Unwanted hairs can be a real struggle to deal with, often ruining an otherwise perfect grooming routine. And in the quest for smooth, flawless skin, many people instinctively reach for their trusty tweezers, ready to remove even the most stubborn strands.
It’s such a quick and simple fix that you might not give it a second thought. Maybe you even feel a small rush of satisfaction when you pull that hair out completely. But as this simulation shows, the consequences might be more than just a momentary sting.
But if this new and somewhat disturbing simulation is to be believed, those who tweezed their brows to oblivion decades ago might now be left with very little to work with.
Zackdfilms, a well-known YouTube creator with an audience of 19 million followers, has built a reputation for producing fascinating yet unsettling animations that bring real-life concepts to vivid life. His latest viral video is no exception—offering a startling perspective on the long-term effects of hair plucking.
However, it quickly dives deeper—quite literally—into the layers of skin where the hair root resides, exposing what really takes place beneath the surface.
“Plucking actually rips out the entire root,” the video continued.
As the video progresses, a new hair attempts to grow in its place. But instead of sprouting normally, it struggles to find its way, curling around awkwardly beneath the skin’s surface and failing to break through.
If it gets trapped underneath, it can swell up, sometimes forming an unsightly lump that ends up looking worse than the hair itself.
“And if you continue to repeatedly pluck like this, your follicles can become so damaged that it can no longer grow hair,” it warns.
According to the NHS, ingrown hairs aren’t necessarily harmful, but they can show up as red, itchy, and blister-like bumps.
On the more severe side of things, the Mayo Clinic notes that ingrown hairs can sometimes lead to bacterial infections, usually caused by scratching. They can also result in darkened patches of skin, scars, or even keloids—raised scars that form over the affected area.