# Must... resist... shaving... eyebrows. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 25, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391 "2007-03-25T03:04:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/21 "2007-03-25T07:23:35Z")
I think that if **What Exit?** did it, it’s probably OK to do. I mean, look how he turned out. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/22 "2007-03-25T08:31:23Z")
[QUOTE=Hunter Hawk] Turns out that eyebrows are surprisingly effective at keeping sun, rain, and sweat out of one’s eyes, so it kinda sucked till they grew back. [/QUOTE] It seems likely that they [evolved](http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ask_the_doctor/eyebrows.shtml) for such purposes. After all, a caveman who can’t see is a caveman who gets eaten by a sabertooth tiger. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/edb3f5/32.png) [@Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Push_Up_Bra)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/23 "2007-03-25T08:55:25Z")
What, you don’t have any hair on your chest to shave? That said; DO IT! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/24 "2007-03-25T09:32:06Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] How’s [this](http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b127/jrfranchi/JimSansEyebrows.jpg) or [this](http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b127/jrfranchi/JimSansEyebrowslater.jpg)? I was wrong about the crew cut, it was a little longer. 😃 Jim [/QUOTE] How can I say this nicely…you look like a drag queen out of make-up. Was that said nicely? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/25 "2007-03-25T13:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] How can I say this nicely…you look like a drag queen out of make-up. Was that said nicely? [/QUOTE] Never heard that one before, however it was about 20 years ago. I imagine 20 years ago, I would have not considered that very nice.\* Now I will just consider it meh. 😃 **Peak Banana** , if you do it, keep in mind that the rumors about eyebrows not growing back are very silly with no factual basic. There is almost 0 chance that shaving them off will prevent regrowth. > [@](#): > > During the 1933 filming of Roman Scandals (1933), young Lucille Ball, portraying a slave girl, needed to have her eyebrows entirely shaved off. They never grew back. appears to be an oft repeated legend with no basis in reality. SD related articles. [What is the purpose of eyebrows?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meyebrow.html) 22-Mar-2000 [Are there critters living in our eyebrows?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/meyebrowmites.html) Jim - Mayhem may have ensued. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/26 "2007-03-25T14:15:39Z")
I say shave the off and then draw on some new ones about an inch higher. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/27 "2007-03-25T14:51:24Z")
Shave them off and draw on [Namor](http://www.caseyjonesart.com/tc/images/Namor.jpg) eyebrows instead! ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/28 "2007-03-25T15:47:40Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] **Peak Banana** , if you do it, keep in mind that the rumors about eyebrows not growing back are very silly with no factual basic. There is almost 0 chance that shaving them off will prevent regrowth. [/QUOTE] Not so fast. I am a person missing a bit o’brow because I must’ve over-plucked once. Now maybe plucking does more damage than shaving, but I’d still be wary. My esthetician told me there’s lots of people who, having over-plucked, forever damaged the brows. Mine’s not too bad but it’s definitely visible; there’s a bit of a dip in the top line on one side. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/29 "2007-03-25T15:56:49Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] Not so fast. I am a person missing a bit o’brow because I must’ve over-plucked once. Now maybe plucking does more damage than shaving, but I’d still be wary. My esthetician told me there’s lots of people who, having over-plucked, forever damaged the brows. Mine’s not too bad but it’s definitely visible; there’s a bit of a dip in the top line on one side. [/QUOTE] I do not know about plucking, so I bow to your experience. I was strictly speaking of shaving. Actually trying to find some cites one way or another on the shaving, I saw some indication that plucking could be permanent. Just nothing cite worthy. However, it does look more likely plucking could be partial permanent. Some Cosmetology sites indicated that over plucking would not stop regrowth of eyebrows but could partially stop it and change the growth pattern of the eyebrows. I do not know how scientific these sites are. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/30 "2007-03-25T16:11:03Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I do not know how scientific these sites are. [/QUOTE] I’m inclined to think there’s more important things to devote research dollars to than ‘will my eyebrows grow back if I pluck/shave them?’ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/31 "2007-03-25T16:30:43Z")
Why am I suddenly reminded of all the older women (OK, old ladies) who used to shave off their eyebrows and draw them back on and look permanently surprised? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/32 "2007-03-25T16:34:28Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] I’m inclined to think there’s more important things to devote research dollars to than ‘will my eyebrows grow back if I pluck/shave them?’ 😛 [/QUOTE] I don’t know, it sounds like a good project for an SDSAB report. Maybe we should submit it to **Dex**. 😃 There were rumors, probably just a UL that Geldof had an insurance policy that would have paid him a million if his eyebrows did not grow back. So some insurance company, somewhere, may have checked into this. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/33 "2007-03-25T17:17:43Z")
Why is everyone assuming that the OP is a guy? I’m finding the mental image much more entertaining the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/34 "2007-03-25T17:24:02Z")
Britney! Is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/35 "2007-03-25T17:25:13Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Why is everyone assuming that the OP is a guy? I’m finding the mental image much more entertaining the other way around. [/QUOTE] Because the OP said he just shaved his face. And didn’t say anything about hot flashes. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/36 "2007-03-25T17:37:11Z")
Lack of eyebrows would be subtly unsettling. It would take people a second or two to figure out why you are different. Could be very interesting. Go for it, but don’t get sweaty. I, too, read that repeatedly plucking one’s eyebrows eventually kills the hair follicles and that’s why when eyebrow styles changed from the high, thin, arches of the thirties, some women were left with a dated look. Shaving just slices off the hair, leaving the follicle fine, so I would hardly expect any permanent change there. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/37 "2007-03-25T17:50:23Z")
Jeez. Yes, I have hair on my arms and legs, though admittedly not a heckuva lot. The eyebrows just occured to me first, OK? I also have some hair on my chest. However, I’m not shaving \*that \*off. It’s an emblem of my masculinity. Anyway, the urge to shave has subsided now, thankfully. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/38 "2007-03-25T18:32:18Z")
[QUOTE=Peak Banana] Jeez. Yes, I have hair on my arms and legs, though admittedly not a heckuva lot. The eyebrows just occured to me first, OK? I also have some hair on my chest. However, I’m not shaving \*that \*off. It’s an emblem of my masculinity. Anyway, the urge to shave has subsided now, thankfully. [/QUOTE] You mean it \*\*Peaked \*\* and Subsided? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/39 "2007-03-25T19:47:37Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Peak Banana, if you do it, keep in mind that the rumors about eyebrows not growing back are very silly with no factual basic. There is almost 0 chance that shaving them off will prevent regrowth. Now wait. It may be rare, but not unheard of. My husband’s ex-roommate had a hooker shave him head to toe. Now, he’d been shedding for a while, and that may be the reason _none_ of it grew back. To this day 12 years later, he hasn’t a hair on his (visible) body. The first time we saw him, hubby said, “Wow man, you just made one of us a lot more attractive!” ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391/40 "2007-03-25T20:06:57Z")
[QUOTE=Peak Banana] Jeez. Yes, I have hair on my arms and legs, though admittedly not a heckuva lot. The eyebrows just occured to me first, OK? I also have some hair on my chest. However, I’m not shaving \*that \*off. It’s an emblem of my masculinity. Anyway, the urge to shave has subsided now, thankfully. [/QUOTE] Aw man. You set us up and let us down. How can we ever trust again? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-resist-shaving-eyebrows/397391.md?page=3)