20 Apr How to Grow a Beard – Growing a Beard Thicker and Faster
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You’re probably familiar with the different stages of beard growth if you have ever tried to grow facial hair. Many people stop trying to grow a full, lush beard because of the challenges that arise at the different stages. With the right knowledge and the best products for growing a beard thicker and faster, you should be able to get over the hurdles and grow the type of beard you want.
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Beard Growth Stages
The First Two Weeks: The Stubble Stage
In the first few weeks, you’re optimistic. A five o’clock shadow looks good on almost everyone, and you don’t doubt that your facial hair will continue to make you look this manly. Your face may feel extremely itchy at this stage. That’s because your recently shaven hair is sharp and pointy. The itchiness can be even more extreme on your neck.
Refraining from using harsh soaps during this phase can prevent dryness and keep you more comfortable. The itchiness should go away after about two weeks.
Two To Eight Weeks: The Unruly Stage
The next four to six weeks are some of the hardest to wait out. Your beard begins to look untidy. You notice patchy areas that don’t seem to be growing as well. The hairs look frizzy and scraggly, and you still feel as though you don’t have a true beard.
Most people give up during this stage. If you’re in it for the long haul and the unruliness bothers you, trim around your cheekbones, neckline and upper lip. Start cleaning up these areas after about a month. Don’t trim underneath your chin. Make sure that you’re only shaving the hairs on the part of your neck that faces forward. A beard that has been trimmed too much will look awkward. Getting your beard professionally trimmed by a barber can establish an ideal line that you can follow.
Your beard will typically end up about twice as full as it is at the three-week mark. Take this and the patchiness of your beard into account as you consider what style you’ll ultimately want to sport. You should generally wait until the end of this stage before you decide that your genetics are delivering you a perpetually patchy beard and shave it off for good.
Two To Three Months: The Getting There Stage
You’ll be able to say that you have a true beard at this stage. The patchy areas will look fuller, and you’ll begin to notice some length to your facial hair. The texture of the facial hair is usually different than that of the hair on your head.
You’ll need to begin paying attention to your facial hair just like you take care of the hair on your head during this stage. Properly washing and conditioning your beard is important. You should rinse the beard thoroughly every day in the shower. Wash it with a beard shampoo and conditioner about once a week. Soften and control it using beard oil.
Three to Six Months: The Full Beard Stage
Your beard should be significantly long and bushy at this point. You may wish to trim stray hairs that make your beard look unruly. This will help you equal out uneven areas. You will have to learn how to eat differently so that your food doesn’t end up stuck in your beard and mustache.
Your beard will essentially be growing on autopilot now. Some men experience a few months during which their beard doesn’t seem to grow during this stage. This may be caused by split ends or a change in the texture of the hair.
Six Months And Beyond: The Bearded Man Stage
After six months, you can play around with your beard style. You’ll get a sense for what works well for your face shape and your fashion sense. You’ll have to trim it regularly. Groom it in the morning so that it’s not sticking out in different directions. At this stage, you are officially a bearded man.
Beard Growth Products
Even natural beards should be maintained. Beard growth products can help you tame an unruly beard and keep it soft and comfortable. The hair on your head wouldn’t look good if you went a year without grooming it. Your beard won’t look good if you don’t brush and maintain it with quality products. Consider that anything you apply to your beard will get absorbed into the skin. Many men prefer to use natural products for this reason.
Beard Oil
Beard oil can be applied to your beard during every stage. Using a high-quality oil from day one will help you get through the awkward stages and maintain your beard once it has filled in. Beard oil will keep your skin moisturized during the stubble stage. This will help relieve dryness and prevent your skin from flaking. Beard oil will help tame kinky hair and make you look more groomed during the unruly stage.
Beard Balm
Beard balm is like a styling product and conditioner in one. It is likely too heavy to use before the getting there stage. Once your beard becomes heavier, you can apply balm to add more control to the coarser, longer hairs. It’s a thicker version of beard oil and is similar to a pomade. Beard balm absorbs into the hair throughout the day. That means that the hold and control you achieve during application may fade away over time. For more extreme hold, you should use beard wax.
Honest Amish Beard Balm uses only natural and organic ingredients to condition your beard and keep hairs in place. This balm transforms coarse hair and reduces frizz.
Boar Bristle Brush
Plastic brushes meant to be used for the hair on your head can irritate the skin on your face. They also don’t spread out the natural oils in your beard. A boar bristle brush grooms your beard thoroughly and evenly. It also massages your skin as you brush your beard.
A beard brush optimizes the benefits of the beard oil or balm that you use. Its natural bristles soften and clean the beard. The wooden handle is lightweight but durable. This brush comes with a cleaning comb that you can use to remove dead skin and hair from the brush bristles.
Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Your beard can collect dirt, dust, pollen and chemicals throughout the day. Washing it thoroughly keeps it clean, and using a dedicated shampoo and conditioner keeps the hair healthy. There are many options from which to choose. When it comes to selecting a beard shampoo and conditioner, look for a product that matches your needs.
Some shampoos have ingredients that claim to improve hair growth or thicken your beard. Others will help to control dandruff. Some even have ingredients to maintain healthy skin underneath your beard. Looking for shampoo for your beard? Try this:
How to Grow a Beard Faster and Thicker
You can’t grow a beard any faster than your friends. That’s because all hair grows at a rate of about half an inch each month. Darker hair appears to grow in faster because it’s more noticeable. Thicker hair looks fuller faster. The denser your beard is, the faster it will seem to grow.
What Makes a Beard Thicker?
Testosterone
Testosterone generates hair follicles on the face. Men with more testosterone can usually grow fuller beards. The secondary male hormone dihydrotestosterone also plays a part in growing facial hair. Some ways to boost your testosterone are as follows:
- Weight training and HIIT training
- Losing extra weight
- Controlling chronic stress
- Getting enough sleep
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
You can take a supplement if you have low testosterone. Natural testosterone boosters like pine pollen and Tongkat Ali won’t disrupt your male hormones or deliver unwanted side effects. Smooth Viking is a multivitamin complex designed to support healthy hair growth. It does not contain testosterone. It does have vitamins and minerals that encourage the development of keratin and collagen, which can affect hair growth.
Time
Many men shave their beards after only a month. If you don’t get past the unruly stage, you will never know your beard’s potential. Patchy beards fill in more after this stage. They also look more even as the hair grows longer. The way your beard looks at week four is not indicative of how it will look after six months.
Hair also develops better with age. A man will typically grow a better beard in his 30s than in his 20s.
Grooming
Brushing your beard can help it grow better. A brush with natural bristles stimulates the hair follicles, encouraging growth. It may also encourage a curly beard to grow straighter. This instantly adds length to your beard. Don’t brush your beard too much, though. A once-a-day grooming session should be enough.
Once your beard has become longer and fuller, you can use a blow dryer to create fullness. Aim the dryer up at the beard while you dry it. Once it’s dry, apply a beard balm to smooth out any unruly hairs and achieve a sleeker look.
Trim your beard regularly. You can use trimmers or scissors. Trimming your beard will help prevent split ends and give you a more tailored appearance. Take note that after you trim your beard, it may feel harder and coarser. That’s because the ends of the hairs have been sliced off at an angle, leaving behind a sharp end. Brushing and applying a beard oil or balm every day will help your beard feel softer even after trimming.
Hair Growth Products
Hair growth products that contain minoxidil can stimulate hair growth. It is thought that by dilating the blood vessels, the product allows more nutrients and oxygen to flow to the hair follicles. This may result in improved growth. Rogaine is one of the most well-known products used for hair growth.
Growing a beard comes down to genetics, patience and grooming. You may not be able to grow a decent beard if your father and grandfather had sparse facial hair. You won’t know for sure unless you get past the initial two beard growth stages. Taking care of your beard with the right products will help it look better and give you more confidence.
Don’t make any impulsive decisions and shave your beard off after a night of drinking, though. If you’re thinking of ditching the beard, take some time to think about it. Some say to wait one day for every month of growth before shaving off your beard. You don’t want to regret shaving it all off after all those weeks of hard work.