No, shaving does not damage hair. Hair grows from the follicle outward, and the follicle is located beneath the skin's surface, many millimeters below the epidermis. When you shave, you are only cutting the hair shaft above the skin, not the follicle itself. This means that shaving cannot affect hair growth or change the hair's texture in any way.
The common misconception that shaving can damage hair stems from the fact that when hair is shaved, it appears to grow back thicker and coarser. This is simply because the shaved hair has a blunt end, making it feel thicker and harder than the tapered, pointed ends of longer hair. The hair follicle itself remains undamaged, and the hair continues to grow at the same rate and with the same thickness.
However, while shaving does not directly damage the hair follicles, it can sometimes lead to skin irritation or inflammation. This can happen if the razor is not sharp or if the skin is not properly prepared before shaving. In some cases, these skin irritations can be mistaken for hair damage, but they are simply the result of skin inflammation.
