again (and you’d need a kaftan and have to make people call your Rain or Ocean.. that seems like a lot of work, so just take my word for it).  Plus, shaving cuts off the hair in a blunt cut.  You know when you first get a haircut, how the ends have a course look to them.  It’s that same with the hair on your legs.  It’s just an illusion.

So in conclusion, you can choose whatever hair removal method works for you… but please, I beg you, stop avoiding shaving just because of some ridiculous myth that is clearly not true.

Are there any other beauty myths that you’ve been curious about?  I’d happily do a post about them.  If I don’t know the answers, I’d love to do the research!

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This post/video is not sponsored.  All opinions are my own.  All products mentions were purchased by me unless noted with an asterisk (*).  This post may contain affiliate links, that means that if you purchase any of these products, I receive compensation, through no extra charge to you.  That income will go towards making ES even better.  

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