Does shaving make hair grow back thicker?

Contrary to popular belief that shaving makes hair grow back thicker, the medical field has discredited this notion, claiming that shaving hair does not alter its thickness, growth rate or color. Some medical professionals that have debunked this myth are Mayo Clinic doctor Lawrence E. Gibson and Tulane University dermatologist Ron Davis.

According to Davis, shaving the hair on the legs does not change the hair's width nor increase the number of follicles where the hair grows beneath the skin. The blunt tip that results from shaving facial or body hair might feel coarse and seem thicker, but in reality, it is not, according to Gibson.