# plucking hairs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740 "2001-09-25T18:02:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cette)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/1 "2001-09-25T18:02:11Z")
Does plucking hair make it grow stronger/thicker/faster or longer or not? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/2 "2001-09-25T18:17:30Z")
not. Qadgop, MD ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/3 "2001-09-25T18:24:24Z")
Thank god. Ethilrist, hairy guy. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/4 "2001-09-25T19:21:44Z")
Continuous plucking actually results in the hair growing thinner and weaker, and could possibly result in the death of the follicle. ---
**Author:** ![gellfex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9a140/32.png) [@gellfex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gellfex)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/5 "2001-09-26T03:31:53Z")
I dunno, I’ve got 2 hairs in a mole on my elbow I’ve been plucking when bored for years, with no sign of them giving up. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/6 "2001-09-26T04:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Continuous plucking actually results in the hair growing thinner and weaker, and could possibly result in the death of the follicle. So that’s why grandma draws on her eye-brows! ---
**Author:** ![Llamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Llamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llamer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/7 "2001-09-28T03:58:50Z")
“Continuous plucking actually results in the hair growing thinner and weaker, and could possibly result in the death of the follicle.” It’s only hairs that you WANT to grow back which die. . . . . ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/8 "2001-09-28T05:20:31Z")
I have this weird stray hair on my neck (yes, my neck) that I keep having to pluck. For about 10 years. It’s just the one hair, I have no idea what the hell it’s doing sprouting out of my neck. But it is. Fortunately, I keep tabs on it, so it doesn’t become too long or noticable to anyone but me. But I’d like it to just GO AWAY. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/9 "2001-09-28T06:23:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > \*\*Continuous plucking actually results in the hair growing thinner and weaker, and could possibly result in the death of the follicle. \*\* Cite please? ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/10 "2001-09-28T12:52:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neuroman \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > > \*\*Continuous plucking actually results in the hair growing thinner and weaker, and could possibly result in the death of the follicle. \*\* > > Cite please? \*\* Tell you what…while I’m looking, consider the cases of people who obsessively pull out their hair, and cases of people who obsessively pull out their hair AND eat it. These people suffer permanent hair loss as a result of their OCD. I will find a cite. I really thought my statement was “common knowledge”. ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/11 "2001-09-28T14:08:02Z")
So, if I keep plucking my nose hairs, they eventially won’t grow back? I really wanna know. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/12 "2001-09-28T15:46:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > consider the cases of people who obsessively pull out their hair, and cases of people who obsessively pull out their hair AND eat it. These people suffer permanent hair loss as a result of their OCD. Only if they pull out large chunks at a time, removing significant dermis in the process. > [@](#): > > I really thought my statement was “common knowledge”. I always assume _common knowledge_ to be wrong until proved otherwise. Qadgop, MD ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/13 "2001-09-28T18:30:33Z")
Hmm…let me stand corrected. Seems Qagdop beat me to it though… …in cases where the dermis is damaged, there could be permanent loss. A thousand pardons. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/14 "2001-09-28T18:38:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*I have this weird stray hair on my neck (yes, my neck) that I keep having to pluck. For about 10 years. It’s just the one hair, I have no idea what the hell it’s doing sprouting out of my neck. But it is. Fortunately, I keep tabs on it, so it doesn’t become too long or noticable to anyone but me. But I’d like it to just GO AWAY. \*\* My hairline has receded somewhat. (Don’t pity me – I actually look better this way.) However, there are two hairs on what is now just north of the middle of my forehead which never fell out. It’s a real hassle plucking them every week or so. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/15 "2001-09-28T20:09:28Z")
OK so explain this one for me: post-pregnancy one: no hair change post-pregnancy two: less body hair, long growth time post-pregnancy three: darker hair quickly grown in odd places (elbows?) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/16 "2001-09-28T20:35:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by miamouse \* > \*\*OK so explain this one for me: > > post-pregnancy one: no hair change > post-pregnancy two: less body hair, long growth time > post-pregnancy three: darker hair quickly grown in odd places (elbows?) \*\* Short answer. Hormones. Variable and interdependently shifting levels of androgenic and estrogenic steroid molecules. One possible way to minimize this: Stay pregnant all the time. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plucking-hairs/83740/17 "2001-09-28T21:44:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*I have this weird stray hair on my neck (yes, my neck) that I keep having to pluck. \*\* Be grateful you have just one. I call these my “Billy goat hairs” because a few are on my chin, too.