It’s a beauty urban legend, but one that probably terrifies you all the same. Can tweezing unwanted hairs along your upper lip, brows and across your face cause hair to grow back thicker and darker? Stylelist.com weighs in on this polarizing matter and suggests a few helpful tips for keeping those pesky shafts at bay.

When it comes to removing hair, using tweezers may not be ideal, but it can definitely help you get rid of errant hairs that break out along parts of your skin. High-quality products like GloMinerals – gloBrow Collection – Taupe can offer precision and comfort as you go about your ritual.

Yet the fear that these hairs may soon grow back can be a constant source of worry, leading some to believe that tweezing can ultimately be the cause for greater beauty woes.

“Tweezing is not likely to influence or cause diameter changes to hair texture,” hair expert Cunnane Phillips told the source. “Hormonal variables and genetic predisposition are much more likely to be at play.”

If you notice your hair is growing in darker than ever, you may want to consult a dermatologist or trichologist to understand the underlying cause. In the meantime, plucking those shafts can carry some risks, like possibly irritating skin. To soothe your complexion when it becomes inflamed, try a product like Dermalogica – UltraCalming Relief Masque.