Table of Contents
We often get the question "does shaving make hair thicker?" Hair removal is an endless joy (not!). Really: shaving is one of the most annoying personal hygiene treatments we choose to do. It's boring, it can irritate your skin and the hair grows back so quickly. When you shave, it seems like you finish one leg and the hair grows back before you finish the other leg! It might be a bit dramatic, but the point is that it's not fun to shave.
Also, let's not forget the annoying things that can happen when you're done shaving. Even if you get a perfect, smooth shave (which rarely happens), you're pretty much guaranteed either razor burn or ingrown hairs. Most of the time you get both. No one wants the itchy redness that comes with razor burn. And no one wants to deal with the lumps of stuck hair which you get when you get ingrowth hair.
If you shave anywhere on your body, you also know how prickly and rough yours is hair is when it starts to grow back. This causes you to immediately shave your hair again, even though it looks like you just did. Obviously, once you start shaving, it's an endless cycle of shaving, hair growing, and then shaving again. The only way to stop this cycle is to either let the hair grow back and not shave it or to stop hair growth altogether. We will talk more about the latter option later in this article.
We bet you're like most people and have at some point thought: "Does shaving make my hair thicker?". It certainly looks and feels that way. According to dermatologists and doctors, there is a definitive answer to this question. The answer is: No, shaving does not make hair grow back thicker or darker. It's definitely a relief to know, but it still seems hard to believe.
Why shaved hair seems to grow thicker
The truth is that shaving only makes hair appear thicker and darker as it grows back. It appears thicker because it grows back as stubble as opposed to your normal hair. Because of its texture, most people tend to think that their hair is thicker and darker. Think about it though; you've only cut off the hair with one blade. The result is a sharp edge that is left behind.
It also does not increase the rate at which your hair grows back, which is another common misconception. It grows back at the normal rate of regrowth. This is because you are removing the hair at the surface level and not at the root. If you remove hair from the root, it has a different regrowth time because it takes longer to start growing again. You don't have to worry about shaving having any of these effects on your hair, but it's still such an annoying thing to have to do.
What are the different methods of hair removal?
Thankfully, there are other hair removal methods you can try if you've reached the end of the road with shaving. It's definitely worth trying all the different options and seeing what works best for you. Ultimately, you want to find the cheapest and most effective option that works for you. There are three main hair removal methods besides shaving. These methods are waxing/suction, hair removal cream and IPL laser hair removal.
Waxing/Suctioning
This is probably the second most popular form of hair removal after shaving. It's fast and effective, and it actually works to slow hair regrowth. During waxing, wax strips are used to tear the hair from the root. By doing this, it causes less damage to the hair follicle, which takes time to grow back. Depending on your body, you will usually be hair-free for between 7 and 14 days if you wax.
Sugaring is the same type of hair removal, but it uses a mixture of sugar, water and lemon that turns into a paste. This makes it slightly less painful than waxing, but the results are usually the same for both methods. There are a few disadvantages to waxing/suctioning. The two main disadvantages are that it is painful for most people and that you almost always get ingrown hairs.
When you damage the hair follicle itself, the hair is more likely to get trapped under the skin during regrowth. Whereas with shaving, you only remove it from the surface level, which means there is less risk of an ingrown hair forming. It can also be quite expensive when you have to have it done every two weeks. Depending on what you let wax, it costs between £700 and £1000 per session.
Hair removal cream
This is another type of hair removal which is less common, but preferred by those who are sensitive to the pain of waxing and sugaring. Hair removal cream is a very different type of removal method than shaving or waxing. Instead of using force or a knife to remove the hair, the cream causes a chemical reaction that breaks down the bonds of the hair. Essentially, hair removal creams (also called hair removal creams) dissolve the hair on the skin surface.
This hair removal method is more similar to shaving as it removes hair on the surface rather than at the root. This means that it grows back at the same rate as hair that has been shaved will do. Hair removal cream is the least preferred removal method because you have to put chemicals on your skin. You should always try a test patch on your skin before applying hair removal cream to make sure you don't have a reaction.
Although it is better for those who are sensitive to pain, it may not be good for those who have sensitive and reactive skin. These creams are perfectly safe to use, but people have reported reactions such as rashes and even burns. It's important to make sure you follow the directions as leaving the cream on for too long can lead to these types of reactions. As long as you follow the directions and don't have super-sensitive skin, this option may work great for you!
IPL
Another option you have for permanent hair removal is IPL, which stands for intense pulsed light. This is slightly different from hair removal with laser. These two methods achieve the same result, which is to destroy your hair follicle and prevent the hair from growing back. IPL uses a wide spectrum of light that has multiple wavelengths. This means that its light energy is scattered rather than focused (allowing it to target larger areas more quickly).
This is the most recommended type of hair removal, especially by dermatologists. Over time, the hair will grow back less frequently until finally it doesn't grow back at all. If the treatment is effective, you will only need a refresher once or twice a year for occasional hair that grows in small patches.
What is the best method of hair removal?
The best form of hair removal is IPL. You won't find any other hair removal method that actually prevents body hair from growing back. It can get quite expensive at the skin therapist, with packages costing you a few thousand crowns and touch-ups costing around 1000 crowns per session. A much better option is to use Vivre IPL hair removal. This handset costs significantly less than an IPL package at the office, and it lasts for at least ten years.
Our IPL unit is also a painless way to remove hair. It's perfectly normal for your skin to be slightly red or pink for a few minutes after treatment, and you may feel a slight pinching sensation during treatment, but that's it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, shaving your hair does not make it thicker. Nor does it make it darker or grow back faster. There are other options for hair removal such as waxing/suction and hair removal creams. These are not ideal as you can still get irritated skin and ingrown hairs. IPL is the best hair removal method available because it prevents hair from growing back completely. Vivre produces the best IPL Unit for home use that is safe, efficient and affordable.
