Are you interested in growing a fuller beard but unsure how to do it? Growing a fuller beard takes some patience, but there are tips you can follow to help the process move along a little faster.
Read this guide from Beard Gains to learn how to grow a fuller beard.
Related: Why is My Beard Hair Different Than My Head Hair?
1. Be Patient
As mentioned above, growing a full beard takes patience. You’re not going to produce a thick beard overnight, miraculously.
While results vary, most men take 2-4 months to grow a full beard. Typically, facial hair grows about half an inch every month, so it’s not always easy to see progress, especially if you’re looking in the mirror multiple times a day.
We recommend taking photos to track your progress and help prevent yourself from getting discouraged. Take an up-close selfie of your beard every couple of weeks or so. While you may not notice the improvement every day, you’ll start to see progress as you look back on the photos of yourself from week to week.
2. Care for the Skin Under Your Beard
Caring for your skin is essential to growing a thicker beard. Your facial hair comes from hair follicles, which need moisture and proper nutrients to operate effectively.
Your skin directly affects the strength and thickness of your follicles, so if your skin is too unhealthy or dry, you’ll have difficulty circulating blood, and your beard hair will be thinner and weaker. Cleaning your skin also removes dead skin cells that lead to ingrown hairs and uneven beards.
Luckily, caring for the skin under your beard isn’t too tricky. We recommend investing in a high-quality beard shampoo free of fragrances and harsh chemicals. You might also want to invest in a beard moisturizer if your face gets dry.
Click here to learn how to solve skin problems caused by beards!
3. Invest in a Beard Conditioner
Investing in a beard conditioner can also help you grow a fuller beard. You likely have conditioner at home that you use on your hair.
However, investing in a beard-only conditioner is best, as they contain slightly different nutrients and ingredients for stronger facial hair.
Often, the skin on your face is too sensitive to regular conditioner, and regular conditioner isn’t formulated with the right ingredients for beard health. A high-quality beard conditioner will help you grow a fuller beard and prevent breakage, beard itch, and dryness.
4. Exercise
If you haven’t been working out lately, now is the time to start. Exercise reduces your cortisol levels, increasing the amount of testosterone your body produces. Exercising also helps your body produce DHT, a byproduct of testosterone that promotes linear hair growth.
Note that one exercise doesn’t result in faster beard growth than another. As long as you’re sweating and getting your heart rate up, you’ll help your beard grow faster.
Make sure to take things slow if you’re new to working out. You may want to work with a personal trainer to learn basic moves before diving into the deep end.
5. Get Rest and Improve Your Diet
Resting and improving your diet can also help you grow a fuller beard. Your diet affects your skin cells, which can affect your hair follicles.
We recommend a well-rounded diet that consists of plenty of lean proteins and vegetables. B vitamins are great for hair growth, so load up your plate with broccoli, asparagus, and green peas.
A good night’s sleep can also help your testosterone levels. Studies show that getting five hours of sleep or less can drop your testosterone levels by a staggering 15%, so ensure you’re getting eight hours each night.
6. Trim Regularly
Trimming your beard may sound counterintuitive; however, a good trim ensures your beard doesn’t have split ends, as split ends can make your beard hair brittle and weaken over time.
Trimming your beard facilitates healthy hair strand growth so your beard can fill itself out.
Related: Growing Pains from Growing a Beard
7. Don’t Shave Your Beard
While trimming can help you grow a fuller beard, shaving your beard will only halt your progress. Shaving your beard won’t make it grow thicker or improve hair density.
Age, genes, and hormone levels are all factors that affect hair follicle density. All shaving done is cut off the strands of your hair. Hair follicles are deep inside your skin’s dermis, so your shaving blade will never reach this area.
8. Use Beard Oil
Beard oil can also help you grow a fuller beard. Beard oil moisturizes your beard and the skin underneath your facial hair while preventing dandruff and itchy skin. Look for a beard oil with natural ingredients to avoid damaging your beard.
Related: A Guide to Preventing Beard Dandruff
9. Create the Illusion of a Thicker Beard
Even though growing a full beard takes patience, you can create the illusion of a thicker beard while waiting it out.
All you need is a beard comb and trimmer. Brush your beard upward and use the trimmer to give the illusion of a fuller beard. Then, place a few drops of beard oil on your beard to soften it up. You may also want to consider dying your beard to make it look thicker and more even.
Time to Grow a Fuller Beard
Growing a fuller beard takes patience and effort, but it’s well worth it for the final result. After a few months of pruning and waiting, you’ll have the beard of your dreams.
Plus, it should motivate you to know that growing a beard is healthy.
Click here to learn about the top health benefits of having a beard!