"Claim: Shaving makes hair grow back thicker"

Question

Shaving doesn’t make hair grow back thicker, darker, or faster. When hair is shaved, it’s cut at the surface, leaving a blunt tip. As it grows back, the blunt tip can feel coarser, which might make it seem thicker, but the actual hair hasn’t changed. the explanation is based on widely accepted scientific understanding, supported by research from dermatology and health experts, including organizations like the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Answer 1

After reading the article that supported this claim, I decided to do some more research on the topic. I found a source healthessentials that also gives the same answer as the one provided. Each hair that grows on your body has its own hair follicle which is structure that supports the stem. When shaving happens, the cut does not impact the root of the hair, instead it cuts right at the shaft and does not cause hair to grow back thicker. The hair may seem ticker or appear darker when it grows back but this is due to the variation of the hair along the shaft, not because the hair follicles have doubled.

Does Shaving Make Hair Thicker?

Comments

Great answer! Thank you for providing the source in your answer as well as putting a lot of detail to let people know how the process works. I think a lot of people dont know the process in full, which is why some may get confused.

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Hi there! I think you did a great job on this factcheck. I appreciated that you decided to find another reputable source to compare the two answers, and then proceeded to explain the evidence you found. I found it very interesting that shaving cuts right at the shaft and does not cause the hair to grow back thicker. It seems like you really did research and understand this topic, and I appreciate your thoroughness on your fact check!

Answer 2

The claim that shaving makes your hair grow back thicker is false. Instead, what is happening is that the tip of the hair, when shaved, becomes blunt, appearing larger or thicker. With this being said, hair shaved improperly can irritate the skin below the hair, enlarging the pores and hair follicles. To properly take care of the shaving area, it's healthy to exfoliate, use cool water, and use a shaving cream or gel. Overall, the claim that shaving makes your hair grow thicker is false.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-shaving-make-hair-thicker

Comments

This is a solid fact check. You did extra searching to find a reputable source that disproves this theory and were able to find information on what may cause people to think shaving causes hair to grow back thicker in the first place and compare it to what actually happens. It could've been beneficial to also look into the author and the original source, but overall, good job.