Your genes mostly affect the rate at which your Beard hair grows. Every hair on your body goes through a specific cycle of phases in which it grows, falls out, and regrows until it eventually stops growing. This is more common as you become older.
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The enzyme 5-alpha reductase regulates beard hair development. This enzyme converts your body’s natural testosterone stockpiles into another hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT then binds to receptors on each follicle of your beard hair, causing it to grow.
However, this does not imply that more testosterone equals greater beard hair. Beard hair development is determined more by how sensitive your follicles are to DHT. And this is mostly determined by your DNA.
There is no evidence that artificial testosterone or any other supplement may help beard hair grow — or any other body hair for that matter. Furthermore, taking DHT can cause your hair to grow more slowly.
Let’s look at some natural ways to help your beard grow, what you can expect from your beard growth after trying some of these natural procedures, and when you should consult a doctor about hair growth difficulties.
1. QUIT SHAVING
Remember the abbreviation K.I.S.S. – keep it simple, stupid? That’s that acronym in action.
The first step in growing a beard is to put down the razor and stop shaving.
However, let’s debunk an old wives’ tale that shaving makes your beard grow back thicker, fuller, and faster. There is just no evidence to support that allegation. If you’re continuously shaving in the hopes of making your beard grow better in the long run, you’re only hurting yourself.
In the end, your beard growth ability is influenced by two factors: age and genetics.
Age
Your age influences the rate at which your beard grows. Around the age of 13, men begin to develop facial hair. Sure, there’s always that one child in middle school with a full beard, but hair growth is most common and fastest between the ages of 25 and 35. As males get older, their pace of growth slows.
Genetics
Your genes are the single most important reason why your beard does (or does not) do what it does. While you may not have the same beard as your father, grandfather, or great great great grandfather, the genes that govern the coarseness, color (or colors), and final length of your beard are passed down from generation to generation.
Now that we’ve addressed the simple step of not shaving, let’s move on to the more difficult components of beard growth.
2. ALLOW YOUR BEARD TO GROW
Many men abandon their beards within the first few weeks of growth because they are awkward and scratchy.
Don’t be one of them, men.
Beard hair grows half an inch each month on average, so expect it to take two to four months to grow a full, thick beard.
Set a goal for yourself to grow for 60 days before deciding whether or not to stop. Any decision made before the 60-day mark is quickly made before your beard has had a chance to fill in. After 30 days, you should have a good notion of what kind of beard-growing genetics you’re dealing with, and after 60 days, you should be able to tell.
Many guys become disheartened during the first month of development because their beard appears uneven and sparse—but this is normal during the first couple of months of growth. As your beard hair grows longer, it will begin to conceal the areas where your follicles aren’t producing hair. After a few months, many men realize that the gaps in their beards are no longer visible.
However, some guys do have patchier beards that no amount of time can repair. If you have a patchy beard, this advice on how to fix a patchy beard is for you.
3. FORM YOUR BEARD’S EDGES
A beard requires boundaries, at least in the early stages of growth. So, once you’ve reached the 30-day mark, it’s time to shape your beard’s neckline and cheeklines.
This is done for two reasons:
- Trimming your neckline and cheeklines gives the impression that you’re growing a beard on purpose and haven’t given up on life.
- There is no second reason, therefore return to reason one.
The steps for trimming your neckline and cheeklines are outlined here. Check out our guide to a great beard trim for a more in-depth look at trimming your beard.
Shape your neckline
After the first month of growth, you should have some dense neck hair growing down over the Adam’s apple. While David Beckham, Adam Levine, and Brad Pitt can get away with letting their neck scruff go wild, having a swath of thick hair migrating down your neck won’t win you any style points. People are more inclined to wonder if you’re okay like Shia Labeouf did with his 10-hour movie marathon.
Instead, you should create a neckline where your head and neck meet. This provides you with a cleaner appearance and better frames your face.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Take out your electric beard trimmer or razor.
- Place your index and middle fingers together on your neck, with the middle finger at the top of your Adam’s apple. The point where your index finger lands is where your head meets your neck. This will be your opening statement.
- Trim the bottom line above the Adam’s apple with your electric razor. Pay attention to the contour of your jaw.
- Trim straight down from the back of the sideburns to the bottom line for the outer margins.
All hair below the freshly formed line should be trimmed or shaved.
While we’re on the subject of cleaning up your neck, avoid trimming it.
Keep in mind that the bulk of your beard’s shape will come from the neck. If you plan on keeping your beard short, raising your neckline will work great, but if you plan on growing it out, you will end up with a wispy face beard that resembles Spanish moss.
Shape your cheek lines
Not everyone will need to cut their cheek lines, and the decision is entirely personal. For many men, cheek hair grows the slowest, so give yourself plenty of time to observe what your true cheek line is. Allow your beard to grow for three months before attempting to cut any hairs that are growing into your eyes. A solid rule of thumb is to keep your cheek line higher than you think it should be. If you press your cheeks down too far, you will appear to have a chinstrap or neckbeard.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Take out your electric beard trimmer or razor.
- Find the spot where your sideburns meet your beard and it begins to angle forward.
- Draw a line from the tip of your nose to the bottom corner of your lips. This will be your guideline. If you want to draw a line, you can get an eyeliner pencil for a few dollars.
- You can also use a beard-shaping tool, which is widely available online.
- Trim any excess hair that extends beyond this guideline.
4. USE OF BEARD OIL
Many people wrongly believe that beard oil may thicken their beard. Beard oils do not affect hair growth. Beard oils are intended to hydrate your hair and the area beneath your beard, preventing dryness. A glossy covering on your beard, on the other hand, may make it appear thicker.
5. USE OF SUPPLEMENTS
Many supplement businesses expressly offer their products for beard growth. It’s conceivable that a vitamin or mineral shortage is preventing your hair from growing.
However, beard growth pills are nothing remarkable. If you consume a healthy and balanced diet, you should be getting a wide range of micronutrients.
This is more of a bonus piece of advice than a step to help your beard develop to its maximum potential. Your beard is only as good as you are. Exercising, decreasing stress, eating a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, and naturally increasing your testosterone all contribute to a better beard.
Testosterone
Higher testosterone levels increase the likelihood of excessive face and body hair growth. On the other hand, males with greater testosterone levels are more prone to baldness due to dihydrotestosterone. If you’ve ever wondered why so many men with long beards are also bald, DHT is most likely to blame. The science isn’t quite clear on what causes low testosterone levels, with some studies indicating that it’s inherited and others indicating that a child’s environment has a role.
Exercise
Particularly weight training, helps to increase testosterone levels. The most effective movements are large, functional, compound movements that recruit several muscle groups. Pushups, pullups, squats, deadlifts, rows, and chest and overhead presses are all excellent exercises. Spend some time with a trainer or coach if you’re new to weightlifting. Poor form will hinder your progress and cause injury. If you’ve been sedentary, talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.
Diet
A well-balanced diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals keeps your beard healthy while allowing it to develop to its maximum potential. Weak and brittle whisker strands can result from a protein deficiency. Iron, zinc, and the vitamins B, C, and D all contribute to the health and steady growth of your beard.
Biotin
Keratin is the material that makes up your skin, hair, and nails. It has been demonstrated that biotin increases your body’s keratin infrastructure. There is little data on how biotin directly affects hair development. It doesn’t hurt to include foods high in biotin in your diet, though. Supplements containing biotin are also an option, though your everyday diet probably provides enough for you now.
Rest
Obtaining eight hours of sleep per night enhances both the development pace and the quality of your beard. When we sleep, our body cools down, increasing blood flow to our hair follicles and other parts of our body.
Tensile
When someone claims that stress is the reason behind their hair loss, it’s not always a joke. Because stress inhibits the immune system, which in turn causes less hair development, it can alter the rate at which beard and scalp hair grow.
Consuming tobacco
There are several health risks associated with tobacco use, but one you might not be aware of is the possibility of hair loss, including hair loss from the beard. It’s simply one more incentive to give up smoking permanently.
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