Shaving and Hair Growth

An awesome beard

Reader Lucas and I really want to know if shaving will increase beard growth. The quick answer is: No, shaving will not increase hair growth, beard or otherwise.

The Myth: Hair grows back darker or thicker after it has been shaved.

Though I couldn't find when the myth dates to, the earliest paper on the subject I found was from 1928. There are a bunch of F.A.Q.s on the subject and several published papers, the most useful I found, "The Effects of Shaving on Hair Growth" by Linda Edsell ^[1].

The hair shaft (this is the hair that is cut off when shaving) is a dead, cornified structure that extends from the follicle above the surface of the skin: only the follicle is alive. To make any difference in hair growth, the follicle itself must be disturbed. Shaving or cutting the dead structure (hair) will not have any effect on the follicle itself.

The first study on hair growth, "Hair growth and shaving" by Trotter, ^[2] used three girls as subjects. They shaved twice per week for eight months. It was concluded that:

At the end of this time, microscopic examination revealed that there was absolutely no increase in the diameter or color of the hairs before or after the shaving period.

The findings finished with explanations of why it might be perceived that shaving increases hair growth. The first being growth rates. For example, if a persons beard grows a quarter inch per week and was just shaved, a week later their beard growth will appear very impressive. But if they already have a 2 inch beard, a quarter inch of growth that week is only a 12.5% increase. Significantly less noticeable. Another reason is that freshly shaved hair has sharper ends and can be held straighter by the follicle, which leads to a harsher feeling beard following a shave.

I hope that answered your question. Here are some more shaving/beard resources:

• http://beardcommunity.com/faq.php#2
• http://www.hairfacts.com/medpubs/shavemed.html
• http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/hairgrow.asp
• http://www.beards.org/
• http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/

References:

1. Edsell, Linda C. "The Effects of Shaving on Hair Growth". International Hair Route Magazine.
2. Trotter, M. "Hair growth and shaving". Anatomical Record. December 1928, 37:373-379