Thread: earlier shaved to have more beard?

This is a commonly held fallacy that is just that. Shaving the top of a growing hair cannot affect the way it grows.


In this simplified diagram we can see a close-up image of a growing hair. The protein that makes up the growing hair is formed in the follicle which lies in its entirety beneath the surface of the skin. Even the closest shave will only "top" the hair at the level of the skin, well above the follicle.

Unless one is using a treatment that affects the follicle itself (plucking, laser treatment, Nair), removing the top of a growing hair does not affect the way hair is formed at the root. It does shape the uppermost part of the hair, flattening it where it is cut which can give the impression that shaving has affected the way the hair grows (hence that "sand-paper" feeling on Day 1 post-shave). This, I believe, is the genesis of this myth.

As an extra aside, facial hair growth, and hair growth in general is affected largely by the balance of circulating hormones and, in men, largely by androgens like testosterone. We start growing hair on our faces and bodies during puberty as there is a surge in the level of circulating androgens at this time and, as these levels increase and reach a steady state, our beards become thicker. Because we're often taught to shave around this time, it also may seem that it is the act of shaving that affects our increasing hair growth (post hoc ergo propter hoc at work). Androgens act on the hair follicle individually to affect how they grow (my androgen levels are the reason I'm going bald :P).


Hope that answered your question.