- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
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Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
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Question
Does shaving make hair grow back thicker?
Is it true that shaving unwanted body hair makes it grow back thicker and darker?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
No. Shaving hair doesn't change its thickness or color. The color, location, thickness and length of hair on your body mainly depend on genetics and hormones. After you shave body hair, it may feel coarse or "stubbly" for a time as it grows out. During this phase, it may be more noticeable — and may appear darker or thicker. But it's not.
See your doctor if you have a sudden increase in facial or body hair. Some medical conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's disease, can result in increased hair growth. Also, medications can cause changes in hair growth, including:
- Hormonal medications, including danazol used to treat women with endometriosis
- Cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf), used after an organ transplant to prevent rejection
- Minoxidil, used to treat severe high blood pressure
- Habif TP. Hair diseases. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/148681510-14/0/1195/182.html?tocnode=51442776&fromURL=182.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50026-1_2929. Accessed July 9, 2009.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Polycystic_Ovary_Syndrome.cfm. Accessed July 22, 2009.
- Cushing's syndrome. Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm. Accessed July 22, 2009.
- Danazol (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Sanofi-Synthelabo; 1996. http://products.sanofi-aventis.us/danazol/danazol.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
- Neoral (prescribing information). East Hanover, N.J.: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; 2009. http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/product/pi/pdf/neoral.pdf. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
- Gengraf (prescribing information). North Chicago, Il.: Abbott Laboratories; 2006. http://www.rxabbott.com/pdf/gengraf-oral.pdf. Accessed Aug 3, 2009.
- Minoxidil (prescribing information). Corona, Calif.: Watson Laboratories; 2002. http://pi.watson.com/data_stream.asp?product_group=1277&p=pi&language=E. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
