Many men want to sport a thick, handsome beard, but it doesn’t come so easily to all of us. It’s incredibly frustrating to want that beard so badly but feel powerless waiting for it to grow in.
Unfortunately, there’s no silver bullet for growing a nice beard. Genetics plays a huge role in this, so if you’re finding it difficult to grow those locks, odds are your genes aren’t on your side. However, there are steps you can take to improve your odds.
Here are some tips for growing a beard if you’ve been struggling.
Why Am I Struggling To Grow a Beard?
Genetics
There are hair follicles all over your body, including your face. Those facial follicles are the last ones to be activated, which occurs when you go through puberty.
The activation of these hair follicles, which is genetic, determines how quickly and thick your facial hair grows.
Age
Although you see many men walking around with bushy beards by the time they’re in their early 20s, there is such a thing as late bloomers who need to wait until their 30s for a fully-formed beard.
Remember, facial hair follicles are the last to activate. For some, this may mean waiting many years. Don't be discouraged if you're in your 20s but not yet sporting a thick beard.
Hormones
If the genetics are there but testosterone isn’t, your beard won’t grow. Facial hair growth requires testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHD), and if your body is less sensitive to these hormones, facial hair growth will be slower for you.
Testosterone comes into effect once you begin puberty. If you’ve got low testosterone levels, these can be addressed. That said, lower DHT levels can also be attributed to preventing baldness, as sensitivity to DHT causes male baldness.
In terms of elevating testosterone, never inject it into your body. This is harmful, especially considering there are more natural ways to boost these levels.
Related: Why Some Men Can’t Grow A Beard
Tips to Grow and Define That Beard
Diet
What you eat can impact your facial hair.
Folic acid is effective for promoting hair growth. Foods such as nuts, peas, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables are packed with folic acid.
Additionally, biotin helps promote beard growth, as being deficient in it leads to hair loss. Carrots, egg yolks, bananas, cauliflower, fish, and liver are a few foods full of biotin.
Beard Oil
Beard oil helps you style and manage your facial hair, but it also provides your beard with what it needs to grow. You can break down these ingredients into three categories:
- Essential oils
- Carrier oils
- Preservatives
Essential oils provide beard oil with its smell. Carrier oils act as the base of the product, and they provide the majority of beard oil’s benefits. Preservatives, typically vitamin E or C oil, help prevent the product from oxidizing.
Some examples of carrier oils include:
- Argan oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Olive oil
- Grape seed oil
- Castor oil
- Jojoba oil
It’s easy to accidentally select a beard oil with poor ingredients that do more harm than good. Beard Gains has you covered with our high-quality beard oil. Our beard oils soften, provide nutrients, and leave a lovely, subtle scent behind. Check them out here.
Related: Beard Oil vs Beard Balm: What are the differences?
Trim the Perimeter
If you want to give your beard a defined shape and encourage it to grow how you want, you’ll need to be diligent about trimming the perimeter as you let it grow in. You'll want to monitor your neck and cheek lines carefully, determining where along these areas your beard grows thickest and defining the edge at that point.
For your neckline, place two fingers above your Adam’s apple. Then, imagine a “U” shape from behind your jaw and ear on both sides to meet at this middle point on your neck. By shaving everything below that line, you’ll define your neckline intentionally and help shape your beard growth.
Minoxidil
Although scientists aren’t sure how this compound stimulates hair growth, many studies suggest that minoxidil activates inactive hair follicles. Further, it helps deliver nutrients to hair roots and boost circulation. All of this encourages hair growth.
Many men tout minoxidil for its ability to prevent future hair loss and fill in patchy spots on your beard.
When applying this product, be careful not to ingest it accidentally. Minoxidil is natural, but it may cause side effects such as irritation, itchy skin, eye burning, or dandruff.
Exercise
Other than diet, exercise is the next best way to boost testosterone and improve beard growth. This can involve scheduling in the gym a few times a week, or you can take up sports with your friends. Although less intense, you can aim for 10,000 steps per day or take stairs instead of the elevator. It all adds up, though the more intense, the better.
Many studies indicate that resistance training is correlated to testosterone levels, so consider the gym if you haven’t already.
Sleep
Last but certainly not least, make sure you’re getting plenty of rest. For most adults, sufficient sleep means 7-10 hours per night. Ideally, you’ll create a sleep schedule to get your body adjusted to sleeping and rising naturally. Pick a bedtime and waking time and stick to them.
Testosterone production is greatest during REM sleep. The more you sleep, the more REM cycles you go through, therefore increasing testosterone production.
Additionally, adequate sleep aids in weight loss and stress reduction, two factors that also impact beard growth.
Final Word
Even if you’ve been struggling to grow a beard, there are some natural ways to encourage your facial hair to grow. Whether it’s exercise, sleep, beard oil, diet, or something else entirely, growing a beard takes time. Be patient, stick with it, and, hopefully, you’ll see some results.
Here at Beard Gains, we understand the importance of a beard you love. From beard care to mustache cair to beard combs, we’ll help you grow the beard of your dreams. Learn more today!
Related: What You Need to Know if Your Beard Isn't Growing