Will your beard become thicker the more you shave it?

Not really

It’s a common misconception that your beard will get thicker the more you shave it. The truth is, shaving does not change the thickness, density, or growth rate of your beard. Beard growth is determined by the activity of cells in your hair follicles, and the shape and function of your hair follicles are primarily influenced by genetics (including ethnicity) and hormone levels, not by shaving behavior.

Specifically, hair can be divided into two parts: the hair shaft and the hair root. The hair shaft is the part we see and shave on the surface of the skin, while the hair root is located under the skin and connected to the hair follicle. When we shave, we only cut off the part of the hair shaft that is exposed to the skin, which does not affect the activity of the hair follicles or cause physical damage to the hair follicles. Therefore, no matter how many times you shave, the thickness and growth rate of the hair will not change.

So why do some people feel that their beards become "thicker" after shaving? In fact, this is an illusion.

New hair tends to be thicker at the root in the beginning, so when the hair grows back it may feel rough to the touch. This roughness gives the illusion that your beard is getting thicker.

Additionally, shaving may change the angle at which light hits the skin, making hair that is otherwise hidden beneath the skin more visible, further exacerbating the illusion.

Therefore, the beard will not become thicker the more you shave it. Otherwise, people with hair loss will not have any trouble, because the hair will become thicker the more you shave it.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital