Buzz
Popular beard styles like the masculine goatee or stylish mustache are in high demand, but unfortunately, some individuals struggle with slow beard growth. The development of facial hair is largely determined by genetics, meaning there's not much you can do to make it grow faster. However, there are medical treatments and home remedies that can encourage growth in slower or patchy areas. If you have a modest beard, washing and brushing it can help it appear thicker. Additionally, adjusting your lifestyle can promote slightly faster beard growth. While no method guarantees success, persistence and effort can lead to the look you desire.
Steps
Apply medical treatments and home remedies
Consult your doctor about taking medications to stimulate beard growth. Finasteride, also known as Proscar or Propecia, is commonly used to treat hair loss. While this drug isn't specifically formulated to promote beard growth, many people report success, especially when used alongside a product like minoxidil. If your doctor approves this treatment, you would take one small pill daily. If it's ineffective, you can switch to another medication.
- Medications like finasteride work by inhibiting a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which suppresses beard growth. Inhibiting DHT increases testosterone levels, the hormone responsible for stimulating beard and hair growth.
- For example, Latisse is a cosmetic product used to lengthen eyelashes, but some users have found it effective for growing facial hair, including beards and mustaches.
- Since Latisse can be expensive, look for similar products containing bimatoprost or prostaglandin, which are found in Latisse. Use the applicator provided to apply it to your face.
Learn about testosterone therapy if you have hormone issues. Doctors can detect hormone deficiencies through a simple blood test. If your body isn't producing enough hormones, beard growth may be slow or patchy. Age, injuries, and genetics are just a few of the many causes behind hormonal issues. To treat this common condition, doctors may offer injections or prescribe medication for home use.
- For example, you might be given patches, oral medication, or a daily gel to apply to your skin.
- Some symptoms of low testosterone levels include fatigue, muscle weakness, and muscle loss.
- The treatment process can take up to a year to show results, but after that, your beard will grow much faster.
Apply minoxidil to your face if you want a home remedy. Minoxidil, known by the brand name Rogaine, is a safe foam hair growth product available at pharmacies for home use. It's available over the counter. Just apply the product to your face and leave it on for about 4 hours. Use it twice daily to stimulate the hair follicles.
- Follow the dosage instructions on the label. Apply around 1 ml each time.
- Consult your doctor if you have any questions or experience unusual side effects.
Apply diluted essential oils to your face if you prefer a natural remedy. Eucalyptus oil is a popular choice for stimulating hair follicles, but other oils can be effective too. You can try using peppermint oil, coconut oil, or almond oil. Add a few drops of oil to a bowl of water or a carrier oil like coconut oil and massage it into your skin. Continue using even after your beard begins to grow to keep it healthy.
- After applying the essential oil, leave it on your skin for up to 20 minutes, then wash it off.
- Make sure to dilute the oil before applying it to your skin. For example, mix 4 parts water with 1 part oil. You can also buy cleansers and moisturizers that contain essential oils.
Mix amla oil and mustard greens if you want to try another natural remedy. Amla oil, derived from Indian gooseberries, is said to promote hair growth. Try mixing 60 ml of amla oil with 3 tablespoons or 45 ml of mustard greens. Stir it into a paste and massage it into your skin like essential oil. Wait 20 minutes, then rinse off.
- Store any leftover mixture in the fridge for 2-3 days, in an airtight container.
- If you don’t have mustard greens, you can apply only amla oil. However, mixing it into a paste will provide better results.
Combine cinnamon powder and lemon juice to stimulate beard growth. Mix 2 tablespoons (13 g) of cinnamon powder with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice in a bowl to create a paste. Apply the paste to your face, wait 20 minutes, and wash it off. Try this remedy twice a week to help your beard grow faster.
- Wash off the mixture immediately if you feel any irritation on your skin.
Change your lifestyle to stimulate beard growth
Eat a balanced diet to provide the necessary nutrients for your beard. Proper nutrition helps promote faster beard growth and prevents patchy, uneven growth. Instead of processed foods, you should eat fish, eggs, lean meats, and other sources of protein, combined with fruits and vegetables in every meal.
- Protein sources like meat and eggs contain zinc, oils, and fats essential for beard growth. Other parts of your body also need these nutrients, so your beard won’t grow properly without them.
- Other foods like fruits and vegetables contain vitamins responsible for promoting beard growth. For example, Vitamin B is very helpful. Vitamins A, C, and E are also essential.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the day. Your body, including your growing beard, needs water to function properly. Aim to drink around 2 liters of water per day. Even mild dehydration can cause beard growth to stop or hair to fall out. Keeping hydrated can help your beard grow faster.
- Replace alcohol with water. Always carry a water bottle to ensure you stay hydrated.
- Fruit juices and soda are not good for your health, so they may slow down beard growth.
Exercise regularly to improve blood circulation to hair follicles. Exercise offers many benefits, but one major advantage is improved blood circulation. Aim to exercise 3-4 times a week, focusing on aerobic exercises to boost circulation. Fresh blood carries nutrients to the hair follicles, helping your beard grow faster. You can walk, use a treadmill, play sports, or do other workouts.
- Even light or moderate exercise, like a 30-minute brisk walk, can help promote beard growth.
- Exercise is also a great way to relieve stress. However, don’t overexert yourself. Overworking can lead to increased stress and even injuries that your body needs to heal.
Find ways to relax and reduce stress. Stress is one of the most common reasons for poor beard growth. Stress slows down beard growth, so managing it is an important part of helping your beard and mustache grow faster. You should spend time doing activities you enjoy, whether it's hanging out with friends, playing games, or listening to music. Additionally, try activities like meditation or going for walks.
- Both mental and physical stress can weaken the immune system and cause hair follicles to enter a dormant state. Stress can even lead to hair loss.
- Although it's impossible to eliminate stress entirely, you can take small steps to reduce its impact on your life. Look for more effective ways to manage stress.
Massage your face regularly to stimulate hair follicles. Although it may seem a bit inconvenient, a gentle massage is very effective in stimulating hair follicles. Take a few minutes each day to massage your face, starting from your jawline and moving upwards. Use your fingertips to apply gentle circular pressure on the skin. Regular light massage can promote faster beard growth.
- For the best results, massage for 10-15 minutes twice a day. You can also visit a professional massage therapist for a more intense experience.
- The massage helps blood circulate to the massaged area, stimulating the follicles to promote thicker and fuller beard growth. It also provides relaxation.
Sleep 7-9 hours every night. Along with regular exercise, proper rest is essential for your body to function effectively. If you struggle to get enough sleep, set a bedtime schedule. Create a comfortable sleep environment so you can rest fully and wake up refreshed. This will help promote faster beard growth.
- During sleep, your body regenerates cells and provides nutrients to hair follicles. Sleep also gives your body a chance to produce growth hormones like testosterone.
- Poor sleep quality is a leading cause of sparse beard growth. It can even lead to hair loss.
Quit smoking to improve overall health. Even reducing smoking can help improve circulation and the immune system. Smoking has numerous harmful effects on the body, including on hair follicles. Unfortunately, quitting smoking is a challenging task that requires great effort and determination. Nicotine gum or patches can help you manage cravings.
- Nicotine reduces your body's ability to absorb nutrients. As a result, the nutrients necessary for beard growth are unable to reach the follicles, slowing the growth process.
- Nicotine also constricts blood vessels, hindering blood flow to areas that need it.
Groom your beard to make it appear thicker
Let your beard grow without trimming. Contrary to popular belief, shaving does not make your beard grow faster or thicker. The quickest way to encourage your beard and mustache to grow is to leave them alone. Shaving means starting from scratch. Let your beard grow freely for at least four weeks.
- Remember, everyone's beard grows at a different rate. After the first growth phase, you will usually notice that it grows much faster.
- New beard growth can feel itchy at first, but resist the urge to trim it. Instead, take care of your beard by washing it, combing it, and using a jojoba oil or argan oil conditioner.
Wash your face twice a day to keep your skin clean. Oil, dirt, and dead skin cells form a barrier that hair follicles struggle to push through. To prevent this, use a gentle face wash and warm water. You can wash your face while showering. Clean facial hair looks softer and denser. This also helps if your beard seems to grow too slowly.
- Wash your face when you wake up in the morning and before going to bed at night. A gentle face wash is better than regular soap, which can be abrasive and irritate the skin.
- Consider using an exfoliating face wash to exfoliate dead skin cells twice a week for a deeper clean.
Apply moisturizer after washing your face. A light layer of moisturizer helps lock in hydration for your skin. Apply it while your skin is still damp. High-quality moisturizer will keep both your skin and beard healthy and prevent irritation. It helps improve your current beard and removes any debris that could slow down beard growth.
- Good moisturizers are beneficial even after your beard has grown. Continue applying to prevent inflammation and breakouts.
- Try using a natural moisturizer containing essential oils, like eucalyptus oil. These products offer additional benefits for your beard due to the effects of the oils.
Brush your beard after washing and moisturizing. Use a soft beard comb made of materials like boar bristles. Brush your beard in the morning. Regular brushing will help make your beard appear fuller and thicker, and also conceal patchy areas where hair is sparse.
- Look for ingrown hairs and damaged spots to treat. For example, you can use tweezers to pull out the ingrown hairs, then brush to even them out.
Style your beard to make it look thicker and well-groomed. Check out pictures of different beard styles and mustaches to find one you like. There are various styles for different beard lengths, including those for short, thin beards. A styled beard can help hide sparse patches, so consider consulting a professional stylist.
- For example, you can brush the thicker areas of your beard and comb them over the thinner spots. For short beards, try trimming them shorter or leaving them a bit scruffy.
- Plan out a care routine for your chin beard and mustache. Stick to the plan so your beard continues to look full even after trimming.
Marlon Rivas
Barber
Barber
To grow a beard around your jawline and under your chin, trim the hairs near your hairline and clean up the edges for a sharp, defined look. This style gives your beard a fuller appearance and enhances a thinner face shape.
Tip
- Growing a beard requires patience. You can support beard growth with good habits, but you still need to wait for it to grow.
- The most influential factor in beard growth is genetics. If your father had difficulty growing a beard, chances are you might too.
- Grooming is a very useful way to make your beard look better. If you're struggling with beard growth, styling can help cover up patchy spots.
Warning
- Consult a doctor before using chemical treatments. Many products can affect your entire body and may cause problems if overused.
