Shaving is the most common way women remove hair from the legs, underarms, and pubic area, according to the dermatology reference site DermNet. It also comes with a warning that Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Melissa Piliang, MD, calls a very commonly held misconception: that hair grows back thicker after shaving. The reason the warning feels true is real, though, and it comes down to the shape of a freshly cut hair rather than anything happening under the skin.
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The Short Answer
- A 1970 study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that months of weekly shaving did not significantly change the total weight of leg hair grown in a measured area, or the width or growth rate of individual hairs.
- Mayo Clinic says shaving does not change hair's thickness, color, or rate of growth.
- Shaved hair can look and feel thicker for a while because the razor leaves a blunt tip where the natural tapered end used to be.
- A Cleveland Clinic dermatology resident says moisturizing your skin is the best thing you can do to lessen the coarse feel of early regrowth.
How Hair Grows and What a Razor Cuts
Each hair grows from its own follicle, a tube-like structure in the skin. The part you see above the skin is the hair shaft, which Cleveland Clinic describes as made up of dead skin cells. The root sits beneath the surface.
The authors of the 1970 study laid out the logic this way: the actively growing part of a hair, the root, sits deep in the skin or in the fat beneath it, while the shaft above the surface is fully hardened and no longer metabolically active. A razor only touches that shaft. Cleveland Clinic compares it to mowing a dandelion: the stem is gone for now, but the root is untouched, and a new stem grows back.
What the Research Measured
Dermatology textbooks had long said that shaving does not affect hair growth. According to Lynfield and Macwilliams, writing in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in 1970, the shaving experiments behind those statements dated from the 1920s and measured only how fast individual hairs grew in length. Newer experiments in guinea pigs and mice had found that clipping could push resting hair follicles into a new growth phase in those animals, so the researchers set out to test whether the same thing happens in people.
Five healthy men in their 20s took part. Each shaved one leg every week for several months and left the other leg unshaved for comparison. The researchers then shaved a measured square of skin just below the kneecap on each leg and collected every hair. They weighed the dried hair from each square, a measure that reflects how many hairs are growing as well as their length and width, and they measured the length and width of individual hairs.
They found no significant differences between the shaved and unshaved legs in the total weight of hair produced, or in the width or growth rate of individual hairs, that could be put down to shaving.
The study was small, included only men, and looked only at leg hair, so it is not the final word on every body area. Its findings line up with what Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and DermNet say today.
Why Shaved Hair Looks Thicker and Darker
An unshaved hair narrows to a fine, tapered tip. DermNet explains that shaving leaves a blunt edge instead, so as the hair grows back above the skin, it feels stiffer and looks thicker. Mayo Clinic says that during this phase the hair might be more noticeable and may appear darker or thicker, even though it is not.
Cleveland Clinic dermatology resident Taylor Bullock, MD, gives two more reasons. Short hairs feel stubbly or stiff because their shorter length resists bending, and freshly cut hairs can feel sharp and prickly because the cut edges are uneven. He also points out that a hair varies along its length: after shaving, you see the darker, thicker base of each hair rather than the thinner and often lighter ends of longer hairs. Once the hairs grow longer, he says, they return to their softer, original texture.
Dr. Piliang makes the same point about shaving facial hair: a hair cut off bluntly can feel a little thicker and coarser, but that is only because it was cut.
Does Shaving Make Hair Grow Faster?
Mayo Clinic says shaving does not change how fast hair grows, and the 1970 study found no difference in growth rate between the shaved and unshaved legs.
Shaved hair does come back quickly, simply because the razor cuts at the surface. DermNet notes that hair grows back above the skin within several hours to a few days after a shave. How long the stubbly stage lasts depends on how fast your hair grows and where it is. Dr. Bullock says it is much shorter on fast-growing areas such as the scalp than on the eyebrows or thighs.
When a Change in Hair Growth Is Worth a Doctor Visit
Since shaving does not change how hair grows, it does not explain new or heavier hair growth. Mayo Clinic advises talking to your doctor if you notice a sudden increase in facial or body hair, because it could be a side effect of a medication or a sign of an underlying medical condition.
How to Make Regrowth Feel Softer
Dr. Bullock says the best thing you can do to lessen the coarse feel of early regrowth is to moisturize your skin, because the drier your hair is, the pricklier it feels. He suggests applying moisturizer right after you shower, when your skin is best able to absorb it.
The shave itself matters too. These tips come from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and DermNet:
- Wet your skin and hair first to soften the hair. The AAD says right after a shower is a good time to shave.
- Apply a shaving cream or gel. DermNet explains that shaving cream moisturizes the skin, softens the hair so it is easier to cut, and adds an extra layer so you avoid shaving off the top layer of skin.
- Shave in the direction the hair grows. The AAD calls this an important step to help prevent razor bumps and burns.
- Rinse the blade after each swipe and aim for a single pass. DermNet says going over the same area several times is more likely to irritate the skin.
- Change your blade or throw away disposable razors after 5 to 7 shaves, as the AAD advises, and let your razor dry completely between shaves.
For full shaving routines by body area, see What Causes Strawberry Legs? A Shave and Care Routine for Smoother-Looking Legs and How to Shave Your Underarms and Bikini Line Without Razor Burn.
Where Glazed Donut Shave Butter Fits
Truly Beauty Glazed Donut Shave Butter is a whipped shave butter from Truly. It fills the shaving cream step in the routine above. Its label lists hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, passion fruit, niacinamide, and vanilla. Follow the directions on the label.
As Cleveland Clinic puts it, nothing you do will cause your hair to grow back thicker, darker, or faster. For more on this kind of product, see Why Use Shave Butter? A Smoother, More Comfortable Shave for Women.
FAQ
Does shaving your face make hair grow back thicker?
No. Dr. Piliang says trimming hair above the surface of the skin has no effect on how the hair grows. Regrowth may feel coarser at first, but that is temporary.
Does shaving make leg hair darker?
Mayo Clinic says shaving does not change hair color. Regrowth can look darker because you are seeing the base of each hair, which Dr. Bullock describes as darker and thicker than the ends of longer hairs.
Why does hair come back faster after shaving than after waxing?
Cleveland Clinic explains that shaving cuts hair at the shaft rather than removing the root, so shaved hair grows back faster than hair removed by waxing or sugaring. That is a difference in how the hair is removed, not a change in how the hair grows.
How long does stubble feel prickly?
It depends on how fast your hair grows and on the body area. Dr. Bullock says once the hairs grow longer, they return to their softer, original texture, and that this happens sooner where hair grows quickly.
Find more skin and body care guides in the Learning Center, or browse the Bodycare collection.
Disclaimer
Pure Supply Shop shares this guide as general skin care information. It is not medical advice. Shave butters are cosmetic products for shaving and for how skin looks and feels, and they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or skin condition. Patch-test new products, follow the directions on the label, and stop using any product that causes irritation. Talk with a doctor or dermatologist if you notice a sudden increase in facial or body hair, or if you have pain, swelling, a spreading rash, or a diagnosed skin condition. Ingredients and formulas can change, so check the product label.
