Will using depilatory cream on underarm hair cause it to grow back thicker or more abundantly?

Depilatory creams typically do not cause an increase in local hair growth. In fact, depilatory creams are chemical agents—often containing active ingredients such as thioglycolic acid—that dissolve hair. When applied topically, they soften or dissolve the visible portion of the hair shaft, thereby achieving a temporary hair-removal effect.

However, hair follicles reside deep within the skin, and hair will naturally regrow after a period of time. Thus, depilation with cream provides only a temporary effect—and unlike waxing or plucking, it does not result in noticeably thicker or longer regrowth. This is because the number of hair follicles in a given area remains essentially constant from birth onward.

That said, depilatory creams work via chemical action, potentially damaging the hair shaft. Such chemical exposure may irritate the skin and, in some cases, damage the hair follicles themselves. Follicular damage can lead to follicular atrophy and progressively finer hair; conversely, follicular irritation may paradoxically stimulate increased hair thickness or coarseness.

Currently, depilatory creams are not recommended for long-term hair removal. Laser hair removal is the preferred clinical treatment. Commercial options such as “ice-point” (cryo-cooled) laser hair removal and “moonlight” laser hair removal represent effective and widely used therapeutic alternatives.