Does Shaving Make Hair Thicker and Grow Faster?

Shaving is the use of blades or shaving razors to get rid of your body and facial hair just above the surface of the skin. Being new to hair removal, everyone goes for shaving, especially for removing hair from their intimate areas, as it is nearly painless, unlike waxing. It is also easy to exfoliate your skin, along with hair removal, making your skin smooth, shiny, and youthful.

But the problem is that there are myths about shaving. Shaving makes your hair thicker, it makes your hair grow faster, and it affects the length of your hair. Are these all true? This is going to be our topic of discussion in this article.

So, let’s start without waiting any further.

Does Shaving Make Your Hair Growth Thicker?

There is a myth going on around that shaving makes your hair grow thicker. Is it true? A one-line answer to this is, No! Shaving does not make your hair grow thicker. This was proved in 1928 when a clinical trial showed that shaving does not affect your hair in any way.

You usually see only the ends of your fully-grown hair, which are thin and sleek. When you shave and the hair starts growing again, the length along the hair shaft varies, and you see the thicker hair shaft bases. So, you might think that those are your hair getting thicker with each shave. This can also make your hair feel coarser as the new hair, when emerging out of the skin, stands straight.

Does Shaving Make Your Hair Grow Faster?

Just like shaving does not affect the thickness of your hair, it does not affect your body’s hair growth rate. Your hair will keep growing at the same rate it used to.

Your hair growth rate mainly depends on your gender, genetics, and age. So, the rate remains constant based on gender and genetics but can increase between the ages of 15 and 30 years. Furthermore, hormonal fluctuations also can change the rate of hair growth. So, it’s not shaving but the hormonal changes or your age that can affect the rate.

What is the Hair Growth Cycle?

To better understand hair growth rate and shaving’s effect, you need to know the hair growth cycle. The cycle has two phases: the growth phase and the shedding phase.

Growth

The growth phase also includes the Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen phases, while the shedding phase is called Exogen. Anagen lasts for days to years and is when your cells divide rapidly. For eyebrows, nose, and eyelashes, it remains for less than a year, but for scalp hair, it may last up to 7 years.

Catagen lasts up to four weeks, during which the hair root disconnects from the papillae and the hair shaft contracts. It is the transition phase. Next comes Telogen, the resting stage. It usually lasts three months, during which the hair rests in the hair follicle with no active growth.

Shedding

Lastly, Exogen is the shedding phase when hair falls out from the hair follicles and the body prepares to start the next cycle.

While coming out of your skin, these hairs pass through the sebaceous gland for lubrication. Once they are out, they are only dead cells. So, when you shave, you only remove the dead cells while the hair follicles inside the skin remain unaffected. Therefore, shaving doesn’t change the growth rate or thickness in any way.

How Long Does It Take Hair to Grow Again?

As discussed earlier, shaving does not impact hair growth. However, after shaving, you can see new hair emerge out of the skin after a day or two. These new hairs can make you feel prickly and irritate your skin.

So, you must shave every two or three days to keep your body hairless. The growth rate can vary from person to person. Some people’s hair grows slower, and others’ grow faster. Shaving whenever you feel like your hair can be a hindrance to your perfect look.

Do the Hair Growth Pattern Differs for All Body Parts?

Yes, the hair growth rate differs for all body parts. For example, your scalp and facial hair grow up to 0.5mm per day, which means a length of at least one inch per month. On the other hand, the leg and armpit hair grow at 0.27mm/day.

Furthermore, the diameter and density of your hair also vary along different parts of your body. This means that the hair on your legs will not be the same as the hair on your arms or face.

Likewise, although terminal hair, which includes armpit, facial, and pubic hair, is of the same category, the hair length and thickness are different in each area.

For example, I am sure you must have noticed that your bikini hair is thicker and coarser, while your facial, armpit, and leg hairs are thinner and less dense.

What is the Proper Method of Shaving?

Having a smooth, hairless body is just one shave away, but only if you do it correctly.

This can help you maintain your perfect summer look and minimize side effects like cuts, nips, and ingrown hair.

Let’s discuss some tips on properly shaving your hair, whether it is your armpits, legs, face, or even pubic area.

• The first step to ensuring a clean and smooth shave is to select a sharp razor that glides perfectly on your skin.

• Next, you need to wet the area you are going to shave with water to decrease the resistance between skin and razor as it moves

• Apply the shaving cream or shaving gel or the oil you usually use

• You need to move the razor in the same direction of hair growth gently.

• When you are shaving, it is better to rinse the razor with each swipe to make sure it doesn’t collect any dirt

To have the sharpest razors for shaving, click The Best Hair Removal Razors for Women in 2023.

Some Tips to Improve the Results

We are here to share some tips for shaving to make it as smooth and effective as possible. Following thee can also help your skin make softer and nicer.

Exfoliate First

Exfoliating your hair before shaving can help you get rid of dead cells, dirt, and germs from the skin. It will be easier for your blade to move swiftly on exfoliated skin. Minimizing dead cells means a minimum build-up of dead cells on your razor making it work efficiently.

Use Cool Water

When you use warm or hot water, your skin softens to the level that a razor can easily cut. Therefore, it is recommended that you use cool water before shaving, as it shrinks your pores and makes your skin less prone to damage.

As the cold water shrinks pores, it helps prevent the entry of dust, dirt, or bacteria and also firms your skin so that any cuts or nicks can be avoided.

Moisturize Your Skin

Our skin often feels dry after a shave, so it is important to moisturize the area to hydrate your skin and help it heal and recover.

When you shave, the blade weakens your skin’s natural protective barrier. Moisturizing your skin with a good-quality lotion after shaving will help retain moisture and strengthen the protective barrier.

If you are looking for a good moisturizer that you can use after shaving, here are our top ten recommendations for Soothe Skin After Hair Removal.

Is there any Method to Save You from Shaving Every Other Day?

Shaving every other day often results in cuts, nicks, and skin irritation. The irritation can lead to the appearance of folliculitis, bumps, inflammation, and even ingrown hair, which can be quite painful and feel rough on the skin.

Shaving every other day is not convenient for enjoying smooth, silky skin and a hairless feel. It is time-consuming and can be an overwhelming experience.

So, what can you do instead of shaving that also has long-lasting results?

You can go for at-home IPL hair removal using the Ulike Sapphire Air 10 IPL Device that allows you to get silky smooth skin for more than 6 months.

• The IPL hair removal is FDA-cleared and Ulike has 30 plus certifications proving it is safe

• The advice has cooling technology with an auto-glide mode making it effortless and nearly painless to use

• You can start seeing results in less than a month and your body gets completely hairless after 12 sessions

• It has 4 modes so you can adjust it according to your skin’s sensitivity

A device is giving you so many benefits so it must be expensive, right? Yes, everyone thinks that. But if we compare the average cost of shaving for a lifetime, your thoughts will change. Shaving costs more than $10,000, including the shaving creams and razors you buy every week, while Ulike costs only $399. It can work for more than ten years or even your life. So, the Ulike IPL device is a lot cheaper than shaving.

Conclusion

Shaving does not affect the length, thickness, or growth rate of your hair. The speed and thickness only vary based on genetics, or a sudden change can be due to hormonal fluctuations. Hair growth has different phases. It starts from anagen and goes until exogen, which is the shedding phase.

The duration of these phases remains constant no matter what method of hair removal you are using. Your hair will start emerging out of the skin after 2-3 days, and you’ll have to shave again. It will stay like this forever.

But if you are still worried about the pain and can’t get used to handling blades, you can try out IPL hair removal at home using a Ulike device. It is a lot safer and easier than shaving, and it also gives long-term results.