Be it masculinity, power, leadership or wisdom, a man’s beard symbolizes all these qualities. This is why beards remain a fashion statement for many, even today.
In fact, it is the secret desire of every man to grow a thick beard as soon as he hits the teenage years. However, many men find it hard to grow the beard of their dreams.
Several factors influence the growth and quality of your facial hair. Some of those factors are genetics, hormones, certain health problems, ethnicity, nutrition and certain medications.
While you cannot do anything about genetics or your ethnicity, there are several things you can do to make your beard grow faster and thicker.
Like a good head of hair, a beard requires proper care. Also, you must bear in mind that it takes time and dedication – not to mention a strong willpower to resist the urge to scratch.
Here are the top 10 ways to make your beard grow faster and thicker.
1. Groom Occasionally
To enjoy a thick beard, you must refrain from shaping or trimming your facial hair too often.
If you want stubble, that’s easy. Don’t shave for a few days and you have it. After that, it only requires basic grooming for maintenance.
But growing a beard is a commitment. You need to allow your beard to grow without any interference for about four to six weeks. Groom your beard only after six weeks, when it is full grown. Start shaping your beard only when it has grown at least 1 or 1½ inches.
Once you’ve allowed your facial hair to run wild, you can choose the style of beard you want. Then, it’s time to undertake the delicate process of trimming your beard. You can do it on your own or get it done by a professional.
Trim occasionally to keep it well maintained and even.
2. Wash and Condition Regularly
Just like your hair, your beard also needs some regular love and attention.
Wash your facial hair using a mild cleanser and warm water twice a day. This will accelerate hair growth.
Also, use a mild shampoo on your beard two or three times a week to keep the hair clean and free of stray food and other particles. After shampooing, use a little conditioner to keep the hair strong and give it a full and thick appearance.
3. Massage Your Face
To stimulate hair growth on your face, regular massaging is a must.
Massaging your face will improve blood circulation to the area and help nutrients reach the hair follicles so that the hair grows faster and thicker. This will give the appearance of a fuller and more developed beard.
To prepare the massage oil, you can combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil and add 5 to 7 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to it. Or, you could simply use a mixture of 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil.
- Warm the oil in a microwave for a few seconds.
- Put a liberal amount of warm olive oil in your palms.
- Apply it thoroughly throughout your beard.
- Massage gently in circular motions for 10 minutes.
- Rinse off the oil using lukewarm water
- Do it twice a day.
4. Start Exercising
Exercising is another effective way to enjoy a thicker and fuller beard. Exercise improves blood circulation, which means more proteins and vitamins reach your hair follicles.
Exercise also helps you shed excess weight, which in turn increases testosterone. Weightlifting and strength-oriented, high-intensity interval training will also help increase your testosterone level.
The male hormone testosterone triggers the facial hair follicles to grow a thicker and fuller beard.
Plus, exercise helps you stay fit and improves your overall health.
Aim to exercise at least 5 days a week for a period of 30 minutes to 2 hours a day.
5. Manage Your Stress Level
Excessive stress can affect the hair growth on your face as well as on your head.
When you are under chronic stress, the male hormone levels suffer a lot. Stress leads to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which can have a negative impact on your testosterone level.
Plus, stress constricts blood vessels, causing fewer nutrients to reach the hair roots.
So, to enjoy the beard of your choice, you must manage your stress level. Try to manage stress in healthy ways through meditation and yoga for better results.
6. Get Proper Rest and Sleep
When your body is not healthy, it affects your hair growth. Healthy bodies need proper sleep to function and to maintain a good level of testosterone.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that if you sleep for 5 hours or less, your testosterone level suffers by as much as 15 percent.
So, try to get about 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily to help your body regenerate testosterone and promote facial hair growth. Also, sound sleep helps keep your stress level under control.
7. Improve Your Diet
Taking care of your body by eating well is another way to facilitate beard growth.
As hair is mainly made up of protein, you must include protein-rich foods in your diet. Also, protein increases testosterone production and gives your beard that luxurious, thicker appearance. You can get good protein from oily fish, lean beef and chicken.
In addition, you must include vitamins in your daily diet. Vitamins A, B, C and E can speed up the hair growth process. Leafy green vegetables (such as spinach, kale and broccoli) as well as fruits are good sources of vitamins.
You should also try to increase your intake of healthy, saturated fats, such as those from nuts, fish and eggs. Also, be sure to get the required quantities of zinc, magnesium and vitamin D.
At the same time, avoid high-sugar junk foods, as such foods have no nutritional content and will contribute to weak, brittle hair.
8. Take Biotin Supplements
Biotin (vitamin B7) is very important for hair growth. It not only affects your hair growth but also impacts the health of your skin and nails.
You can find natural biotin in nuts and raw egg yolks, but it is better to take a supplement to obtain the maximum hair growth benefits.
Take 2.5 mg of biotin every day to help your beard grow faster. Bear in mind that you will get results only if you take it consistently, and it will take some time. It is always best to consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
9. Control the Itch
In addition to the unkempt look, another irritating problem that you are likely to face when striving to grow a beard is facial itching. The newly growing hair tend to irritate the skin and cause repeated itching, especially in the initial days of beard growth. Beard itching could also indicate that the skin beneath your beard is dry.
To relieve the itching, keep your skin moisturized by applying a little oil. You can use coconut oil to help soothe your skin and ease the itching. To increase its effectiveness, add a few drops of lavender or tea tree oil in the base oil and then apply. You can also apply hydrocortisone cream to your face.
Plus, exfoliate your skin once a week to help remove dead skin cells, unclog the pores, and stimulate hair growth. To exfoliate, simply wet your face, dip a medium-bristle brush in a gentle cleanser and gently scrub beneath your beard to get rid of the dead skin cells.
Also, drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated from within.
Needless to say, resist the urge to scratch your beard or shave it.
10. Quit Smoking
Regular smoking can lead to slower hair growth.
The nicotine in cigarettes constricts blood flow, which in turn affects hair growth. By impairing circulation, smoking decreases the capillary blood flow to the hair’s roots and results in fewer nutrients reaching the hair follicles.
Plus, cigarettes contain several other harmful chemicals that can cause oxidative stress on hair growth and pigmentation.
Additional Tips
- Don’t fall prey to the popular misconception that shaving every day will make your beard grow faster. This is a popular myth with no scientific backing.
- Invest in a good quality facial groomer kit to style your beard as it grows and to keep it in good shape.
- Trim regularly to manage the split ends on your facial hair.
- Steer clear of ingrown hair as it will keep your hair from growing evenly.
- If you have been trying to grow your beard for 2 or 3 months but it is still patchy with scanty growth then look for styling options that do not require you to grow a full beard. Not all men have the genetics to grow a full beard.
Resources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531162142.htm
http://www.ane.pl/pdf/4717.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12673073
im 17 and my beard is looking like a neck beard. but my father and his brothers both have nice beards. what can i do to make it grow in the empty spots near my chin? Just wait, or do these things and see if it fully grows?
please let me know the best beard oil product