Puberty is also the time that boys experience the first sign of a beard. Initially, the hair on a young man's face is sparse - the 'fuzz' you see on the chins of teenage boys, of which they are often inordinately proud.
With the passage of time, these beards become denser and thicker. But long before that happens, as often as not, the young man, striving for manliness, starts to shave. Since the new hair that follows the shave grows in thicker, the youth naturally assumes that it was the shaving that did it (just as pruning the top off a plant often makes its stem thicken). An old wives' tale - wholly incorrect - is born.
Shaving has no impact on the density or thickness of hair, but the young man, unaware of his misobservation, continues to shave, more often and more vigorously than necessary. The result is that he dries out his skin and, in cutting the hairs to below its surface, encourages them to turn on themselves and grow inwards, causing pimples that look much like acne. Both of these phenomena, coupled with the hormones that encourage sebum production, may cause acne (and pseudo-acne) to be more frequent, earlier and more severe than it would otherwise be.
So, no, first shaving -or any other shaving, for that matter -does not cause acne; but teenage boys' shaving too often and too close may contribute to it.
• Poor Hygiene Causes Acne
• First Shave Will Give You Acne
• Eating Chocolate Causes Acne
• Oily Foods Cause Acne
• Other Foods Cause Acne
• Allergies Cause Acne
• Waxing Causes Acne
• Sun Exposure Cures Acne
• Alcohol Dries Away Acne
• Essential Oils Help Cure Acne
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