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So, you want to grow a beard that will leave heads turning?
Well, we are here to help you achieve it.
No man should struggle with beard growth.
Today marks the end of your struggle because we will take you through 10 surefire ways and answer the question of “how to grow a beard faster and stimulate facial hair growth” like a boss.
You probably have heard a lot about facial hair and about growing a beard.
Forget about it.
What we know for sure is that a beard symbolizes masculinity, confidence, strength, and the ladies like it. So, if you have decided to grow a full beard or other beard styles like a ducktail beard, you are at the right place.
If you are a new beard grower or struggling to grow a beard, we would like to congratulate you for stopping by to learn the best methods to grow a beard faster.
Sit, relax and keep reading.
Related post: Do You Have A Patchy Mustache? 7 Tips On How To Grow A Thicker Mustache
Facial Hair VS. Head Hair Growth
As you know, there are many beard growth products like beard balm, beard shampoo, beard butter, and beard oil.
And this might have made you wonder why there are so many products and why the hair on your head needs different treatment from your facial hair.
After researching and analyzing scientific facts about hair and beards, we found out that there’s a big difference between the beard hair follicle and normal hair. We also managed to:
- Find strategies to promote hair growth.
- Learn surefire pharmaceutical and natural strategies to enhance the growth of facial hair.
- Lifestyle alterations will make your beard grow faster.
- Find the best foods for facial hair.
Applying the above methods will be very easy to stimulate facial hair growth within months, so let’s get started!
Hair Growth Facts
Since many guys don’t know the scientific facts about hair growth, we decided to do the hard job and do all the research.
It’s always good to know what you are doing, right?
Did you know, for example, that the scalp’s growth process differs from facial hair? Well, we thought you should know this.
According to science, the process of growing hair begins even before you are born.
Hair begins to form while the fetus is in the womb. All the hair follicles that will produce hair are formed at that time. They are all destined to grow hair, whether it is the thick curly hair of your head or the slightly finer hair on your arms and legs.
As you grow and get to puberty, hair starts growing in different parts of the body, such as the pubic area, chest, legs, and arms. Also, during that time, some men start developing facial hair while others start later. This depends on the level of certain hormones, and we will explore this in more detail later.
So why do some men develop facial hair earlier than others?
The facial hair is called androgenic, which basically means it is stimulated and controlled by two major hormones: testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.
The main function of dihydrotestosterone is to increase beard density, while testosterone’s main function is the stimulation of hair strands.
The difference in the amount of these two main hormones is the reason why some men have patchy beards or take too long to start seeing one.
If testosterone and dihydrotestosterone hormones are too low, stimulating growth will be hard. The density of facial hair also depends on the level of testosterone hormone. Guys with higher testosterone levels tend to grow thicker beards than men with low levels.
But facial hair is not the only androgenic hair; in fact, all the hair that grows on different parts of the body, other than the head, is androgenic. The abundance of male hormones in the body is what defines this hair. This explains why androgenic hair develops more in men than women.
Different hair types sprout in different parts of the body.
- Lanugo Hair- This is the type of hair that is found in most babies after birth. This type of hair normally falls out after birth or as a baby grows.
- Vellus Hair– This type of hair is normally light, fine, and short. During childhood, this hair type grows all over your body apart from areas such as the navel, scar areas, soles, lips, palms, and ear backs. Vellus hair normally sprouts hair follicles that are not linked or connected to the oil gland.
- Terminal Hair- Terminal hair grows on the scalp. Compared to hair that grows on other parts of the body, hair that grows on the head is dark, thick, and long. During adolescence, vellus hair gets replaced by terminal hair in areas such as the armpits, face, arms, feet, chest, back, and pubic area.
Hair Growth Phases
Source: Viviscal
There are 4 phases of hair growth for both head hair and facial. The only difference is that facial hair takes less time to go through these phases than head hair. These four main phases of growth are:
- Anagen is the growth phase where hair strands get nourished through the blood flow.
- Catagen is the phase of transition where hair growth stops because it detaches itself from the blood supply or the nourishing agent.
- The telogen phase is the phase where hair falls out or dies because of the lack of nourishment.
- Exogen is the phase where you shed hair when it falls out. Exogen normally happens 3 to 4 months after the anagen stage.
This is a process that takes several years for scalp hair but only a few months for facial hair.
Beard hair is also sometimes different from scalp hair in terms of texture and color. Sometimes a man may grow dark hair on his head while his beard grows red or vice versa.
In summary, this means that you should take different approaches when caring for head hair and facial hair. Your facial hair may need more products than your scalp hair. It may also require specific products to maintain it, like a quality beard comb, beard oil, or beard balm.
Which factors affect the beard growth rate?
There are three things that affect how quickly your beard grows. The first is your genes. The second is the hormones, and the third is how good the blood circulation is on your face.
Genes
As you already know, your genes are responsible for many things, including your hair. If you have lots of hair, then it’s likely that the people in your family also have a lot of hair. You can inherit a thick, dark beard from your father’s or mother’s side.
But if you have a patchy beard or slow growth because of your genes, then don’t worry; there are some solutions you can follow to fix this. It will take longer, but you will achieve what you want with the right treatment and patience.
Hormones
The second factor that affects beard growth is hormones. Hormones play an important role as they regulate the whole process. If your hormones are at low levels, then the rate of facial hair growth will be very slow or none at all.
But having high levels of testosterone is only one piece of the puzzle. It’s true that it is one of the main factors, but you also need to have some special androgen receptors to grow a healthy beard.
Androgen receptors are responsible for the activation of certain genes that produce beard hair. When a hormone enters them, they signal your hair follicles to become active and work in growing beard hair.
If your androgen receptors are active and sensitive, then the chances of having a thick beard are very high. But if they are not, it will be difficult for you to grow a beard.
DHT and testosterone can both activate these receptors, but having too much of them in your system can cause negative side effects. Later we are going to talk about how to balance hormones naturally before going into possible solutions.
Blood Circulation
Lastly, you need to have good blood circulation if you want to have a nice thick beard. If you don’t, your beard hair will grow slower due to a lack of nourishment.
The work of blood vessels is to move blood to your body parts. If you have good blood circulation, the beard hair will receive the nutrients it needs and develop faster.
We will talk about what you can do to improve your facial blood circulation later.
Now that we know what factors affect beard growth rate let’s discuss some solutions.
What is a normal beard growth rate?
Beard Hair tends to grow faster than hair that grows on other parts of the body, like the scalp. It normally takes a day for facial hair to sprout after shaving, while head hair needs more time before it starts growing, especially when you have slowed down in age.
The average growth rate for facial hair is 1/2 inch per month. Some men, however, grow a beard faster or slower than this average because of their age, genes, and other factors.
There are other factors that affect how quick or slow your facial hair grows, and we will talk about them below.
10 Tips On How To Stimulate Beard Growth
There is no standard age at which a man starts growing a beard. Some start seeing beards in adolescence, while others may have to wait until their early twenties.
Unfortunately, there is no scientific method to find out when your beard will start to grow.
However, there are several tested and proven ways you can try to stimulate faster growth as soon as your beard starts growing.
Even though patience is very important when you grow a beard, there are also techniques you can use to stimulate faster growth.
No matter your beard state, you can still have the same beard as people you know or watch on movies or TV. The same beards you admire may have battled and struggled to be the way they are today.
Beard growth is connected to your genetic structure, health, levels of testosterone, and lifestyle. To grow a beard and be where you want it to be, you must avoid stress, exercise, take care of your health and maintain a balanced diet. But talk more in-depth about these factors.
1. Eat Right
Beard growth is closely related to what you eat. By eating healthy on a daily basis, you not only benefit your body but also create a good environment for the blooming of your beard.
The food you eat should have essential nutrients and minerals. When you eat healthily, the production of growth-stimulating hormones increases, creating conducive conditions for faster growth.
You should include foods rich in lean protein and healthy fats for better production of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Here is a list of recommended foods to eat:
Olive Oil: Studies have shown that consuming olive oil is really good for your beard and can boost testosterone production. The men participating in the experiment saw a 17% increase in testosterone levels after consuming olive oil daily for 2 weeks.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes have high levels of Beta –Carotene, a very important component that aids cell growth. When this component is converted into Vitamin A, it accelerates the growth of cells within your hair.
Liver: Contains high levels of biotin and iron, which are very important for your beard.
Oyster: Oysters contain zinc minerals. This mineral forms part of essential minerals that increase the growth of hair. By eating oysters, you also increase your protein intake.
Eggs: Eggs are rich in biotin and protein. As mentioned, biotin is a very important supplement for your hair.
Cinnamon: This is very important in the growth process because it controls the flow of oxygen to the hair. So it’s very important to include it in your food.
If you cannot eat the above-mentioned foods, you can rely on essential nutrients supplements.
According to scientific findings, eating a balanced diet with 20% protein, 50% carbs, and 30% fats is recommended to help your beard grow faster.
Related Article: 15 Foods That Help With Beard Growth [Backed By Science]
2. Exercise And Sleep More
As we saw earlier, the two main hormones that stimulate the growth of a beard are DHT and testosterone. Your beard will grow faster if the amount of these two hormones are at high levels.
In order to boost the production of testosterone, you’ll need to get enough quality sleep. It’s recommended to sleep for at least 7 to 10 hours in order to produce more testosterone.
Exercising is also very important. Working out can help, but it’s especially important to do resistance exercises. Resistance exercising is the type of exercise that not only boost testosterone but also strengthens bones and muscles, facilitating blood flow.
Research indicates that men who sleep for more than 7 hours produce more testosterone than men who sleep less.
3. Use Minoxidil
Minoxidil is the most used product in hair loss treatment and one of the most popular hair growth products used by many bearded men. It works by stimulating hair follicles in order to increase the rate of growth.
And the million-dollar question is how this product works.
According to findings, it’s believed that minoxidil works by facilitating the blood supply to hair follicles, thereby nourishing the beard hairs.
It is also believed to prolong the anagen phase. When buying this product, it’s very important to know the type that will get the job done. You can either choose minoxidil foam or minoxidil liquid.
The original form of this product is the liquid one, and you can use it once or twice every day. Foam minoxidil is more expensive than liquid minoxidil because it dries very fast and it’s easier to apply. The result will be the same no matter if you use liquid or foam form, so try the one you like the most.
While all the studies about minoxidil and hair loss are about scalp hair, many men are using it on their beards and seeing impressive results.
But you should know that minoxidil has side effects, like skin irritation, redness, and beard itch. So, if you apply minoxidil and have these side effects, you should visit your dermatologist.
In conclusion, minoxidil is a very effective product, but it has its drawbacks too.
4. Use Supplements
If you are looking for a shortcut, then you should consider using supplements.
There are many supplements that stimulate beard growth by boosting testosterone and DHT production in the body.
Some of the best supplements are those that contain amino acids, herbs, and serines.
Our advice is to use supplements that contain vitamins.
If you believe that you have a vitamin deficiency, you should plan to start using supplements containing biotin, vitamins A, B, C, and E.
These vitamins will help you get a thicker beard because they provide your body with a number of nutrients.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps the immune system. If you have a deficiency in vitamin A, you will have a difficult time growing a healthy beard. Vitamin A also helps with cell growth and repair, keeping the skin underneath healthy and avoiding unpleasant things like beard itch and ingrown hairs.
Vitamin B consists of thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), and pantothenic acid (B5). Vitamin B is important for beard growth because it helps the body use protein, fats, and carbohydrates. If you do not have enough vitamin B in your diet, you will notice that your hair does not grow as fast.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. This vitamin is water-soluble, meaning the body doesn’t store it, so you will need to take this supplement regularly. Vitamin C also helps with collagen tissue production and is very important if you want to encourage healthy growth.
Vitamin E is also a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps form red blood cells and acts as an anti-inflammatory. It also stimulates the growth of collagen and keratin and prevents skin inflammation, allowing your beard to grow more effectively.
Before buying any supplements, make sure to know what they are made of because not all supplements are good. Make sure to do your research before buying them, talk with your doctor about the best supplements that will fit you, and follow dosage instructions.
5. Skin Exfoliation
Did you know that there are layers of dead skin cells on your face making it difficult for hair to grow? When dead skin cells remain on the face, they prevent the normal function of hair, negatively affecting the growth of your beard.
Cleaning your face on a regular basis to get rid of dead skin can help your beard grow faster. There are many skin exfoliation products out there you can always go for.
Another method to stimulate blood flow is by washing using warm water.
Massage your face using warm water regularly as this will help with the blood flow to hair strands.
6. Remove Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair hampers the growth of hair and affects the quality of facial hair. If you notice ingrown hair on your face, remove it to create room for new hair to grow.
7. Micro-Needling
Microneedling is a process that uses a device called a derma roller to poke the surface of your skin with tiny needles. Derma rolling helps to increase collagen and elastin production, stimulating growth. It also increases blood circulation to the skin, which also helps.
With micro-needling, you stimulate the flow of blood in the face, which as a result helps deliver nutrients to hair follicles.
When the tiny needles poke your skin, the brain responds by stimulating the production of collagen and keratin in the poked area to repair it. Because the body thinks there is damage, it goes into overdrive to try and fix it; this accelerates blood flow and therefore promotes beard growth.
How to use Micro-Needling for your beard:
You can only micro-needle every few days to prevent damaging your skin. You should also choose the right needle length, typically between 0.5 and 0.75 mm. If the length is shorter, it won’t stimulate blood flow and keratin production; if it’s too long, you could end up hurting your face.
After you have micro-needled your beard, make sure to apply a good moisturizer or an anti-inflammatory cream to calm the skin.
A standard technique is to combine the micro-needling method with minoxidil. It is a very effective method to promote beard growth. You can read more about it in our derma roller for beard growth article.
8. Avoid Over-Trimming
If you want to grow a beard, you should avoid over-trimming it.
The right time to trim your beard is after it has grown to the level you want. Do not trim it too early because you will get discouraged along the way.
You should not over-trim because you think it will help it grow faster. This is a myth, and it does not help.
9. Eucalyptus Cream
Eucalyptus cream is very effective in the stimulation of hair follicles. You can read more about how eucalyptus oil helps with beard growth here.
You can massage your face with this cream and wash it clean after it has soaked for a few minutes. You’ll start seeing results after using this cream on a regular basis.
When using this method, you should learn to be patient because our bodies sometimes take a lot of time to accept changes.
Eucalyptus cream helps with beard hair growth by stimulating blood circulation around the face.
Massage your beard for a few minutes with the cream and wait for it to soak in.
10. DIY Methods
There are several DIY methods that can help you with your beard journey. The most common is to make your own beard oil by using peppermint oil or castor oil and massage it daily. If you want you can check our guide and make good DIY beard oil.
You should also establish a healthy beard grooming routine and use stuff like beard oil and beard balm.
DIY methods can be very effective because you get to choose all the ingredients that go into the mixture that will keep your skin and facial hair moisturized and healthy. But beard oil does a lot more than just help with growth. Applying beard oil daily to your beard creates a barrier between you and pollutants, wind, dust, grime, and other things that love to cling to your beard and cause dry skin and beard itch. This way, you will protect your skin and keep your beard soft.
Extra Beard Growth Tips
- Avoid stress: Stress affects different body functions. Cortisol is the stress hormone in the body that leads to a decrease in the level of DHT and testosterone. We know it is not easy to avoid stress because it is unavoidable. But you can try out some proven methods such as meditation and yoga to reduce stress levels.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol socially will not affect your beard, but abusing it will definitely negatively impact your health and beard growth. Excessive drinking of alcohol negatively affects the production of DHT and testosterone hormones in the body, which are necessary for a healthy beard.
- Avoid Anti–androgenic products– Always avoid cosmetic products that have anti-androgenic components because they lower the amount of DHT and testosterone. Check if your medication contains anti-androgenic products. You can easily find out by checking the ingredients of your medicine; you should avoid them.
- Avoid products with harsh chemicals– Avoid products that have harmful chemicals for your beard because they can damage it. If you use products with harsh chemicals on a regular basis, it will destroy the natural balance of sebum, keratin, hormones, etc., available in the body.
- Don’t wash your beard that often– It is a very common practice to wash your beard with soap and water, but it doesn’t help in the growth of hair. In fact, it will slow it down. When you are washing your beard on a regular basis, you are washing away the natural oil secreted by hair strands. So it is better not to wash your beard more than 3 times per week and use a quality beard wash when you do.
- Don’t use excess heat on your beard– Using excess heat on your beard, such as through the use of hairdryers, will also have a negative impact. If you are worried about styling it every day, you can try natural ways to style it, like using beard oil and beard balm.
Grow A Beard FAQ
What naturally stimulates facial hair growth?
There are some carrier and essential oils that naturally stimulate beard growth, such as castor oil, eucalyptus oil, and peppermint oil; you can also add olive oil to your diet plan. Regarding natural supplements, some vitamins and minerals can help stimulate hair growth, such as zinc, vitamin A, Vitamin E, magnesium, boron, etc.
Does shaving stimulate beard growth?
No shaving or even trimming will not stimulate your beard to grow faster. Your facial hairs are genetically predisposed to grow at a certain rate, regardless of shaving. We have a whole article talking about shaving and beard growth if you want to read it.
Your beard, your choice
To help your beard grow faster it’s important to stick to the above strategies. You should be ready to take the extra step.
The secret to getting the beard styles you’ve always wanted is to follow a routine and be disciplined and patient.
Now that you know how to grow your beard faster, you can call it a day and start planning your beard strategy.
Do not allow anyone to discourage you.
Welcome to the world of the men’s attitude where beards mean everything.
Your beard is your choice.
Russell is the founder of themensattitude.com. He is a barber a beard enthusiast and he is obsessed with trying men’s lifestyle products and blog about them. If you have any questions you can hit him up via the contact page.
