The great shaving myth: Why do I have two leg hairs growing from the same follicle?

Do you believe this leg-shaving myth? (Source: iStock.)

It’s the ultimate shaving conundrum: why is it that after several years of leg shaving, we appear to sprout two hairs out of the one follicle?

Perhaps you’ve noticed it on your own legs, or even on other parts of your body where you shave. Well, we’ve got some good news for you: it’s not caused by shaving, so you can keep using your favourite razor whenever you want.

The truth is, you had the double hairs the entire time, and you’re only just noticing it now thanks to the shorter, more bristly hairs that grow back post-shave.

“Multiple hair growing from one hair follicle is not particularly common in Caucasians, but it does happen,” explains trichologist Anthony Pearce.

“It’s far more common in Asians, especially, and southern Europeans.”

Well, that explains why I noticed mine. Ni hao to you, multiple leg hairs!

Dr Jodie Silleri, a GP and cosmetologist, agrees the double hairs were always there, those sneaky little buggers.

“It's not uncommon for a single follicle to have several hairs growing from it. We just start to notice more. In part, this is because after shaving, hair appears shorter, and shorter hair appears thicker, so it becomes more apparent,” she confirms.

According to Dr Silleri, the only way to get rid of double hairs – and any hairs, for that matter – is with a laser.

So, you can happily shave away your body hair in peace now, knowing that it’s not going to multiply your leg hairs. It’s all going to be okay.

Have you experienced multiple hairs growing from one follicle?