# Does shaving make hair grow back thicker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 1999, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516 "1999-08-13T00:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/1 "1999-08-13T00:46:00Z")
This seems to me such a well-known myth yet I haven’t seen it in any of Cecil’s columns. My friends seem to believe that shaving will either a) make your grow more hair or b) make your existing hair thicker. This seems pretty dubious to me considering hair is dead and it doesn’t know it’s been shaved. Am I the only one who thinks this myth is completely crazy? ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/2 "1999-08-13T00:58:00Z")
When you shave your hair, it seems like it is thicker, but it isn’t. The top of the hair folicles are cut and makes a “]” shape, or a small stub, at the end of the hair, which looks bigger than a regular hair. Regular hair is pointed at the ends, making it thinner. I think there’s an answer on one of these threads. I’ll try to find it. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/3 "1999-08-13T01:04:00Z")
O.K. How 'bout growing faster? It seems my beard grows more on the first day of not shaving than any subsequent day. Or maybe it’s me? ---
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/4 "1999-08-13T01:07:00Z")
Ha! If only it were that easy. You try to get a logical explanation like that past some people without the use of heavy explosives or anti-tank guns. You don’t happen to have research attesting to that fact with at least 10 years of studies involving thousands of patients that has been certified as 100% true by at least 7 well-known medical proffessional at least one of whom is God? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/5 "1999-08-13T01:13:00Z")
Oh please, Lord, not again. [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_097b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_097b.html) (fixed url tags - N.) [Note: This message has been edited by Nickrz] ---
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/6 "1999-08-13T01:23:00Z")
OK, so Cecil has discussed it even though it doesn’t show up in the search or under any of the books or under the mailbag… BUT, he didn’t give any evidence. Now sure if someone told me that Cecil has said something I’d find it pretty persuasive. But what about the uninitiated heathen that are my friends? I can’t just tell em Cecil said so and have them believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/7 "1999-08-13T02:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I can’t just tell em Cecil said so and have them believe it Cast not your pearls before swine. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/8 "1999-08-13T02:54:00Z")
Pay attention,Konrad di not ask if shaving makes hair grow thicker or faster.That was the name of the topic.Konrad asked, “Am I the only one who thinks this myth is completly crazy?” The answer is, no. ---
**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/9 "1999-08-13T02:58:00Z")
And don’t go out without clean underwear on, either. ---
**Author:** ![TheIncredibleHolg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@TheIncredibleHolg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheIncredibleHolg)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/10 "1999-08-13T08:30:00Z")
Hey, this is my topic! I started a thread on this several months ago: [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000046.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000046.html) (That was hard to find with the search engine messed up.) The ensuing discussion was long and interesting, and lots of theories were proposed. Sadly, we still don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/11 "1999-08-13T18:44:00Z")
If you already have a little stubble, you’re not going to notice a quarter of a millimeter of growth. But if you smooth it off, you ARE going to notice all of those little quarter-millimeters sprouting out of your smooth skin. It’s easier to notice “hair vs. no hair” than it is to notice “hair vs. slightly shorter hair”. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 1999, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/12 "1999-08-13T19:09:00Z")
Listen, if it could make it come in thicker I’d be shaving the top of my head every other hour. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/13 "1999-08-14T00:39:00Z")
I’m not sure if I should share this, but once my girlfriend and I shaved each other (do not ask) for fun. At first the hair seemed to be growing back faster and thicker, but after a month or so everything (the hair) was pretty much back to normal. Same as before that is. So my answer would be no, shaving doesn’t affect the growth of hair. I’m still not sure I should’ve shared this. 🙂 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/14 "1999-08-14T00:55:00Z")
I was about to ask sly what that had to do with it,then man told me.Funne,it seems that every farmer i have ever known had the same problem. I think it comes from standing there staring at the crops,gimme cap in hand, and scratching the top of their head. the ripping the hair out in frustration doesn’t help either. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-back-thicker/2516/15 "1999-08-14T10:01:00Z")
I’ve always thought that by scratching the head you could tickle the follicles enough so that they would spew forth new hair. As for tearing it out, well you have to be able to find enough to get ahold of.