Put down the trimmers, sir! Hanz is here to talk you down from the ledge by exposing the myth. Shaving will certainly make your hair feel more coarseas it starts to grow because it’s short and prickly. But sorry, bro, you’re wasting your time with the clippers. The same hair will grow from the follicle. There is no magic wand built into the tip of the trimmer that blesses your roots and out springs hair that has thickened threefold. Let’s break it down by hair phase so you can rest comfortably knowing that we aren’t selling you a load of BS. We’ve even thrown in a few tips for you to maintain your dwindling goldilocks.
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Anagen- Growth
Ah, the growth phase. We can all breath a sigh of relief during these beautiful years. You’re sprouting like a mammoth and taking it for granted. Shame on you! But you’re young and full of testosterone, so you don’t know any better. Again, your thick beard is not due to shaving. You’re just jacked up on man juices that trigger hair growth.
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Catagen- Shrinkage
I have your attention now, don’t I? That’s right. Catagen sets in, the follicle shrinks and active growth is over. The blood supply to your hair cuts off and shedding can begin.
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Telogen- Rest
This is the phase where your hair is waiting around for a swift breeze to carry it away from the dormant follicles. Alas, after some time and the good graces of the hair gods, your follicles re-enter the anagen phase to grow new strands.
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Exogen- Shed
And so the time has come to say goodbye. Shedding has begun.
Still think a blade could cut in such a way that it would send your strands into overdrive? Wouldn’t every balding man be shaving until the hair grew back? This one is a complete follicle fallacy. Regardless of your mythical razor, hair will go through these cycles. But be proactive with these tips if you’re concerned with thinning.
Tips:
- If you’re one to pluck or wax certain hairs (aka those dreaded grays), you could be damaging your cuticles. Over time, the cuticles scar and hair will stop growing from them. So take that, Plucky McGee. You’re yanking those grays that you could be dyeing instead. Better yet, let them go! Gray and silver are in. Stop plucking those bad boys!
- Split ends give the appearance of sparsity. Keeping your ends trimmed will make your hair appear thicker. So dust those tips every so often.
- Take advantage of hair and skin professionals. Keep up with your barber and discuss your concerns openly with them. Visit a dermatologist when it becomes an issue. They are the experts, after all.
- Take care of your body from the inside out. We’re big on hydration and exercise. We don’t like this tip either. I think we all can agree that our weekend benders are more fun than an ounce of self-care. But this combo works, so we have to throw it in.
Hanz de Fuko