If you’ve ever experienced hair loss to any extent, I’m sure a trusted family member or a good mate has told you, “just shave it all off; it’ll grow back thicker”.
Despite this being a common belief, this myth was proved wrong by a clinical study almost 100 years ago in 1928.
So how does this hair myth continue to live on?
The regrowth of your hair after shaving often has a different appearance.
Unshaven hair has a finer, blunter tip worn down over time. When you shave your head, you’ll see the coarser base and not the softer, thinner part that will eventually grow back.
Your new hair may also look darker. This is partly due to its thickness, as the hair at the base of the hair shaft is naturally thicker than at the ends. It may also be because your new hair hasn’t yet been exposed to the elements such as the sun, soaps, and other chemicals.
The dark shade of hair regrowth may also be more noticeable than you’re used to. If you have lighter skin, you may notice new hairs even more. This all has to do with the colour contrast. It isn’t a result of the shaving process whatsoever.
Another point to consider is that when you shave your hair, you’re slicing off dead hair at the skin’s surface and not the living section below the skin’s surface. Since shaving doesn’t remove hair under the skin as other hair removal methods do, you can’t affect its thickness or rate of growth.
If your hair is starting to recede or thin out on top, you can forget about shaving your head unless that’s the new look you’re adopting. Enduring a temporary buzz cut in anticipation of a fuller, thicker head of hair will only result in disappointment.
If you seriously want to thicken up the crop and don’t want to waste time on things that don’t work, get professional advice. Fill in our free online assessment and get facts, not myths, from a qualified Harley consultant.
