Hair Removal Myths to Stop Believing, According to Dermatologists

Many of us have been yanking out or slicing off unwanted hair since our tween years, and we’re been inundated with plenty of hair removal folklore along the way. Here, two dermatologists help us identify the BS.

Myth 1: Plucked hair will eventually grow back

Anyone who’s ever over-plucked their brows—remember the 1990s?—knows that facial hair doesn’t always recover. “With repeated hair removal, you can get a decrease in hair growth,” says dermatologist Irina Oroz. “You’re pulling the hair out of the hair shaft, and a small percentage can develop scarring, which closes off the hair follicles so new ones can’t grow.”

Myth 2: Every time you shave, hair grows back darker and thicker

Shaving cannot change the thickness or colour of your hair. A razor blade is just not powerful enough to alter your DNA. But slicing off a hair can make the edge blunter, which is why hairs may feel sharp or stubbly.

Myth 3: Waxing causes wrinkles

Despite all the yanking and pulling you may put your skin through in an effort to rip off facial hair, it won’t cause skin to age more quickly, says dermatologist Monica Li. Yes, you have to be careful with the delicate skin on your face, but skin is generally durable, and it can certainly withstand some hot wax and a tug without causing wrinkles.

Myth 4: Facial hair plucking can lead to a brain infection

The nasolabial triangle is the area from the bridge of the nose to the corners of the mouth linked closely through blood vessels to your brain, and some people say pulling out hair in this area could cause a life-threatening infection. Li, however, laughs at this particular myth. There is a potential risk of infection, she says, but a serious infection affecting the brain would be exceedingly rare.

Next: Hair, Hair! Here’s What a Derm Has to Say About the Hair on Your Face