Posted on 12/21/2007 3:47:00 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Teenage girls have long been warned by their mothers that shaving their legs will make the hair grow back thicker and faster.
However, this conventional wisdom is just a myth, according to researchers in the US who say the thickening is just an optical illusion.
Scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine trawled through numerous scientific studies to debunk this, and six other commonly held beliefs which have no basis in truth.
They discovered hair did not grow back faster and darker if shaven, contrary to what most people believe.
The illusion of thicker locks is created because the hair grows back blunt-ended without the fine tapered ends of unshaven hair.
Unlike shaving, waxing causes the hair to grow back finer than before because it pulls the whole hair out by the root.
The team, whose results are published today in the British Medical Journal, also cast doubt on the received wisdom humans should drink eight glasses of water a day, although the recommendation dates back to 1945.
Studies revealed that people get plenty of fluid simply through their consumption of juice, milk and even tea and coffee.
Clinical evidence also highlighted the danger of drinking too much water.
The researchers concluded that an optical illusion may also be responsible for the enduring, but false belief that hair and fingernails continue to grow after a person dies - because the skin retracts after death.
“Dehydration of the body after death and drying or desiccation may lead to the retraction of the skin around the hair or nails,” the report said.
Forensic anthropologist William Maples added: “It is a powerful disturbing image, but it is pure moonshine. No such thing occurs.”
A long-held belief that reading in poor light affects eyesight was also found to be false.
Opthalmologists discovered although bad light could cause temporary eye strain, it was unlikely to have long lasting effects.
Another common belief - in circulation since 1907 - that humans only use 10 per cent of their brains was refuted by studies of patients with brain damage.
They showed damage to any area of the brain had lasting effects on mental, vegetative, and behavioural capabilities, while imaging has revealed no area of the brain was completely inactive.
The researchers also claim to have uncovered the truth about mobile phones in hospitals, revealing that they are not as dangerous as thought.
It was feared the phones interfered with the electromagnetic fields of hospital equipment, but “rigorous testing” in Europe concluded their impact was minimal.
Finally, the idea that eating turkey makes you particularly sleepy was called into question. Turkey contains tryptophan, which is known to cause drowsiness, but far higher levels are found in pork and cheese.
However, voting democrat will cost you your freedom faster than voting repub.
And from observing liberals voting Democrat makes leg hair grow faster and thicker.
I’m still waiting for blindness, too.
Maybe I ought to try scarring the top of my head.
On the other hand, do you wear glasses (like I do)? :=)
No, but I’m dang sick of getting the hair on my palms stuck in the keyboard.
Perhaps I should have phrased that first part of the post a bit differently.
The guy going into the restroom is always in more of a hurry than the guy going out of the restroom.
Well Viagra causes blindness but only if you use it without a partner.
Makes females grow more axillary hair, too. You can always tell a Demo girl by the braided axillary hair.
Damn, now what can I use as an excuse for falling asleep after Christmas dinner???
But voting for either will still cost you your freedom in the end. It’s time for the Second American Revolution and hang Washington DC for treason.
Well Viagra causes blindness but only if you use it without a partner.
It can't be found false based on it being unlikely. I hate this type of finding. It is unlikely that I will win the lottery, however it is possible IF I purchase a ticket.
When are these people going to attack the global warming, second-hand smoke and DWI myths?
I have some trouble with the *low light-bad eyes* thing. Neither of my parents, and none of my siblings needed glasses until they hit middle age. I had myopia at the age of 12, and *I* think it came from reading by the street lamp while sitting in the window nook after lights out.
I had myopia by 12 as well but I never read in bad light.
Neither my mother, father, sister, nor brother ever had eye troubles. It was very rare on either side of the family for anyone to wear glasses (at least below the age of 60 or so). My mom was an absolute fanatic about reading or watching TV in bad light.
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