We've all heard that shaving hair will result in it growing back coarser, thicker, darker and faster. Truth or urban myth?

As much as many people insist that shaving hair will result in coarser hair, there's no evidence to support this. Hair that grows back after shaving often feels prickly. That's because short hair feels less soft than longer hair. Hair that has just been shaved also has a blunt tip, which makes it feel coarser or thicker even though it's exactly the same diameter that it was pre-shaving.

If you shave your legs regularly, the hair may feel hard and spiky. That's generally because once you start shaving your legs, you'll continue shaving so it will always be short and not long enough to naturally soften. The same applies if you are a man and begin to shave your face. Regular shaving will result in new growth that we refer to as stubble. Ditch the blade however, and grow a beard or mustache, and hair will feel smoother and softer.

What about darkening? Shaving won't darken your hair, but age can. Hair that grows in after shaving may actually be darker, but this is caused by aging and not by shaving. And, since sun exposure can lighten hair, new growth will seem darker than hair that was there previously. However, this is because it hasn't been exposed to the sun's lightening effects and not because it has grown in darker.

Any other beauty myths that need debunking out there?

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

Despite industry surveys which show men's skin care to be one of the fastest growing categories in the beauty market, it seems that sunscreen usage amongst men is not. A recent survey of men in the US shows:

1.Nearly half, (49%) of men admit to not using sunscreen in the past 12 months
2.70% of men don't even know skin cancer's warning sign.
The results of the survey are especially concerning when we consider that men over age 50 are more than twice as likely as women to develop and die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

The Skin Cancer Foundation, in partnership with a sunscreen manufacturer, conducted the survey, which also revealed that men typically do not follow recommended sunscreen usage guidelines. The vast majority of male sunscreen users, 79%, are not aware that the recommended amount of sunscreen to use per application is one ounce. A significant majority of men, 61%, mistakenly believe that one sunscreen application protects skin for at least four hours, even though the recommended reapplication is every 2 hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. Only 32% of men consider themselves extremely or very knowledgeable about how to properly use sunscreen to get adequate protection. Additionally, nearly two-thirds, 64%, of men believe (or are unsure if) women need more sunscreen than they do, because of their misconception that female skin is more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone adopt a complete sun protection regimen that includes:

•Seeking shade between 10am and 4pm
•Covering up with clothing including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses and
•Wearing sunscreen every day. Shop our full selection of UVA and UVB blocking sunscreens here.
Read more about the recent survey regarding men and sunscreen here .

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.