Few things are as unsightly as a stray hair emerging where it’s unwanted, until you encounter this alarming simulation.
Unwanted hairs can be both a nuisance and a beauty mishap. In the struggle against peach fuzz, the temptation to use tweezers to pluck them away is strong.
You might not think twice about it, beyond the brief sting of pain. In fact, a satisfying pluck can even be a rush.
The trend of ‘over plucked’ eyebrows was quite popular in the late 90s and early 2000s, known as ‘barely there brows.’
Yet, if this chilling simulation is accurate, those who sported the thin brow look might find themselves with sparse hair decades later.
Behind this viral simulation is Zackdfilms, a YouTuber celebrated by his 19 million followers for his portfolio of intriguing and bizarre animations that explain real-life stories.
The video begins by illustrating that ‘most’ people use tweezers to remove unwanted hairs, calling it a ‘simple method’ for hair removal.
However, it also reveals the hidden truth beneath the skin’s many layers, where the hair’s root resides.
“Plucking actually rips out the entire root,” the video goes on to explain.
“This damages the follicle, which can result in the new hair growing in at an angle.”
If that’s not alarming enough, the simulation displays a distressed and pulsating follicle where the hair was once lodged.
A new hair is seen attempting to grow but fails to break through the skin, swirling in the wrong direction.
Ideally, hairs should break through the skin’s surface to avoid becoming trapped underneath and swelling, which can appear worse than the original hair.
Zackdfilms notes that such hairs can ‘become trapped under the skin, causing irritation and ingrown hairs.’
“Repeated plucking can damage follicles to the point they may no longer produce hair,” it cautions.
The NHS explains that ingrown hairs, while not dangerous, can resemble blistered, itchy bumps.
They can be painful and filled with pus, appearing on the face, neck, legs, armpits, chest, back, and pubic areas.
On a more serious note, the Mayo Clinic warns ingrown hairs can lead to bacterial infections, primarily from scratching, as well as hyperpigmentation and sometimes scars or keloids.
If you’re curious about what occurs if swallowed by a whale, how a tooth can be deadly, what’s beneath your bitten fingernails, or how shrunken, decapitated human heads were made, the social media simulator provides those answers as well.