Many women have decided not to shave their armpits, legs and hands this season. As it’s common advice passed down from moms and grandmothers that shaving makes your hair grow back darker and thicker, making it more difficult to remove the next time you take a razor to your leg. But does shaving really have any effect on hair growth or color?

Shaved hair grows back in more thicker and blunt form. The re-grown hair may look and feel coarser and thicker. It may even appear darker against the skin, this happens because then it becomes more noticeable. The size of the follicle from where the hair grows determines the thickness of the body hair. The cells that produce melanin, the pigment that colors hair and skin determines how dark the body hair will be.

To get a smoother, closer shave, try these tips:
1. Use a sharp, clean razor. Replace your razor or blade whenever it becomes dull - which can vary according to how often you shave - or if you notice rust.
2. Try using a moisturizing gel or cream to help lubricate the hairs.
3. To help remove dead skin cells that can clog up the razor, exfoliate gently between shaving sessions.
4. Moisturize with lotion after showering to help keep skin soft and smooth.

Besides shaving, other popular body hair removal methods include waxing, threading, and depilatories. For the smoothest results, Dr. Wu recommends "waxing and threading, since they remove the hair at the root." If you never want to worry about body hair again, there's also electrolysis and laser hair removal, which target the follicles to permanently remove hair.