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12 Proven Ways to Grow a Thicker Beard, Backed by Science

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how to grow a thicker beard

Some men grow a thick, full beard while doing nothing more than setting their razor aside for several weeks. Others, well,l aren’t so lucky as, their beard comes in patchy and never quite attains a satisfactory thickness.

For most people, this is worse than not having a beard, which is why they choose to shave it all off. 

Not all hope is lost if you fall into the latter group, however. There are several methods and products you can try to grow a thicker beard, and many have used them and experienced good results.

While there’s no magic potion that will make your whiskers grow in areas where they don’t – because of genetics or other reasons – you can make your beard thicker and give it an overall appearance of fullness. The health of your beard depends upon a lot of factors, and in this article, we will talk about all of them in proper detail to help you get the look you’ve always admired and wanted. 

Here’s a look at some ways you can enhance your beard by making it thicker.

First, let’s quickly address a couple of key questions before we dive into our beard growing tips:

  1. Spectral.BRD and the Minoxidil beard
  2. The beard transplant: A permanent solution (Prepare to spend the big bucks for this one)
  3. Taking supplements to enhance beard growth
  4. Beard oil: The magic elixir
  5. Grow a thicker beard by giving it time to grow
  6. Exercise and its benefits for beard growth
  7. Building a thicker beard through hormone therapy
  8. Microneedling and beard growth
  9. Using beard dye to enhance your beard’s appearance

How fast does facial hair grow?

How fast your beard grows depends on several factors, including your genetics, age, and race. Most men experience their biggest beard growth between the ages of 25 to 35.

But back to the original question: The average growth rate for facial hair is about a half-inch per month, sometimes less, sometimes more.You might see the rate of growth in beards a lot more in some men than in others. 

To understand how hair grows, it’s important to know that there are three stages to growth: anagen, catagen, and telogen.

The anagen phase is when hair is growing – when the cells of hair follicles divide rapidly to create a new hair shaft – while the catagen phase is when hair lies dormant.

The telogen phase is when new hair starts to push out older or dead hair to, hopefully, kick-start the process all over again. About 10% of all hair follicles are in the telogen phase at any given time.

How long does it take to grow a beard?

It takes around two to four months for the average man to grow a full beard. Again, the growth depends on many factors; one man may grow an inch of facial hair per month while another may grow at the standard half-inch per month, or maybe less.

It also depends on what you think a full-fledged beard is. If you want something that covers the bottom half of your face, you can get in less time than something that’s longer and falls down to your chest. 

1. Spectral.BRD and the Minoxidil beard

Let’s begin with two common and effective ways for growing a thicker beard, both of which have scientific backing.

Spectral.BRD

spectral.brd

Developed by DS Laboratories, an innovative company focused on the science of hair growth, among other things, Spectral.BRD is a potent serum designed to reduce the patchiness of facial hair while helping it to become thicker.

A key ingredient in Spectral.BRD is Nanoxidil, which is very similar to minoxidil, but without potential side effects, making it a safer alternative than Minoxidil.

The primary difference between nanoxidil and minoxidil lies in their molecular structures. Nanoxidil has a greater molecular weight than minoxidil because it contains one less carbon chain.

Because it has a larger molecular weight, nanoxidil absorbs better into the skin.

Again, nanoxidil users don’t experience the side effects that may occur with minoxidil, which we’ll touch on later when we take a closer look at minoxidil.

Another important ingredient found in Spectral.BRD is adenosine, which is shown to increase the anagen phase of hair growth. Adenosine also helps increase the hair shaft diameter, which contributes to the overall thickness of your beard.

Scientifically speaking, adenosine increases thymidine uptake, which helps induce hair follicle development from the epidermis.

We can’t mention Spectral.BRD without discussing DS Labs’ unique nanosome delivery system, which enables key ingredients to penetrate deeply into the skin. It encapsulates and allows for a continuous release of active ingredients for longer-lasting results.

The ingredients are encapsulated in nano-sized liposomes that, because of their small size, penetrate deeper into the skin to deliver those ingredients. Here’s an interesting study about nanosomes and their efficacy.

Besides nanoxidil and adenosine, Spectral.BRD has a long list of other ingredients that help produce thicker, healthier whiskers while helping to eliminate the patchiness that plagues some beard growers.

  • Caffeine

Caffeine

Caffeine extract, when used topically, counteracts testosterone-enhanced protein that suppresses the growth and division of hair cells while stimulating scalp and facial hair growth.

  • Biotin

Biotin

Biotin is a common ingredient found in many hair growth products, and a biotin deficiency can lead to alopecia, i.e., the loss of hair from some or all areas of the body. A daily biotin supplement may increase hair growth after 90 to 180 days.

  • Piroctone olamine
Piroctone olamine
Source: http://phytodess.com/

Piroctone olamine increases the number of hairs in the anagen phase. Nearly 90% of people who use piroctone olamine report thicker hair, the other 10% are just plain unlucky.

  • Rosemary oil

Rosemary oil

Rosemary oil strengthens circulation to prevent hair follicles from becoming cut off of the blood supply that’s necessary for them to survive. In turn, this promotes healthy hair growth.

  • Castor oil

Castor oil

Castor oil contains the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid known as ricinoleic acid, which restores moisture in the hair. It increases blood circulation to the site of application, thereby stimulating hair growth.

  • Copper peptides
copper peptides
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/

Copper peptides increase hair follicle size, stimulate hair growth by encouraging the release of certain chemicals known as growth factors, and reduce hair loss. They also help to improve hair transplant success (and we’ll talk about transplants later on in this article).

  • Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid helps to promote hair growth by adding moisture to a dry scalp and hair. It can also help increase the diameter of hair strands.

  • Nicotinic acid

Vitamin B3

Nicotinic acid, or niacinamide, is a type of vitamin B3 that increases the density of hair follicles and improves the quality of existing hair shafts. It also aids the synthesis of keratin, the main component of human hair.

Another benefit of Spectral.BRD is that it’s relatively easy to use. You apply six to eight drops of the serum on the affected area and then massage it in until it covers the entire area. Do not rinse it off after application. You should apply it twice a day.

Minoxidil (Rogaine)

minoxidil

You’ve probably heard of minoxidil, or as it’s commonly known – Rogaine. We’re betting that you have.

First introduced as a drug to treat high blood pressure – and it still is – minoxidil is considered an anti-hypersensitive vasodilator.

People who couldn’t lower their blood pressure through standard treatment options and other medications turned to minoxidil and experienced good results.

But here’s the kicker: One of the side effects of minoxidil was that it caused hair growth, a condition medically known as hypertrichosis. For many people, that wasn’t such a bad side effect, since the hair growth was not excessive and disturbing. The rest is history, and by 1988, minoxidil became the first drug approved by the FDA for use as a hair-growth product.

Minoxidil is also backed by science regarding hair growth, as several studies – including this one – show that it’s effective in many cases.

How does minoxidil work?

Oddly enough, scientists aren’t 100% sure how minoxidil works to promote hair growth. They do know that it’s a potassium channel opener that stimulates the blood circulation of hair follicles, which allow more nutrients and hormones to reach their roots.

In turn, the hair grows thicker and faster because it has more access to nutrients that go behind growing a healthy beard. 

It also works by prolonging the anagen phase of hair growth, the phase that promotes hair growth.

Another suggestion is that minoxidil works with the immune system by stimulating the enzyme prostaglandin synthase-1. That’s notable because hair loss, in general, appears to have a connection with the immune system.

Something else worth noting: minoxidil doesn’t revive hair growth on your face in the same way as it does on your scalp.

Men who suffer a lack of facial hair aren’t “balding” in the same way as someone who is losing hair on his head. Instead, minoxidil works to stimulate the follicles already present on your face.

These follicles are just dormant, and not completely dead as you see in the victims of male pattern baldness. 

The types of minoxidil

Choosing the right type of minoxidil, whether you use it on your face or scalp, is important for getting the best results. The two primary types are minoxidil foam and minoxidil liquid.

Minoxidil liquid

Liquid is the original form of minoxidil and can be applied twice a day. It’s less expensive than foam, but it takes longer to dry.

Perhaps the biggest difference between liquid and foam minoxidil is that the liquid contains propylene glycol, which helps transport minoxidil’s ingredients past the skin surface.

It also ensures that minoxidil is evenly distributed over the areas of the beard which need treatment.

The kicker is that propylene glycol irritates the skin in some users, which, for them, makes minoxidil foam a better option. Nonetheless, propylene glycol plays an important role in getting the drug to work.

  • 5% minoxidil vs. 2%

Minoxidil liquid typically comes with either a 5% or 2% minoxidil concentration. The stronger the concentration, the greater the potential for experiencing good results, at least for most men.

Some studies show that the 5% concentration delivers nearly 50% more new hair growth, although results may vary from one individual to the next.

  • How to apply minoxidil liquid

Both liquid and foam minoxidil are relatively easy to apply:

    1. Begin by cleansing your face with a quality cleanser or wash, such as the Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash. Avoid using a bar soap because it can irritate and dry out the skin.
    2. Apply the liquid minoxidil to the area(s) of the beard you want to treat. The typical application is 1 ml of liquid, and the dropper that comes with the solution measures the amount for you.
    3. Leave the liquid minoxidil on your face for approximately four hours to allow it to better absorb into the skin. Some people apply it before going to bed to ensure that it’s left in for the proper amount of time.
    4. Rinse or wash your face with water after you’ve left the minoxidil on for the suggested period.
    5. Use a moisturizer to reducereduces potential dryness and skin irritation. Again, the propylene glycol found in liquid minoxidil may irritate the skin, although that’s not the case for every person.
    • How often should I apply liquid minoxidil?

    You should apply liquid minoxidil to your face and beard twice a day or as instructed. Results may take time – and at least up to six months – but you should notice a thicker, less-patchy beard over time. It’s not a magic elixir, you don’t expect it to grow you a forest of hair overnight.

    You can stop using it when you’re satisfied with the thickness of your beard. Or, you can slowly wean yourself off of it, as; you may experience some minor shedding during the process.

    If you decide that liquid minoxidil is your best option, we think that the Kirkland Signature Minoxidil is a great choice. It’s a 5% topical solution that comes in a two-year supply and with two child-resistant dropper applicators.

    The bottom line is that you don’t need to use minoxidil, whether liquid or foam, for the rest of your life. But don’t stop using it until your beard has reached its full thickness.

Minoxidil foam

Minoxidil foam costs more than minoxidil liquid, but studies show that it’s equally effective for growing a thicker beard. And it doesn’t include propylene glycol, which may cause skin irritation, although it may not absorb in the skin quite as effectively as the liquid.

For many users and reviewers, minoxidil foam produces very similar results to liquid. Deciding which one works best is more a matter of personal preference than anything else.

Rogaine’s 5% Minoxidil Foam is a popular choice among men seeking to stimulate hair growth. It works to boost hair follicle activity and hair protein protection – important factors in the quest for a thicker beard.

  • How to apply minoxidil foam
  1. Wash your face, preferably with a face wash or cleanser, and not bar soap.
  2. Rinse your fingers and hands with cold water. The foam will dissolve too quickly if your hands are warm, so make sure that they’re nice and cool.
  3. Dispense the foam onto your fingers. Use an amount that fits into half of the cap, or approximately 1 ml.
  4. Apply the foam to your beard and the skin underneath until you’ve used up all of it.
  5. Wash your hands thoroughly once you’ve finished.

Minoxidil side effects

Unlike nanoxidil, as discussed in our overview Spectral.BRD, minoxidil may cause side effects.

For example, skin irritation and redness, unwanted hair growth in other areas of the body, or – in more serious cases – abnormal weight loss, dizziness, swollen feet or hands, and chest pain.

While this is incredibly scary, Most minoxidil users experience few side effects if any; but if you experience a more serious reaction, contact your physician immediately.

2. The beard transplant: A permanent solution

The beard transplant

For some men, the inability to grow a full, thick beard is completely out of their hands. That’s because they’re genetically-disposed to grow a thin, patchier beard than other men, and their fathers and grandfathers probably faced the same issue.

That’s why a beard transplant, especially for those men, is a viable alternative to a lifetime of patchy beards that only serve to frustrate.

In short, a beard transplant involves taking hair from another part of the body and transplanting it to the face, or wherever a beard or mustache grows. While beard transplants are still a relatively new procedure, their overall results have been good.

And by “good” results, we mean those that produce a thick, full beard that looks completely natural, not contrived.

Let’s dig a little deeper:

How it works

For starters, the hair that’s transplanted to your face typically comes from the back of the scalp, where hair most closely resembles facial hair than the hair on other parts of the body.

The 2 types of beard transplants

There are two major types of beard transplants – Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). Both types involve removing hair from a donor area.

An FUE beard transplant involves taking individual hairs one-by-one from the donor region and transplanting them to the face. It’s the most common beard transplant procedure, and it leaves only small, white scars behind (which are hardly noticeable).

In a FUT transplant, the surgeon takes a small strip of tissue from the donor area via a microscopic dissection process. The strip is transplanted to the facial area, and the surgeon closes the wound edge of the donor region, leaving a single, fine scar behind.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both procedures:

  • The FUE procedure doesn’t leave a linear scar – as with FUT – and it heals faster. The latter is important because, for one reason, the patient can return to normal activity in less time.
  • The scars left by the FUE procedure cover a wider area; on the other hand, they’re harder to detect than those left behind by a FUT transplant.
  • The FUT donor strip harvests a greater amount of hair, which may make it easier to achieve maximum beard thickness.
  • Most patients report little or no discomfort during the FUE procedure.

For a closer look, here’s a video comparison of the FUE and FUT procedures during a hair transplant:

Pre-surgery preparation

Transplant specialists advise patients not to take any medication that contains aspirin 10 days before the procedure. Further, patients shouldn’t take anti-inflammatory medications or drink alcohol three days before the transplant, as any of these could alter the body’s metabolism and cause some problems during and after the procedure, and delay healing.

Also, taking a vitamin C tablet once a day for a full week prior to the transplant can help aid the healing process.

Post-surgery

The transplant surgeon may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection in the donor area following the procedure. That may include an antibiotic ointment that you apply to the donor area for five days after the transplant.

You may notice hair shedding after the transplant, which is no reason to panic. Instead, it’s a natural part of the process; by three months, you should notice a marked improvement in the thickness and amount of your facial hair, if not sooner.

Also, you should keep the transplanted area as dry as possible for five days following surgery.

Side effects

There are some side effects associated with a facial hair transplant, but nothing serious. They may include:

  • Swelling in the donor region
  • Mild bruising
  • Ingrown hair
  • Redness
  • Increased sensitivity at the donor and recipient sites

Facial transplant patients typically resume shaving within a week to 10 days after transplant.

The advantages of getting a beard transplant

We’ve already mentioned one advantage, i.e., that beard transplants make it possible to get a full beard for men who are genetically predisposed to have a patchy or thin beard. There are other advantages, as well:

  • You’ll get a realistic, natural-looking beard – especially if a skilled surgeon and clinic is in charge of the transplant.
  • You can choose the style of beard you want and have the procedure follow accordingly.
  • You can also have hair transplanted to your eyebrows and sideburns if you so choose.

The disadvantages of a beard transplant

The primary disadvantage of getting a beard transplant is its cost.

There’s no getting around the fact that a transplant will strain your budget – it may cost $7,000 or more, and even up to $15,000, depending on the quality of the clinic and the surgeon’s talents and experience.

You can always find clinics willing to do a transplant for less, sometimes much less, but make sure that you evaluate them thoroughly while reading the reviews of men who’ve had the procedure performed there.

Some clinics charge on a per-session basis because it may take more than one session to complete the transplant. Others may charge on a per-graft basis in which the total cost equals the number of grafts times the price per graft.

Some surgeons may use or need, more hairs per graft to give the beard a fuller, thicker appearance.

Another factor to consider is that some clinics charge a consultation fee to meet with the patient before the procedure takes place. A consultation fee may cost as much as $300 – but often less.

Another minor disadvantage of a beard transplant is that because the hair comes from the back of the head, it may be harder to match. The hair from your head has a slightly different structure than pre-existing beard hair, which also can make it harder to match.

3. Taking supplements to enhance beard growth

Taking supplements to enhance beard growth

We’ll discuss a well-balanced diet – which is another important factor for stimulating beard growth – a little later because getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients is among the many beard growing tips.

Vitamin supplements can help in the beard growth process, although results may vary from person to person. They can make your beard look thicker and help it grow faster than men who don’t get a sufficient dose of vitamins in their diet.

Supplements may also help to fill in those patchy spots. Do they actually work? Well, there’s not a lot of credible science backing them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t provide some benefits to patchy facial hair.

There are studies, such as this one, which show that taking a supplement like VitaBeard does improve facial hair growth, at least in some participants.

Vitamins such as copper, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin E may all play helpful roles for growing thicker hair, both on your face and on your scalp.

Additionally, there’s some evidence that vitamin D helps to activate dormant hair follicles, while B vitamins also strengthen and condition hair.

Among the B vitamins, biotin is probably the most important one for facial hair growth. Biotin dramatically boosts the production of keratin, a protein that provides the structural base for hair and nails.

Studies also show that a biotin deficiency can slow hair growth by, in part, causing hair to become thin and brittle.

While biotin is found in foods such as eggs, meat, bananas, and legumes, ingesting it as an oral supplement may be the best method to get the results you desire, or least to make sure you’re getting the right amount of biotin to enhance hair growth.

How much biotin is the right amount? One school of thought says your diet should include 5,000 to 10,000 mcg of biotin to influence beard and hair growth.

The good news is that biotin is water-soluble, and any excess is removed when you urinate, and, besides, it doesn’t have side effects.

Nonetheless, you should always consult with your physician first before taking a supplement or an extra dose of biotin.

4. Beard oil: The magic elixir

beard oil

No self-respecting beardsmen should be without beard oil in his grooming arsenal. Beard oil, simply put, has too many benefits for you to not include it in your daily grooming regimen, whether you want to enhance your beard’s thickness or not.

What is beard oil? In general terms, it’s a mixture of essential and carrier oils that act as a leave-in conditioner for the beard and skin.

You can begin to use oil early in the beard-growing process and keep using it until you shave your beard off (which we’re not advising, mind you).

What are some beard oil’s many benefits? Here’s a look:

  • Beard oil reduces the itchiness that many men experience, particularly in the early days and weeks of growing a new beard.
  • It softens the beard to make it more manageable.
  • It helps the skin below the beard to thrive while also healing any issues that can lead to patchy growth.
  • Beard oil helps eliminate “beardruff,” the facial hair equivalent of dandruff.
  • Beard oil helps to enhance your beard’s overall appearance.

But let’s discuss the more pertinent question: Does beard oil help beard growth and to create a thicker beard?

The answer is, no, not technically, because it doesn’t – by itself – change the rate at which your beard grows. However, it can help create the conditions which help the beard thrive, which, in turn, can lead to a thicker beard.

Beard oil treats symptoms and issues that prevent beard follicles from nourishing and growing.

If you’re in the market for a quality beard oil, check out Honest Amish’s Classic Beard Oil. It contains seven important oils that improve hair and skin health.

5. Grow a thicker beard by giving it time to grow

Grow a thicker beard by giving it time to grow

The fact that your beard takes time to grow seems fairly obvious. Of course, some men grow facial hair faster than others – it’s a genetic thing, for one – but “giving it time” requires a bit of patience; perhaps more patience than you’d think.

Let’s spend some time talking about the Four Weeks Rule and how it applies to how to grow a thicker beard. In short, you need to regard time as a close ally (perhaps your closest ally) regarding beard growth and to grow a beard naturally at home.

And it comes down to this: many men think their beard is patchy when it really isn’t. Instead, they may not have given it enough time to grow a beard on your cheeks.

That’s why you need to give yourself four weeks, at the minimum, to grow a thick, luscious beard of which you can be proud. Never evaluate your beard’s status without allowing it to grow for four weeks.

Many men experience the temptation of wanting to throw in the towel – and break out their razor – because their beard looks scraggly or patchy after a couple of weeks of growth. Don’t do it.

To grow a thick beard requires the same kind of commitment that it takes to develop a killer body or to earn an advance degree. And it’s not even the same kind of commitment, time-wise, like many other things that require discipline.

The point is, you need to stay the course even when you counter the inevitable bumps along the way.

Let’s take a closer look at the four weeks:

Week 1

If you’ve never grown a beard before, or even if you have, the first week is the “weird” week. Those newbie whiskers feel strange on your face and even look a little weird.

You may also start to experience the dreaded beard itch during this opening stage of your march to beard greatness. Let’s not dismiss the impact of beard itch and how it’s the reason many men decide to scrap the project altogether, but hold your ground.

Beard itch is another reason why the first week of the growth cycle is a good time to apply beard oil. Beard oil makes your beard look and feel healthier, and has many benefits for the skin underneath, but it also helps to keep beard itch at bay.

Week 2

The second week of beard growth gives you a better sense of the shape of your beard. You’ll probably continue to notice patchiness, with some areas thick with growth and others more sparse, but you may have an idea of what beard style best suits your face.

You still want to focus on growth at this stage, however, so resist the urge to trim your beard’s edges or to clean it up by getting rid of stray hairs, etc. You may want to start using a growth supplement at this stage, as well.

Week 3

By the third week of growth, you should be mostly free of that pesky beard itch. You’ll also really begin to notice how that patch of facial hair is taking shape and starting to look like a real beard.

You can start to trim the edges of your beard at this stage, just don’t go overboard and snip away any hairs you’re planning to keep. If you want, you can begin to brush your beard – with a quality beard brush meant for the task – to start training hairs to lie a certain way.

Week 4

You deserve a hearty pat on the back at this point in your beard growth journey. You may not have the fullest, thickest beard that you desire quite yet, but you’re getting damn close.

You’ll have a clear picture of the final shape of your beard, and you can start to groom it in earnest.

Congrats!

6. Diet

maintain a healthy diet

The importance of maintaining a healthy diet cannot be understated, the saying “you are what you eat” supports this. You can also lessen your risk of disease, it helps you to maintain a suitable weight, it can even improve your energy levels and state of mind.

And it can help you to grow a thicker beard.

Supplements, which we talked about earlier, can help you to grow a thicker, less-patchy beard. But a healthy diet also ensures that you’ll get the right amount of vitamins and nutrients.

Vitamins support the growth of a thicker, healthier beard as you move forward, which is the result you want.

Among the many positives of eating a healthy diet is that you have a wide variety of foods to choose from, i.e., you don’t have to eat the same thing over and over again to get the dose of vitamins and nutrients you need.

You can try different foods, dishes, and recipes without being forced to eat something just because it’s healthy.

There’s an old saying that says the healthier the food, the worse it tastes, but that’s far from the truth. You may have to wean yourself off junk food that you think tastes great, but it doesn’t mean you’re forever cursed to eat a bland diet.

Here’s another thing: Men who eat healthy foods lose more weight than those that don’t – no surprise there – and maintain a healthy weight more easily. But losing weight boosts testosterone, the male hormone that has a huge impact on facial hair growth.

Here’s a look at some types of foods that can help you to grow a full beard without patches.

Foods for vitamin A and Beta A carotene

These two vitamins help repair skin tissue, which, in turn, leads to better hair growth. You’ll find them in foods such as carrot, egg yolks, kale, spinach, and sweet potatoes.

Protein-rich foods

Protein is essential to hair growth because, for one, hair consists of keratin – a type of protein that contains amino acids. Your diet is the best source of keratin, and you’ll find it in foods such as fish, lean meat, eggs, poultry, rice, beans, and legumes.

Foods containing vitamin C and E

Vitamins C and E are important to beard growth, and hair growth in general, because they boost the body’s production of sebum – the natural oil that lubricates and moisturizes hair.

Foods that include C and E include citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, almonds, peanut butter, spinach, mangoes, and sunflower seeds.

Omega-3 fatty acids

This type of fat is essential to our overall growth, including the growth of facial hair. Omega-3 fats also protect cell membranes that help prevent your beard from becoming dry and brittle.

You’ll find Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon (and other “fatty” fish), as well as in walnuts and flaxseed oil.

Foods containing vitamins B6, B12, and biotin

Vitamins B6, B12, and Biotin promote the growth of hair and new skin cells. Additionally, B vitamins help the body to synthesize protein, and we’ve already discussed how important protein is to hair growth.

Foods such as fish, poultry, nuts, brown rice, eggs, oatmeal, and wheat germ contain healthy amounts of vitamins B6, B12, and biotin.

Another important diet tip is to drink plenty of water. Maintaining proper hydration is important for a long list of reasons, including that it keeps the skin beneath your beard healthy and hydrated.

How much water should you drink each day? It depends upon several factors, including your activity level and the type of climate where you live. But it’s recommended that men drink a total of 13 cups of water – about 3 liters – daily.

7. Exercise and its benefits for beard growth

Exercise and its benefits for beard growth

There’s a ton of reasons why you should exercise consistently, and we’re sure you’ve heard most of them by now. But maybe you didn’t know that exercise can help you to grow a thicker, healthier beard. Here’s how:

  • Exercise improves blood flow, which helps to stimulate hair follicle growth.
  • Exercise increases testosterone, which can trigger beard growth.
  • Exercise boosts your metabolism, which can spur hair growth.
  • Exercise boosts your blood circulation rate. Improved blood circulation means that vitamins and nutrients reach your hair follicle more effectively, which, in turn, stimulates hair growth.
  • Shedding weight also helps to boost testosterone; it’s like a one-two punch, you exercise and boost your testosterone, you lose weight because of exercising and you boost testosterone again.

Any form of exercise is helpful, but short, intense exercises such as lifting weights and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) help to give your testosterone a turbo-charge. You can focus your weight-training on the major muscle groups, i.e., the legs, back, and chest.

Another way that exercise helps in the beard growth process is that is causes you to sweat. Sweating pushes dirt, grime, and excess oils out of skin’s pores. Beard hair won’t grow properly if your pores and hair follicles are clogged.

One of the most important factors for choosing an exercise program is finding a routine you like and sticking with it. You want to push yourself, but it shouldn’t feel like medieval torture. Create a plan that fits your lifestyle and that you find enjoyable, and stick with it.

8. Reduce stress

reduce stress

Too much stress can have damaging effects on our minds, body, and hair. It can restrict the flow of vitamins to your hair follicles, for one, and hair loss, say many experts, is a normal response to stress.

The good news is that there are a plethora of stress-reducing activities – such as exercise, meditation, or even just taking needed breaks during a busy day. You’ll be more productive, clear-headed, and less frazzled.

9. Getting more rest

getting more rest

There’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. There’s also nothing quite like a bad night’s sleep.

Most of us know how it feels when we don’t sleep right: grogginess, trouble concentrating, less productiveness. It’s not doing your beard any favors either.

Among the many negative effects a lack of sleep has on the body is that it reduces testosterone. A reduction in testosterone, as we’ve discussed previously, can have an impact on facial hair growth.

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association said that a week’s worth of sleep deprivation, in which study participants got no more than five hours of sleep per night, caused a 10 to 15 percent reduction in daytime testosterone levels.

That number is significant when you consider that there’s only a 1 to 2 percent reduction in testosterone during the normal aging process.

A lack of sleep also raises your stress levels, and stress is another thing that can impact your beard growth negatively. Lack of sleep will also reduce testosterone production in your body, which is another important contributing factor towards hair health.

So, get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. You’ll not only do your mind and body a favor, but you’ll probably notice less patchiness in your beard, as well.

10. Building a thicker beard through hormone therapy

building a thicker beard through hormone therapy

We’ve talked about the role of testosterone in beard growth already, but it’s worth repeating. In short, one of the culprits regarding a lack of facial hair growth in men is testosterone deficiency. Testosterone promotes beard growth, plain and simple.

It’s also important to note that testosterone levels often decrease with age. The older you get, the harder it can be to grow and maintain the thick, full beard you desire.

This means that you have a much better chance of stimulating your facial hair follicles and engaging in beard enhancement techniques until you’re in your early thirties. 

All of which leads us to hormone therapy. Hormone therapy is another option when your beard is patchy or too thin for your liking – whether you’re young or old.

Also known as Testosterone Replacement Therapy, hormone therapy can help restore facial hair if the underlying cause of thinness and patchiness is a deficiency of male hormones.

The therapy is administered in a variety of forms – injections, tablets or capsules, and hormonal creams.

Men with unnaturally low levels of testosterone may benefit from hormone therapy, although the jury is still out as to whether it’s beneficial for men who experience a decrease in testosterone because of their age.

This can have other benefits, as well, as it is easier to put on muscle if you’re on hormone replacement therapy. You can read up more on the benefits and disadvantages of HRT. 

It’s important to note that hormone therapy isn’t without risks. Minor side effects include fluid retention, acne, and increased urination.

More serious risks include increased cholesterol levels, a worsening of sleep apnea, decreased sperm count, infertility, and an increased number of red blood cells.

11. Microneedling and beard growth

microneedling and beard growth

While the idea of rolling tiny needles over your face may seem cringe-worthy, it can help you to grow a thicker, healthier-looking beard.

Microneedling has emerged of late as another good option for stimulating facial hair growth, and it involves pricking your face with hundreds of needles. Not to worry, however, because most users say the process is painless.

The needles are quite tiny and do not pierce the skin too hard or too deep. 

The needles come connected to a roller that you apply to your beard and, particularly, the skin underneath it. It sounds a bit odd, yes, but it works by attracting nutrients and hormone-rich blood to the skin.

It also increases circulation in the face, which helps to reduce scar tissue and wrinkles in the long run, giving you healthier skin on your face. 

When you roll the needles over your face, they create tiny punctures in the skin. The body recognizes that “damage,” and then begins the healing process. As mentioned, blood circulation improves, and more hormone-rich blood rushes to the affected area.

In other words, the repair process helps to create a healthier base from which facial hair can grow. Your beard growth might also be stunted because of the dead skin cells present on your face, which microneedle therapy can help get rid of. 

Using microneedles also helps activate stem-cell growth factors, at least according to this 2013 study. Additionally, the study suggests that using a microneedle roller in conjunction with minoxidil treatments can kick-start beard growth.

To combine minoxidil and microneedle treatments, continue to use minoxidil twice daily except for one day in which you use a microneedle roller instead. You should wait 24 hours after your most recent microneedle session before applying minoxidil.

Some other things to keep in mind with microneedles are:

  • You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure for the treatment to be effective. Just because you don’t feel a bit of pain or discomfort doesn’t mean the needles aren’t working, since the needles will still puncture the surface of the skin. This can open up room for infection and other impurities to get into your skin. 
  • They come in two types of needle materials – titanium and stainless steel. In general, titanium needles cost a bit more but seem to be more effective and durable, which can make them a better long-term investment. If you choose to opt for a stainless steel needle, make sure you change it periodically.  
  • A roller with more needles isn’t necessarily better. Rollers with fewer needles can have the same positive effect and are, generally, gentler on the skin. A harsh roller might cause damage to your skin and also not help your beard grow as well as it should. 
  • Don’t use a microneedle roller if you have acne, because it can spread the acne and make the problem worse. The needles in the roller enter the surface of your skin multiple times, and they can spread the impurities in the acne throughout your face, making your skin problem worse.
  • It’s also recommended that men with psoriasis and eczema shouldn’t use microneedles. This can cause infections and other related complications on your face, which might take a long time and a lot of medications to fix. 

While there are potential side effects of microneedling, they’re typically mild. They may include bruising, infection, some bleeding, and the formation of scar tissue. But the odds of experiencing those side effects are low. Make sure that you check the instructions properly and do it the right way to minimize the possibility of these side effects. 

There are many quality microneedle devices available, including the StimuROLLER Face by DS Laboratories.

12. Using beard dye to enhance your beard’s appearance

Using beard dye to enhance your beard’s appearance

OK, so beard dye won’t help you to grow a thicker beard, but it can make your beard appear thicker. It works best for men with beards of a lighter color, and many men suggest that beard dye – when properly applied – makes a beard look more robust.

A darker beard, in general, tends to look thicker but has nothing to do with beard density, which refers to the number of hairs per square centimeter of your face.

Sure, beard dye is a bit of smoke and mirrors when it comes to creating a thicker beard, but if you can make your beard look healthier and fuller through coloring it, why not give it a try?

Among our favorite beard dyes is Godefroy’s Professional Tint Kit. You can use it on beards, mustaches, sideburns, the temples, etc. It features 20 single-application pre-measured capsules.

Conclusion

Man’s quest for a thicker beard is both challenging and rewarding. It may take time, but the benefits are many. Beard products are not the only answer to this, as leading a healthier lifestyle, getting enough exercise, eating the right foods, and keeping your skin hydrated are also major contributors to what goes behind growing a healthy beard. 

Perhaps the biggest challenge is choosing a method that delivers the best results for you. We hope you find the tips we provide helpful and informative. We’re confident that you’ll find one that helps you to grow the kind of beard you’ve always wanted.

We’d love to hear from you, too. What method or methods have you used to grow a thicker beard? What kind of results have you experienced? We always welcome your comments. If you’re interested in similar topics about beard care products and other tips, please feel free to check out our other articles, as well!

About The Author

Domen Hrovatin
Domen Hrovatin

Domen—a self-confessed facial hair addict—is a grooming professional, style enthusiast, and someone with deep personal experience and knowledge about male pattern baldness. His work was mentioned in countless notable men's grooming and style publications, including Beardbrand and AskMen.

  • Started shaving at 13, began my beard journey at 52. All you young men out there give it time. My 1st year i achieved a yeard and grew just under 9 inches and it was scruffy. Then I decided to scour the internet for as much information as possible. I’m a believer only do what works for you. Now after 37 months I believe I’ve got the near perfect beard. Genetics plays it part so a big thankyou to my father.

  • hi .. i am 17 i applied turmeric in my face till 15 and now face has only few and thin hair …i want it to grow faster and thicker …i dont care about the time but i need it to grow faster ….can u pls help me sir ? pls reply

  • I am going through a difficult phase. The problem is that my beard is not growing properly. I have the thin beard this is really looking awkward. My friends have dense facial hair and that makes me feel depressed. I have tried many products, but that did not help me much. I am desperately looking for some help. Have you gone through this phase at some point in your life? If anyone has the same problem then please share with me.

  • Great advice, As I somehow started growing a beard when I was 13, and I am only 17 yet have a beard of just over five and a half inches (Where I haven’t let it go any longer) and incredibly thick, I thought I’d may as well go full out and grow it as long and thick and possible, Having never used any products and just kept a healthy diet and do a lot of exercise (skateboarding) I started taking vitamin tablets the pharmacist recommended, and there’s a massive difference! The “hair and nails” Style tables work best for facial hair apparently haha

  • …hey i’m of 19 ..i want to have very thick beard..but i got thin beard..nd i’m very disappointed..plz give me information about to make beard in a very quick way..i’ll be very thankful to you..nd one more thing these supplements are available in Pakistan??..nd plz give me reply as soon as possible..

  • Probably the best way to grow a full thick beard is to have MPB. I can grow a full beard in about a month. Many men will say that going bald is a cruel joke but what I believe is really cruel is how men beat themselves up over going bald and not facing reality. This is the case with many things. Fortunately there are options and the most important thing is having the courage to change the things we can, accepting the things we can’t change and having the wisdom to know the difference.

  • Let’s face it, some guys have it and some don’t, if after four weeks the result is peach fluff, no trick or cure out there will change the fact beard is just not for you, so forget it and start working on your strong points instead.

  • Thanks for your write up…I have beards on my chin but i dont seem to take care of it properly…your post is helpful

  • Hello ,
    I am 17 and I had very tiny hairs on sides of my cheek and some on the goats. My friends gave me advice to shave in order to get a full beard , i also asked my uncle he too adviced me to do it. And I did , but I am feared that will I get a full beard in 4-5 weeks or i will have to suffer for it. So kindly reply me that should I shave again after 4 or 5 weeks or let it be how it is growing ?

  • Keeping your beard soft is the key to not wanting to shave it all off. A dry scratchy beard will be unbearable, and the way to avoid that is to use a beard conditioner. A good conditioner will moisturize your beard, and it will keep it healthy—two important factors in maintaining face comfort.

  • Hi, I totally agree with you that there some men who are still confused that why the Church encourages its male members to be clean-shaven. Though clean shave gives a decent gentleman personality but wearing a trendy beard not only makes a man look stylish and hot rather it also shows his masculinity.

  • I’m 26, I eat healthy for the most part of my week (Low sodium – high protein). I take individual vitamins for A, B, C, D, and E. I take Pills for Omega 3,6,9. I take ZMA, and biotin. I shampoo my beard twice a day (Waking up, and before bed) I also use oil on my face after morning shower. I get 7-8 hours of sleep

    My beard won’t grow. I just have patchy uneven sideburns and a hairy mustache. My dad has a full beard, so there has to be a little beard DNA in me…

    Should I spent time with Minox?

  • Very informative article about growing a wild and sexy beard. But one thing I would like to discuss here that we should always go for natural ways rather than artificial ones or the products. Natural ways serve purpose better than anything else. No doubt the products mentioned or the products in market are of high value but treating facial hairs with man made products can sometimes have an adverse effect. I request all to go for the natural ways. Just have patience and see the results.

    • Sorry, I don’t think you are using that word “artificial” correctly. artificial is like a wig… The closest thing this article mentions to being artificial is a beard implant, although that is still 100% natural hair from your own DNA.

  • Hello: I am 54 years old and due to careers I’ve had i have only grown a couple beards in my life. I recently retired so gave it another try. Although it is almost all gray now it is full and about 5″ long after about 11 months of growth. I just want to say I am not a hairy guy, eat horribly and hate exercise and only recently am getting more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night. Al the above tips I do not doubt will help beard health, it is mostly genetics. I do enjoy a beard. In fact, I have been asked to play Santa Claus at a large outdoor European Christmas event this year.

    • I am transitioning into retirement as well (51 yrs. old) and am 2 months into my beard growth (roughly half white…salt & pepper). I also feel it is mainly genetic. People tell me that I must have a lot of European blood in me cuz it’s growing so thick so quickly (I’m Hispanic). I love my beard & plan on keeping it permanently. I won’t even think of trimming it til it’s unmanageable.

  • Great post! I also use beard brush when applying the oil or balm. It’s just a minor step but after investing in a good brush, I found that the brush helps tremendously spread the products evenly on the beard, so you will actually save more than you thought!

  • Hi , iam Alan from Germany , iam 25 , and i have no beard , i want to try minoxidil , i ordered a brand called Qgain Minoxidil , and i need to know if my beard will vanish after stoping using the product or it will last for ever ? thank you

    • Hey, Alan. It isn’t clear yet but the theory is that once the hairs turn terminal, the tend to stay that way. I used minoxidil only on a couple of patches (since I have a “full beard”) and they seem to have filled up. I doubt if I stop using it they will come back. Don’t forget your beard never ceases to become thicker as you age.

  • Great article.
    I wanted to grow a small beard and mustache last year for my birthday (23).
    I started doing this a year ago. I cut the hairs above the lips regularly to prevent them from getting on my lips, but aside from that, I didn’t do anything – just let it grow and brushed them a few times per week to keep these in proper shape. But I insist, especially regarding the beard – I haven’t shaved in a whole year. I didn’t shorten them. This is just how long (should I say short ?) they are after a year.
    See for yourselves the result :
    http://imgur.com/a/d4tJd
    I keep a healthy diet, do sports (a lot of fencing) regularly, …
    Should I give up ? I didn’t want to resort to special products initially – but what do you guys think ? Is it even worth the try ?

  • What’s up man, I’ve been growing this so called beard time to time, I always seem to grow the chops in full and thick but it never connects. So it’s like chops instead of a beard. Help a brotha please

  • I am going through a difficult phase. Can anyone help me? The problem is that my beard is not growing properly. I have the thin beard this is really looking awkward. My friends have dense facial hair and that makes me feel depressed. I am not feeling confident nowadays. I am just trying to avoid the female friends with the fear that they will not find me attractive. I have tried many products, but that did not help me much. I am desperately looking for some help. Have you gone through this phase at some point in your life? If anyone has the same problem then please share with me and help me to come out of the situation. I am looking for your help.

  • Name is Adam. I am 36. Australian. I have been bearded for a while. In fact it would seem longer than i remember looking back at photos from a few years ago. Essentially i have had a beard for nearly 5 years now. Just decided one day to grow to see what i could do. My hair on the right side use to grow downward, My left side used to grow side ways. I started using beard oils and brushing my beard with a boar bristle brush. I also use a wide tooth comb for consistant training of the general direction i want my beard to go. Right now after years of trimming and what not for work reason’s, wife reasons, whatever…………..I am letting it take its natural course. Currently at 6 inches length i am excited for the future. You have composed a really well constructed article mate that is both informative and encouraging. Your responses are diligent and respectful.
    have a beautiful bearded days guys

  • All that you have stated in the above post is good and true but still genetics are what defines the thickness of the beard, general health of course helps as the facial hair is a part of the body but still sometimes there isn’t much you can do but wait as we grow thicker beards as we age

  • Hello, my name is tim dos from nigeria, I have left my beards unshaved for 6 months strecth but still ddnt come out full and nice as I expected but it shows potential nonetheless but it is bald at the lower chin level where it ought to curve and connect.Also it has refused to spread on my phase as it rather grows sideways and longer in a thin direction without a diametric growth. I am 22 and I have impressive hair on my chest but the facial hair is below the beardgang expectation.My parents are hardly hairy tho.I need this full beard by the end of the year so I can cut the picture of that fully-bearded young fresh handsome lawyer with pink lips and fresh outta law school breathing intelligence and charisma.pls your advice can save a beard.I need the beards to spread and sprout faster too.Thanks a bunch!

  • Hi, I’m 25 now and no facial hair at all. I m very clean and this worries me a little. Any help? Can i really wait or just give up? My 32 yr old bro doesnt have either, my father’s however, is really cool. My sister has too

  • Hi, thanks for this article. no doubt it’s the best one i’ve read.
    I’m 24 years old and i’m trying to grow beard for over 5 weeks, but my beard is bald especially on my chain and my mustache and beard are not connected. my mustache is kinda cool though. I have mustache for over one year. another problem about my beard and my mustache is about the thikness they are hairy. I’m using minoxidil for over one week and waiting for results. my father’s and my uncle’s beards are really cool. I don’t know why I’m like this 🙁
    According to my age are there any other way to growing and completing beard faster than using minoxidil?

    • Hey Arash, give it at least 3 months before evaluating. I’m afraid at this point, the best you can do is let minoxidil and natural aging do its work.

  • Ive been losing my hair slowly since my early 20s and i’m 33 now. I came across minoxidil, which worked great. I would buy the equate brand from walmart for a lot cheaper than Rogaine brand. I was also prescribed 1mg finasteride aka propecia and many other names. mixing these 2 worked wonders on my hair and facial hair. I have recently found Minoxidilmax.com who offer topical solution with up to 15% minoxidil instead of 5% you find in Rogaine, Equate and Kirkland brands. They also offer Minoxidyl with zero PG (propylene glycol) if you have allergies towards it. I have been using Minoxidil max, Dualgen 15 plus, which also has the 1mg Finasteride in it, so no more taking the pills. I sometimes put it on parts of my facial hair that isn’t as dense as other parts, and this stuff works wonders. I highly suggest it to anyone that thinks they might need it. One last thing is i had blood work taken recently and found out my testosterone is extremely low (143) so their going to be supplementing testosterone to me by injections once a week until it’s where it needs to be, and i think that might have an effect on my beard growth and hopefully help thicken it out, plus shed a few pounds at the same time ;-P. This article was a great read and opened my eyes towards other products on Amazon. Cheers

  • there is some of misinformation in this article, for one thing beard has more to do with how your body responds to testosterone (specifically DHT) and not how much you have. Also, some people do have hair that grows faster or slower than others, this is a fact.

  • I am 24yo, my beard hair is thin, my mustache is a bit disappointing and my beard just grow up to a certain point. My dad found out that he could grow a full beard now at the age of 66. When he was in his 20s he had the same problem I have. I guess I might have a fine beard in the future, but I’ll try your tips. Eat healthy and exercise, mostly. Actually, I shaved today. So see you guys in 8 months! I hope I can be an exemple that some don’t need pharmaceutical help, just fight for you beard o/

    • Great attitude, Leo.

      I have a friend who couldn’t grow a beard at 20, but now at 33, he sure as hell can.

  • Were can I buy minoxodil liquid in Nigeria. I’m 21 just little hair my chin but great moustache. I want my beards to grow faster,is it safe to use minoxidil and were can I get it in nigeria

  • Minoxidil and Finesteride are the only FDA-approved drugs that benefit both men and women experiencing baldness.

    Given that beard hair is not the same as head hair, there’s no evidence that these drugs are effective for growing beards.

    Again, beard hair is not the same as head hair. Baldness is not the same thing as a patchy or sparse beard.

  • Good info, great write up! I’m 46, and after having done 27 years in the Army, it was time to retire. I’ve not shaved since December 31st and I’m still seeing how things are progressing. Its all coming white and gray, which is actually cool looking. Just never thought I’d have facial hair after continuous shaving for so long. I’m gonna hold out until my birthday in October to see if I want to keep (what ever length this gets to) or shave. I’m leaning towards keeping. For now it’s been growing patchy. I haven’t looked into adding anything yet such as oils or lotions, I haven’t seen much that could make me want to buy any. So I’ve changed my diet and exercise quite a bit now. Mainly I’m buying all organic, no more sodas or energy drinks ever, tons of green veggies, fresh eggs, local beef and plenty of water daily. Working out consists of not running, bicycling (knee and hip replaced 2 years ago), swimming, and taking stairs whenever possible. I applaud kids these days growing beards in their teens, but I’m older and wiser…hence the white beard.

    • Beards tend to fill up as they grow longer. Maybe in a few more weeks it will fill in.

      My beard just started sprouting some gray/white hairs – I like it.

  • Hi,
    I’m a first time beard grower. If I’m going to invest in one product, what would you recommend?
    (also- loved this blog: theschmere.com! But everyone seems to give different advice! )
    Your help is appreciated.

    • Hello,

      If you are growing a beard for the first time the only product you need is beard oil. Start using it on day one.

  • I used to have a go-t for several years and i then started shaving everything cause of “the wife”. Anyways, i have decided to grow a full beard. What ivr noticed, is that my go-t is thick and plentyful but the rest of my beard is not as thick sadly, so right now i look like a bum or someone that doesnt groom much. Ive been growing my full beard for about a month now but im not a hairy person. However my father has a very nice thick beard and the way mine is growing in, its showing potential. Im just disapointed that i have a nice go-t but that the rest is not as thick. Btw im 36. I will wait an other month or so to see if it grows in more evenly before doing anything. As of right now i trim the upper lip area and shave my neck. And ill trim the whole beard to the longest setting on my trimmer, which doesnt cur much of my beard since its not very long yet.

  • Hey
    I’m 15 years old and I have a thin beard. I started using an electrical razor about 4-5 months ago. I used to go get it shaved when I get a haircut about a 7 months ago. The last time I shaved was about a month ago. I’m looking forward to growing out a thick beard like James harden but how long do you think that will take and should I shave every now and then or no?

      • Hey, it does not matter if you shave or not – thickness will develop regardless of your shaving habits. At 15 you are most likely still in puberty and can expect to see a ton of new growth in the next few years.

  • Hey everyone. I am 35 and have a glorious thick and full beard. I mostly got lucky. All through my teens and early 20s I wanted one badly. But it was always patchy. So I gave up on it. My chest and arms and legs and stomach are hairy. My grandfather has so much back hair, if he were superman he wouldn’t need a cape. I kept a goatee and mustache from 18-22 or so. When I was 27 or so, I gave the beard another go. And it burst out of me like a volcano. I’ve had one ever since. Currently, I keep it about 6″ of my chin and it tapers up my cheeks. My sideburns are about 1″. One thing I find CRUCIAL to healthy facial hair is a good beard shampoo, beard conditioner, and beard oil. The shampoos are formulated to get facial oils out without drying the hair out. The conditioners keep the hair moisturized. Beard oils are critical to keeping thick beards healthy and flake free. Maintenance is important. A good brushing (not too rough and not too much) keeps is breathing. And don’t freak out by losing a few hairs here and there. Some beard hair falls out naturally. I bet I lose 20 or so a day. And I’ve never seen a “thinning” look. It’s part of the hair’s natural process. Good luck everyone and keep growing!! Remember: not everyone can have a beard. Someone has to be available to stand on the side and clap as we walk by.

    • Good advice Craig. But don’t put down those who can’t grow one. (They suffer enough already 😉 ).

  • I have been able to grow a beard since 13. The only problem is, my mustache doesn’t connect to we’ll in the middle so I look french (gag) and it also won’t connect where the tip of my mustache hits my cheek fur any suggestions on how to fix these issues?

  • Hey! I’m 22, I’ve very few hairs on my chin and mustache and the whole face is empty. I’m very ashamed of it. Can you please help me in growing my facial hairs. I do not prefer any treatments and supplements as I’ve dry skin. Kindly reply asap.

  • My boyfriend turning 20 next year and he is worried about his beard. He has very few thin hairs which grows around his face and his moustache (typically a straight line) doesn’t connect to his chin. Around his cheeks he has some patch thin hairs and not thick enough.This issue has been affecting him so much. So i thought i could help him out from this. But his friends have a full beard at the same age. I’m from malaysia so can i know what remedies and medication will help him to grow full beard.

    • Tell him it’s fine. He can expect additional thickness over time, as for a ‘medication’ tell him to try minoxidil.

  • Hey, I’m 19, I have decent coverage under my jawline, sideburns and cheeks, the problem is I have nothing around my mouth area. I’ve been growing it for 2 months now and have definately seen more hair appear especially small hairs that look like they would connect my cheeks to my moustache. But they won’t grow. I don’t know what to do.

    • It will get thicker on its own. Give it time, if you see small vellus hairs connecting your cheeks and moustache, chances are those will become terminal in a couple of years.

  • So, whenever I was 16 I shaved my sideburns to feel cleaner. I’m 22 now still find it hard to grow anything on my jawline, I have no problem with moustache and goatee, even though those have been shaved often, but need tips to grow on the jawline once again. I would also like my side burns back. lol Any advice besides anything in the article?

  • Great post! I grew a beard a couple of years ago but now I’m back to try again. Fortunately, I can grow facial hair fairly quick. I’ve had a goatee since I was in my teens. However, one thing I did not see mentioned in this post was coffee. I don’t drink coffee as a growth stimulant or an energizer, I drink my coffee as black and stout as possible because I like the taste. Anyways, I haven’t done a whole lot of research but in my personal experience it works. One thing to remember when growing a beard is that you cannot get discouraged. Something that helped was if you take care of your beard, then your beard will take care of you.

    • If I recall correctly, I remember reading coffee does have some positive effect on testosterone. But it’s unlikely that it has any noticeable effect.

      I highly agree on the taking care of your beard part though.

  • Hey, I’m glad you are replying to questions and respect you for such… Also your beard.

    I’m in a rut kinda. I’m 19 years old, have a semi-healthy diet, and live a somewhat active lifestyle. I run daily and work a physically active job. I also take multi vitamins with biotin.

    I’ve been growing a beard for over 8 weeks, and the majority is very thick on my neck (a neck beard). There is little growth on my cheeks and around my mouth. It is also a somewhat light color.

    I noticed you commented to another teen (18) who had hair growth in the opposite locations.

    I just wanted to know if I should continue to not shave or trim it and see where it goes. Or if this is the extent of it.

    Thanks again!

  • Hey Domen, I am 19 I have thick moustache and good chin hair. My neck has also a decent amount but itis only from chin to upper part of adam apple. but the problem is my cheeks hair isn’t growing like my moustache. I had ok amount of hair on end of either side of face. I am in my 2nd month of growing beard but it is thin on cheek. My father and brother haven’t cheeks hair so I am worried. Thank you ur thoughts are valuable for me.

    • I wouldn’t worry about that at 19. If you have a thick mustache and nice chin coverage, your cheeks will follow as well.

  • Hi Domen i am 22 and I have thick facial hair below d jaw line and on the jaw line and have a parted moustache not too dense but the problem is on both my cheeks hairs are not even in patches they are like one hair two hairs I can count them

    Regards
    Varun

  • I’m 23 and beginning to bald. Unfortunately, my beard still isn’t full. I mainly can’t seem to grow hair between my sideburns and goatee and under my jawline. Any thoughts?

    • The good news is your beard will continue to develop. It may suck at first since you can’t compensate with facial hair, but the future is brighter.

  • Interesting perspective. I’ve always been suspicious of products like supplements and things that claim to help boost beard growth, but as I read through some of the comments… I dunno, maybe it’s worth a try. I have some problem areas where I would definitely be able to objectively tell.

  • Hello!
    I have a fairly full mustashe and beard, but almost nothing on the side, so I got a natural goatee style, but I’ve been lazy and sloppy with excersising and such. Im very thin haired on the sides, so I can’t even grow chops, I’ve more or less had the beard for a year, but next month, after I’ve recovered from tendon imflamation, I hopefully will get on with some serious workout.

  • In my mid 40s and grew first big beard last year. Nice and thick. Now in the last 3 months all but the side burn area has gotten really thin, almost like a bald patch. The hair is turning gray/white which appears to be so much finer. It is starting to look pathetic in spots and I am considering shaving it. I have not tried rogaine but do use jojoba and argan oil and exercise ,eat healthy, etc. due to sensitive skin, I am not sure rogaine will be a good idea for me. Am I stuck with a pathetic beard (or no beard)?

    • Hi Doug,

      In this case try a Biotin supplement. From what I’ve read Biotin does a great job at revitalizing and coloring white and gray hairs.

  • Hi. I am on my 2nd month of growing my beard out. I am 36 years old and this is the first time I have let it grow and not shaved it off. My question is this. I have heard to grow a beard the right way only shave the the hair on your neck that is parallel to your face. I have been shaving my neck up to the bottom of my jawline. Should I stop shaving that far up and have I messed up by going that far up? Is it to late for me to stop shaving that part considering I have a beard already?

    • Hey Redbeard,

      Yes you’ve heard correctly. It does not necessarily mean you’ve screwed up (unless you’ve gone way to far up and it looks weird), you’ll just have to stop shaving the bottom of your jawline and then with the help of scissors or a beard trimmer, blend the lower part into your beard.

  • Hi. I’m 19, Afro American to be precise. I have a few strands of hair around my chin & it’s started spreading under gradually but I want a full beard. I wanna use beard growth spray but it says if I stop using the product my beard’s gonna dissipate. Should I take on minoxidil ?

    • Hi Kevin,

      It’s the same deal with minoxidil. Once you stop using it, the hair thickness will return to it’s previous stage–as if you never used it.
      So yeah, there is nothing permanent. (Apart from a beard transplant).

  • Hey D.H.,

    I’m a 30-year old Caucasian man. Dad is mainly a mut, but has some Welsh in him. Mom is full Italian. I have never been able to grow a full beard above my jaw line. From my jaw line down is relatively thick and the growth rate is great, but the follicle count above my jaw line simply isn’t there. My mustache is not very thick, but again grows at a great rate. I eat healthy, am in good shape and maintain a balanced lifestyle. What do you recommend?

    Thanks,
    Disgruntled White Guy yearning for a Beard!

    • Hey Nick,

      After thirty your facial hair development slows down. Since you take great care of yourself, you only have couple of options left. You can try minoxidil (which often yields great results), or you can opt for a facial hair transplant (which are becoming ever more popular).

      Beard vitamins aren’t going to do much.

      That are, pretty much, your only real options.

      Best of luck!

  • I am 24,I want a full beard but the problem is I do not get a dense beard,instead my facial hair grows in length,i have tried it for months but end result would be lengthy facial hair,which looks shabby. Hope you are getting my problem.
    Any suggestion that would help me grow a dense beard.

  • Hi Domen, yes now there are many ‘boys’ at college with beards, I was just passing my local college and my goodness me there were a lot who had beards, some thicker than others, its natural that those young men who cannot grow a good beard are a bit envious or the guys who can

  • I’m about to turn 18, but all I’ve got is a small goatee and my mustache barely grows, so I call it my “crustache”. Also I have an “anti-strap”, a place on my neck where hair just doesn’t grow. Is that weird? I want to get a big beard like every other guy in my school. I’m going to graduate in 2016, and I want one preferably before the schoolyear ends. Is that possible?

    • That’s gonna be tough. You must be in an unusually hairy high school if every other guy has a big beard. That’s not nearly as how I remember my time in high school.

      I can’t promise you that your beard will fill out in such a short amount of time. But it will definitely fill up a lot in the next decade.

      My bald spots filled up almost completely by the time I was 25.

  • Dear Sir,

    Thank You for helping out people, God Bless u

    Im 27 years old & i’ve always been able to grow a decent mustache and thick goatee, never been able to grow sideburns or cheek hair to a decent level.
    Please let me know if i can use minoxidil & particularly which brand.

    Regards
    Ven

    • Hi Ven,

      I don’t think the brand would matter much. But I would suggest you’d go with the “known” minoxidil brands, like “Kirkland minoxidil” and “Rogaine” (which is linked in the post).

      You can use it, a lot of people do. Just be advised–it’s not FDA approved for facial hair and use it at your own risk.

      Best of luck

  • Hi, great article, thank you. I’m almost 36 and all my facial hairs are very very thin (not terminal?), and it looks terrible (don’t think it’s changed much since I was a teenager), do you think it’s possible for it to change still, or should I just forget about growing a beard? My dad, and both my brothers have thick beards (not sure if that makes any difference).

  • Hi..I am 21. I have a pretty much amount of beards on my face anI am not having any such major problems but there’s a small problem, the problem is my left side is more thicker than the right side. What is the problem ? Well I am satisfied with the hair growth but the concerning me is the low hair growth on the right side….what shoulI do ?

  • Hello. I’m aged 25. I have patchy beard. It’s like my right cheek is almost covered with beard but the left cheek has few hairs. It is in fact scattered hair growth and are also thinner except the hairs on chin which are thicker. What shall I do?

  • I’m 42 and after so many years of shaving it is now that I want to let it grow but I happened to grow more on the chin part than in the face is there an oil or something i could rub on my face to make it grow evenly, thicker and longer.

  • I’ve recently turned 16 and I more or less have full coverage which is relatively thick except for patches on the side of my jaw between chin and side burns, since I’m only just 16 will it perhaps fill in?

  • Hello and thanks for the advice!
    I’m 20 years old.I can grow moustache and beard on the chin, but very litte beard on my cheeks.
    Since the gene responsible for balding is X linked, I suspect that the same happens for the genes responsible for facial hair growing…My father has a decent beard and a lot of hairs (lol).But, my relatives from my mother’s family, grow little beard..
    I was thinking that I’ll never manage to grow nice beard, but I’ve read some comments saying that they finally did after some years!I have also started gym.
    You think I could grow real bead some time?

    • Yes, that is true. 20’s is a great decade for facial hair. I’ve seen this first hand from my friends. Some guy had almost zero facial hair at 20 and now has pretty good coverage at 28.

      So yeah, you have a real chance.

  • Hey, great article. I’m 31, havent got great Beard genes in the family, notoriously late developers apparently. I’ve always been able to grow a thick moustache and goatee, never been able to grow sideburns or cheek haor to a decent level. Last few years, its gotten bit better. Have a reasonable amount of coverage but far from thick, color is a mix of brown, ginger and greys! I’ve been using finasteride now for a few months to stop the hair loss up top, it seems to be working OK. Would using minoxidil on my cheeks be a bad thing combined with the finasteride? I’m aware of eachs side effects but not combined.

    • Hey AidenS,

      Using it combined shouldn’t be an issue. Minoxidil is just not FDA approved for use anywhere else than the crown. Use it at your own risk.

      That being said–using minoxidil on your cheeks should prove any issues. This is, of course, anecdotal evidence, but some feedback nonetheless. (I doubt they are ever going to test minoxidil for facial hair growth anyway). Give it a go. Many users (particularly your age) had plenty success. Check the link in the article to the minoxidil user experiences on the Yuku beard forums.

  • The thing is i have a beard, but i sucks, it covers my face but its not AS thick as it should be, and my facial hai grows from the left ot the right side of my face instead of growing down from both sides, I kinda gave up on growing a long beard and it frustrates me.
    plus I have hair under my jaw but its not growing in the front!
    any help for me!?

    • A lot of guys had reasonable success with minoxidil. It can awaken the dormant follicles and give you the thickness where it lacks. How old are you?

      • I’m 23, now its growing a bit more i havent shaved in like 2 months and I work out, but as I told you instead of both sides growing down its growing from the left side to the right side and it still needs to be thicked on my cheeks to look better.
        Is minoxidil an oil or pills? and do you recommend!? and should I shave with a razor around my chin/jaw to make it grow more?
        btw, I havent used a razor in AGES as in 5-6 years or even more!!

        • Minoxidil is available in pill form, but you don’t want that. You need either a liquid or foam version. If you’ll grow out your facial hair, it should start to face down — gravity should take effect. Shaving it with a razor won’t make it thicker.

          If you do try minoxidil read more about what you’re getting into.

  • One more thing Domen Im mostly trying for ‘extended goatee’ or else ‘balbo’. Please keep this in mind & give me your valuable suggestion

  • Hi Domen,
    Im nineteen.. I have beard only on lower jaws & lower chin.My beard is bit curly & as it grows only on lower jaws&chins it looks untidy & unattractive..I want it grow more thick and straight.

  • hi
    i am 16. first time i shaved my beard 2 years ago. but it isn’t going thick. my beard is very thin yet. when my father was 16-17, he had thick and full beard. i am nervous about that. please help me somehow. i want to have a small development.

  • i,m 17, i only have thin hair on my chin. i would love to have thick and full beards on my cheeks and chin, but i masturbate alot. Will it affect my beards growth?

  • I’m 19. I have a patchy beard and my mustache is the problem. It doesn’t grow evenly. It’s longer on the sides and negligible in the middle. What should I do? 🙁

  • Also if your on the fat side like me if you loose weight your beard will appear thicker

    Same hair less face

    • Very interesting regarding fat men with beards, looking around most of the men I see are not fat, most are of average weight and height, although most of the men with the thickest beards are dark, brown or black haired, not too many men with fair hair have thick beards.

  • hi D H,
    I’m 21 and I have almost a decent amount of beard and mustache growth. But my problem is the connection between them and the density. Especially the beard density is very low. Also the colour is not as dark as my hair’s. Can you suggest me a solution? Please…

    • Hello,

      As I said in the article — live and eat healthy, wait (since you are still very young). If that fails try minoxidil.

  • The only place I could find anywhere to purchase both Vitabread and Beard Oil was Amazon on the Internet, searched my home town for both of them, nowhere sold them

  • hi sir.
    actually i am still 19 .i have thin beard on cheeks and chin .so i would say that i am satisfied… but the problem is that the beard is not growing around mouth i have very little hairs there……infact my father is full beardy. but my little brother has same beard structure like me…..so now should i take any step or wait…

    • No need to call me sir, friend 🙂

      Yes, you should wait. The fact that you already have a bit of facial hair is very a good sign.

      You will most likely grow a full beard in the next couple of years.

  • Hi there!

    I hope you are well. I have been using minoxidil for aproxemately 1 month to increase my beard growth on the my cheeks to increase the illusion of a “full beard”. For only have been using it one month, I´ve been suprised for how well it works.

    But, I´ve noticed some side effects. I´ve noticed hair growth on my arms, legs and fingers which worries me of becoming a monkeyman. Should I stop using it or should I just lower the dosage?

    I am sooo close of getting a nice full beard.

    • Hello Igor,

      When are you using minoxidil? Don’t use it right before bedtime, it will spread over your sheets — from where it will reach your other parts.

      If it’s working for you and those are the only side effects, I’d say keep at it. Myself I wouldn’t mind hairier arms, hands and legs. We are men after all.

      Have you experienced any itching?

    • Hi there Igor and Domen good advice from you Domen about when and when not to use minoxidil, I am fortunate to have that ‘hair gene’ that’s been mentioned a few times in those very good posts. I have not used minoxicil, but Igor the point is even without using that I do have what you call that monkeyman sort of body, its just because of that, that made me want to grow a beard, don’t worry about having hairy arms legs and fingers which I have, it makes you feel manly and with a good beard even better, that is the reason my beard at just short of 3 months is quite thick, I am so pleased with the progress of it, I will use beard oil as D.H. advised me to but not minoxicil.

  • Hi.I was born genders.I(hermaphrodite) present and live as female.Naturally very feminine.Basicaly hairless.Need to pass as male.Potentially safer? 18Very self conscious..Is it possible for me to grow a beard? Thank you. This is very difficult and give me mega anxiety to post this question. I’m sorry if i bother you. Thank you very much.

    • You should ask a specialist. Don’t some hermaphrodites begin to shift their sex at a certain point?

  • But still can atleast biotin can help me to grow a beard, im so worried because all of my freinds already started to grow beards.

  • You want a thick and manly beard? Here is recipe: aerobics, 15% incline-atleast three times/week, 10,000 IU/daily Vitamin D, fish oil, smoked salmon.
    Results? Some guy rolled downis window recently and yelled, ” man, tnat’s one friggin’ beard (in french).
    It works!
    But it wasn’t until my 40’s that my facial hair was at its max potential to grown a mass of hair.
    Try my recipe for two months, I Gaurantee a glorious beard!

    • I do think having a good diet and exercise helps in a man growing a good beard, high testosterone and a bit of luck as well. I eat a lot of smoked salmon, honey instead of jam, also brown high fibre bread, never ordinary white bread and drink skimmed milk not the fat unskimmed stuff. I have as some of you say a ‘hairy gene’ in me, hairy arms, chest etc, I put the fact that I have hairy legs down to all the cycling I have done through the years . That was one of the reason I decided to grow a beard, at almost 3 months now its thick and bushy, I have no intention of trimming anything off in the near future except the part near my mouth, the hair kept going into my mouth and up into my nostril despite combing it, so I will never have a prize moustache ever, never intended to have anyway.

  • Hi, im 16 but almost turning to 17 this December. I started growing beard now but its doesn’t look like a beard, there are only 8-10 hairs under my chin. I shaved it once but they are growing too slowly. Im skinny and tall, will I grow a decent beard before turning 18 ??

      • Thanks Sir,
        But the thing is my father is hairy he said he started growing beard when he was 15, he has hair on his back and all.

        • Hey Rohan, no need to call me sir 🙂

          You may not share the same hairy genes like your father. You can develop that in the following years. At 17, few have the ability to grow a beard. You still have a lot of time working in your favour.

  • Hi Sir,
    I’m 19 now, but the hair on my cheecks are not growing more, I need more hair to grow on my cheecks ,wht’s the way?

    • Hello, your best bet is to wait, friend. 19 is for most still young for a bearding. Cheeks tend to fill up last.

  • I’m having problems growing my beard cos I practically keep pulling them out myself (sort of a bad habit which I can’t control). But then again I’m a fairly hairy person but not really so on the face . So I wanna get those vitamins u prescribed but I stay in Nigeria and I’m not really sure those things are available in my local environment.

  • Hi sir,im 17 i have a tiny beard on my chin but i’ve been growing it for 2 months for about 1 month it loked ok but till now i don’t see any change it looks like the hair on your arm and leg it’s really bad.should i wait?and how long would it take to cover my whole face if inever shave from now on

    • It depends, Althaf Aj. You might get much better coverage in your 20’s. I would suggest you don’t worry so soon and wait a few years. If your father has thick facial hair, that’s a good sign. You are still in puberty and need to give your body more time to fully develop.

  • Hi i’m going to be 18 in few monthes but my beard is patchy it’s thick from the sides and thin in the gotee and doesn’t connect but when i started a healthy diet and excercised more and more it made a little change but still doesn’t connect

  • I have had a beard going for about 7 months now and its long down the sides and underneath, apart from the massive bald patch under my chin which is now covered up by the rest, but it’s struggling on my cheeks, any ideas how I could help this along??

    • Yeah, the cheeks are always the last beard part to fill up. If you’re still young, you have plenty time to develop cheek naturally. But you can refer to my tips in the article to speed up the process.

  • I am one of those people who had a great mustache, but the worst beard. What has really started to make a difference for me has been exercising a lot, as well as washing my face in the morning and at night. I use an exfoliating brush, similar to the one I use on my head, and I notice my hair is coming in stronger and ticker each week. Also, I threw away the razer, and traded it in for an electric trimmer. That way I am letting the little peach fuzz get exposure, and over time it is filling in.
    I had a scrappy brown patches of hair when I was 18. Now at 23, I found that a lot of my peach fuzz were actually red and blonde hair, and I have a full goatee and neck, but a little patchy on the cheeks. The change is a process, and takes a lot of patience. I didn’t grow my full handlebar mustache in a day, and Rome wasn’t built in one either.
    Great tips in this article as well! I especially appreciated the myths section because I feel a lot of people have misconceptions about what works. Just because something worked for one person, does not mean it works for all. I described my experience of what worked. Try it, and it might work. If not, keep looking and trying new things. As I said before, it takes time and patience. If you can’t wait more than a month to start seeing results, maybe you are the kind of person who might just fare better with a baby smooth, clean shaven look.

    • Well said Michael and good advice. Give your beard the best conditions to grow and don’t shave for at least a month. Most are surprised by how thick their beard can actually become.

  • Have you had any feed back about the rogain method yet? I am about to turn 33 and just like a few others my neck grows in perfect but my checks barely grow any at all lol. It looks like I have a way to long douche bag chin strap lol. I’ve tried for ever to grow a full beard but always give up and shave it off but this time I refuse to do so!! I’m ready to start trying anything pretty much. I am going to try te rogain and the hair and nails vitamins. If you have any more advice I will be extremely grateful for it, and when I try the rogain I will pop back in and give a review of how it worked for me! Thanks again!

    • Hello Joshua,

      Check out this thread http://jefffsbeardboard.yuku.com/topic/28948/Rogaine-Experiment?page=557#.VT0YgSGqpBc — you can find many before/afters. I’ve used minoxidil foam on my cheeks for about 2 months (since I’m using it on my head), and it did grow additional facial hair on my cheeks. But I’ve stopped using it since my beard is already relatively thick.

      Minoxidil is a vasodilator — it will allow more nutrients to reach hair follicles, giving them more power to grow. For an extra boost, go also with a nutrient rich beard oil (preferably ones that are designed for beard growth), vitamins and eat healthy.

      Just be careful with minoxidil, it was only tested on the scalp and long term use may be unsafe. Use at at your own risk.

      I’d be happy to hear your review. Let me know how it goes.

  • Good for you Adam, I see many young men now with beards, it puts to a end the myth that’s its only older men who have beards.

  • Hi, I’m 20 years old but still I don’t have enough facial hair or beard. I think it’s due to my over handling. So, please give me tips how can I grow beards faster

    • Don’t worry about fast. Take your time, your beard is a journey. I think a lot of people have the same idea about weight loss or fitness, where if you hit the gym once, you are suddenly going to be fit and losing weight. I wrote a section below on my tips for beard growth. I would also like to note that just because one thing works for one person, does not mean it will work for you. Become a scientist with your beard and experiment.

  • I will be turning 17 this year and many of my friends have been growing thick facial hair already and I have managed to just grow in very light and thin hair of a short length over my upper lip (cant call it a moustache yet) and in the side burn area. On my right cheek I have 2-3 long strands of a little darker hair..and same is the case with the neck region.. I can see facial hair on my chin but it doesn’t grow in that quick and it is very soft thin and light in texture which makes it look like there’s nothing grown. Help me with this problem..I want at least thicker and darker facial hair which is not patchy ..and just FYI I’m not that a hairy person. But suggest me remedies which would solve my situation as soon as possible please.

    • The remedy is the same for (pretty much) everyone Lucifer. Thicker beard = growing older + living healthy + (optional) beard growth boosters and supplements mentioned above. Puberty stops somewhere in the early twenties, so rest assured your facial hair will become drastically hairier in the next 5 years. Give it time to grow.

      At your age your best bet is to be patient and wait it up.

  • I’m 17 years old, almost18 and have been trying to grow a full beard for about a year now, I have been able to grow hair around the mouth area for a couple of years and chin area for about 6 months I have also been taking biotin llately which has lead to an appearance of hair around the side burn area. And very faint hair on my cheeks which seems to be a lighter shade of brown/blonde. And the hair around my mouth seems softer but thicker then in other areas. How long do you think it will take to get a larger coverage and what colour do you think it will be as it’s sort of a mixture at the moment?

    • Color will definitely be darker, as the hair transitions form vellus to terminal. Facial hair grows thicker and fuller at a slow, constant basis; But since you are still in your teens, you may be able to see a noticeable improvement in a very short time (a year perhaps). Take a clear picture of your beard now to compare your progress.

  • I turned 17 last December. I started growing beard when I was 14.
    When I started growing beard, a lot of my friends even didn’t have the growth, but now all of a sudden, they have fuller and complete and thicker beards than mine while my one is a bit patchy. It completes from the sideburns, but has a lot of patches on the left side of my face, and thou it extends a lot, it doesn’t totally complete and connects with my mustache and complete the beard.
    What should I do for a more complete and thicker beard? I noticed that if I don’t shave for a long time, small and soft growth of hair can be seen in those patchy and incomplete places of the face.

    • Ah yes, those are vellus hairs. They will develop into terminal hair as you grow older. Time is your friend. I had a similar thing going on at your age; then my beard got fuller and connected in the following years. If it does not bother you much, you will most likely develop a full beard sometime during the next decade. If, however, you want to see it sooner, eat healthy testosterone-promoting foods, get a lot of rest, or try the external boosters mentioned in the post.

  • I’m 17 years old and I started growing my beard when I was 15. Its not the thickest, but its a full beard and no one else in school can come close to mine.

    • Your not the only boy who has never shaved and has a good beard by 17, I notice many like you especially coming form the college near where I live.

  • Hi D.H.

    I have a lot of gray. Should I try to dye my hair on my own or are there stylists out there that can help with this? My stylist says they can’t do it, and I’m not having any luck finding out about it online. Also, will it cause my beard to get thin after a while? Let me know! Thanks and awesome article, btw.

  • I’m 26, and I have noticed a difference in years. I could only grow a goatee before, that’s why I’m so hellbent on a beard now. Thanks for the advice I’ll give it a go

    • Good luck Captain.

      Remember, when you’re growing your beard out, don’t touch it for at least a month (even 2 months for patchier beards). Longer facial hair can really help fill up bald patches.

  • Most helpful and manly post I’ve seen. I am 20 and have a decent beard going on my cheeks and chin, but sadly I always have to shave it, due to a giant bald spot on the underside of my chin /neck area. I mean it is about the diameter of a pop can with not a single peach fuzz in it. I just ordered some vitabeard and beard grower before posting this and am going to give them a try and pray to the beard god that they work.. All I want is a face full of copper rays of sunshine (aka ginger beard)

    • Hey Nathaniel. I wish you the best of luck. Bald patches are a very common occurance. Growing out your beard longer will also help hide those things. Drop by, and let me know how it works out for you after a few months.

  • Great post! I’m one of the fortunate young men who could grow a beard at 16. I decided to finally give it a real shot at 18 and have never looked back. VitaBeard is one of the most useful supplements I’ve used. Also, tea-tree oil is a fantastic supplement for men with drier skin under their beards. Beard Growther works wonders as well; even with already having a thick beard, the product made my beard thicker than some men’s head of hair, and I would highly recommend it. Exercise is extremely important; not only does it help with the beard growth, but it also makes you more attractive. Sexy, toned body + thick amazing beard = every lady stumbling over herself to get your attention.

    • Totally agree Charles. With a nice thick beard you will be showered with compliments and attention. Can’t go wrong with a beard.

  • I’m trying to grow a thick full beard but my problem is that my left cheek has more hair than the right but both sides are patchy…. I’m 36 and always looking for help or advice on how to grow a fuller thicker beard. What would be my best chance of executing my desired goal of growth. Thank you

    • You best bet is applying minoxidil on one or both sides, if you feel comfortable using it on your face (but beware, topical minoxidil has only been tested on the human scalp). Or, if you want to take the safer route, get a beard growth stimulant like Beard Growther.

  • Every time I grow my beard out it comes in thicker and darker underneath my face and stays a mixture of white blonde on the upper part of my face. Is there something that can be done to make the color the same on both parts of my face?

      • I have the same problem. my hair and skin is darker colour (Mediterranean). Some parts of my beard are thicker like around my chin and some parts light in colour. looks ginger. I am okay with the thickness but the colour really bothers me. I am 34. Is there any way I can darken my beard NATURALLY and make it look more even in colour.

        • I may be wrong but those lighter hairs might have not fully developed yet. They aren’t terminal yet. This will change in time, or you can try speeding it up using minoxidil.

  • I decided a month ago to grow my beard for at least 4-5 months. It’s coming a along nicely but right on my chin a have a white patch with some dark hairs scattered amongst it. Funny thing is some people say it looks really good, and in my own opinion it doesn’t look out-of-place. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar and is there anything I need to be worried about? (In terms of premature thinning etc.)

    • That could possibly be a result of vitamin b deficiency, stress, malnutrition, genetics or something else. I also have some white/grey beard hairs here and there on my chin. It’s probably nothing to worry about.

    • Mine beard is black with a little grey and white but off of my chin it grows grayish white tusk shapes on the sides,everyone says it looks badsass, especially when it gets like a foot long.

  • The first time I grew a proper beard (age 34) my only trick was not shaving for 6 months. This time around, it’s nice to have some tips on how to speed things up. Thanks!

  • Great advice, As I somehow started growing a beard when I was 13, and I am only 17 yet have a beard of just over five and a half inches (Where I haven’t let it go any longer) and incredibly thick, I thought I’d may as well go full out and grow it as long and thick and possible, Having never used any products and just kept a healthy diet and do a lot of exercise (skateboarding) I started taking vitamin tablets the pharmacist recommended, and there’s a massive difference! The “hair and nails” Style tables work best for facial hair apparently haha

    • Great post from you Jack’o’Beard, I see many guys about your age who have never taken a razor to their face since facial hair started at 12 or 13. By 17, like you, those guys have a really good beard as well.

  • Cool write up. I’m 35 and finally decided to go all out for a beard this winter. It’s been around 15 days and I definitely have some patchy issues. The real funny part is the left side of my face is way fuller than the right! I’m gonna give it a full month. I’m not a hairy person. ie… I have no chest or back hair so keep your fingers crossed for me that my man beard will come to fruition.

    • Best thing to do my friend is let your beard grow for at least 5 months then at the end of that 5 months you can pretty much see the full potential of your beard and decide what style of beard you should approach, Generally any differences in your beard will be unnoticeable after that time, i have met some people that just cant grow hair in some spots as hard as it to think you could be one of those people you still have to consider the possibility!

    • That’s like me as well ‘HairlossBaldwin, I have always done exercises and am a outdoor person, I have not lost too much hairloss and my beard at almost 3 months is getting very thick, in fact only yesterday some people were saying that I should trim it down a little, I do, but only around my mouth and my hairdresser trims the top part of my thick sideburns.

      • Hi Domen, can I update the post of June 13, 2015, Now over two years later I have had a beard since March 2015, on and off, and a full untrimmed one since December 6, 2016. I have always done exercising, mainly outdoors but since January this year I have started doing them inside, thanks to your advice and looking up Youtube videos of ‘doing exercises at home’ to improve beard growth.
        I have learned how to plank, the longest is 6 minutes but I do a 3-minute plank every day. I learned to do 20 press-ups in 5 sets to make 100 and 25 sit-ups in 4 sets every 3rd day as well. Recently I bought a pair of 5-kilo kettle bells and do 20 Russian swings and other exercises with them so exercises have helped my beard to become thick and bushy and I am so happy about that.

        • That’s awesome, Alan. I’m happy to hear you’re working on yourself, improving, and things are going well. Keep up the good fight!

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