Sources: How stuff works

Madison McGuire

With the trend of facial shaving on the rise among women, many people have wondered whether taking off “peach fuzz” with a razor makes its subsequent regrowth faster and thicker. Shaving is an inexpensive and efficient method of hair removal. But some worry that shaving may increase hair growth. This has contributed to the popularity of alternatives like waxing, threading, laser treatments, electrolysis, and body sugaring. However, recent findings show “no significant differences in total weight of hair produced in a measured area could be ascribed to shaving.” Compared to unshaven hair, there is no reason to believe that shaving will result in thicker or faster regrowth.

Hair is tapered at the end, so when the tip is sliced, its perceived as thick stubble, but it will eventually taper again once it grows well past the surface. Hair is also affected by the environment. For example, newly shaven arms have not been exposed to sunlight and other factors that lighten the hair. In addition, facial hair is naturally more fine and delicate than body hair, so specific types of razors should be used to maintain facial fuzz and avoid irritation.

Only procedures that cause trauma to the follicle can affect the rate of growth, such as laser removal. Even though many people prefer to ditch the razor and undergo a more permanent method of hair removal, shaving will not result in “gorilla-like” regrowth as people once believed.  

http://the.dermaflash.com/mythbusting-does-shaving-make-your-hair-grow-back-thicker-and-coarser/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-if-you-shave-or-wax-your-hair-will-come-back-thicker/

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/does-shaving-make-hair-grow-faster-thicker

https://www.thelist.com/56671/really-happens-shave-face/

Does reading in the dark make your eyesight worse?

Nicole Kell

As kids, many of use were told  that reading in the dark “weakens your eyes”. People tend to hold books closer to their face in dim lighting because of the decrease in contrast between the black words and white pages. Reading or focusing on close objects in the dark can makes the  eye muscles work harder than normal to focus on images and they can fatigue. Think of it as “eye exercise”.

Ophthalmologists have found no evidence to support the idea that this extra exercise your eyes get in low light is harmful and find no evidence to support this concept.   If you feel  headache or nausea it might be due to staring at something relatively close to your face.

It’s safe to read in low light.

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/health/04real.html

https://scienceline.org/2007/10/ask-peck-darkeyesmyopia/

Source: Pain Doctor

Andrea Hernandez

Have you ever had a sharp pain in your ankles or shoulders when you were taking a walk in cold and rainy weather? Many people ascribe such symptoms to the effects of atmospheric pressure and humidity changes. When it is cold, there is higher pressure in the atmosphere. When it rains there is lower pressure and higher humidity.

There is no argument that our body’s tissues are stiffer in the cold.  And this stiffness might be uncomfortable.

A study observed the joint paint of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). A pair of people lived in a chamber that controlled temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, air flow, and air ionization for a two-week period.  Six of the eight people with RA and all four of the people with OA reported more pain and stiffness when humidity increased and atmospheric pressure was decreased. The small sample and short amount of time in the chamber make these findings interesting, but very preliminary.

There are alternative explanations for the association of weather changes with joint pain.  For instance, it may be that a person is less likely to exercise when it is cold outside, and the lack of activity might contribute to joint pain.  

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/weather_and_pain#1

https://www.oline.org/open-access/effect-of-cold-weather-on-the-symptoms-of-arthritic-disease-a-review-of-theliterature-2329-9126-1000275.php?aid=82154#8

https://ac.els-cdn.com/030439599400215Z/1-s2.0-030439599400215Z-main.pdf?_tid=d372cc1a-212a-431a-91de 42d7ed05bd47&acdnat=1543609846_b25a1291cdc3f79c3981c399fff367e0

https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.21640947.1961.tb00760.xhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-secret-to-joint-pain-relief-exercise