Growing a beard can be the easiest thing for some, and the hardest for others. While all you need to do to grow a beard is virtually nothing, for the ones who struggle with beard growth, it can be an arduous challenge.

Let us make it easier for you by breaking down the process and elaborating on how to facilitate faster beard growth, and the science behind it.

© iStock

Before we begin, though, let us get one thing absolutely clear: no matter what you do, expecting dramatic beard growth if your genetics isn't on board, will set you up for disappointment. Sometimes, there just aren't enough hair follicles on your face, and there's nothing you can do about this, except perhaps blaming your parents and their parents.

However, for others who are not as unfortunate, there are things that can be done to make sure they get decent beard growth. Here are a few of them:

1. Be patient

© iStock

This may not sound very helpful, but trust us, more often than not, the lack of patience is the real reason behind the lack of a beard when it comes to some people. Everyone has different beard growth rates, and not everyone is blessed with fast beard growth. Beard grows patchy or uneven for a few weeks, and bam, the impatience makes them get rid of it because it wasn't 'growing properly'.

There are some baseless theories that suggest one can have a full beard within 3-4 weeks, and some that suggest it shouldn't take more than 2 months to grow a full beard. Please don't believe any of them. All beards are different and some just take their own sweet time. Just bear with the patchiness and uneven growth for a while, give it time, and you shall see your face bear(d) the fruit of that patience!

2. Focus on your nutrition

© iStock

Applying the fanciest of lotions and potions is not going to help you, if your diet is poor and non-nutritious. Now, a good diet will not override genetics, but if we put that aside, it will definitely make your beard grow faster, and make it healthier and shinier. In order to have fast beard growth, one needs to have plenty of protein, foods high in iron and zinc, as well as whole grains and healthy fats. Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E also help, and they can be found in fruits and vegetables.

3. Exercise

© iStock

You should exercise anyway to get healthier, but it has a substantial role to play in beard growth as well. Exercising facilitates healthy blood flow, and circulation helps stimulate hair follicle growth. Also, resistance training may temporarily boost testosterone, which helps in hair and beard growth. Exercising will also prevent chances of obesity, which is a contributing factor behind low testosterone.

4. Quit Smoking

© iStock

Smoking impacts blood circulation in the body, and therefore decreases capillary blood flow to the hair root. As a result, the cells are denied optimum conditions that facilitate beard growth. In other words, smoking causes degeneration that is similar to ageing. Hence, for better, optimum, and faster beard growth, one must consider quitting smoking.

5. Sleep

© iStock

Sleeping is of paramount importance when it comes to faster beard growth. Sleeping boosts testosterone, and also recovery of your system. In fact, the testosterone in the system is primarily released during sleep, without which beard growth will definitely be stunted.

6. Washing and Moisturizing

© iStock

Washing and moisturizing your beard may not directly facilitate faster growth, but will definitely help in an indirect manner. Washing your beard thoroughly will ensure the removal of debris and dry skin on your beard follicles, and moisturizing it will make sure that the skin underneath, as well as the beard itself are well hydrated and nourished.

7. Beard oil/Lotion/Balm

© iStock

While it has not been proven scientifically that beard oils, lotions, and balms actually help with faster beard growth, there are theories that state some extracts may help. However, they do help with moisturizing and managing the beard, and definitely improves how the beard looks. Moreover, the circulation involved in massaging them into the beard facilitates improved blood circulation, which may be helpful in faster beard growth.

Now that we have discussed what we can do to facilitate faster beard growth, let us look at the other side of the coin. What does not help in faster beard growth? There are a lot of myths that keep floating around, and end up being the reason for disappointment for innocent, trusting individuals. Let us bust some of them:

Myth: Shaving is good for beard growth

© iStock

Truth: This is one of the biggest myths. Shaving only cuts the beard hair, and in no way controls the beard beneath the skin. It has no effect on beard growth at all. Some people believe this to be true and keep shaving frequently with the hope that it will make their beard grow faster and thicker, but in reality it does not bear fruit.

Myth: One needs pills and supplements to make beard grow faster

© iStock

Truth: According to science, there is no specific pill or supplement that will make your beard grow faster, except perhaps some specific medications such as Minoxidil, which we shall address at the end of this article.

Myth: A beard takes about 3-4 weeks to fully cover your face

© iStock

Truth: All beards have different growth rates, and a beard can take a much longer or shorter period of time to fully grow out, depending on genes and other factors.

Myth: You should have a full beard by the age of 20

© iStock

Truth: Beard growth depends on one's genetic makeup and it is absolutely not true that all beards reach peak growth by the age of 20. Some people may have sufficient beard growth by the age of 18, while some may have to wait till 26-27-28 to have a full growth.

Myth: A patchy beard will always remain patchy

© iStock

Truth: Just like different individuals have different beard growth rates, different areas on the face may have different growth rates as well. If you have a patchy beard, be patient and the areas with less beard growth may fill out eventually. Even if they don't fill out, after a bit of growth, those areas will successfully be concealed.

Finally, is there any external factor or medicine that can help with beard growth at all?

When it comes to medicine, Minoxidil can always be considered. While Minoxidil is essentially a medicine that is prescribed to facilitate hair growth on bald patches on the scalp, it may still be prescribed in certain cases. While scientifically there is no proof that Minoxidil specifically works for beard growth, this 2016 study found that a 3% Minoxidil lotion performed slightly better than a placebo.

View the full article