How To Grow a Fuller Beard: Guide to Tips & Facts About Growing a Better, Thicker, Fuller Beard
Not everyone wakes up one day with a thick facial hair forest that's the envy of vikings and wizards. Many men want to know how to grow a fuller beard, or how to grow a thicker beard, because doing so is difficult. Unfortunately, part of that is simply due to genetics — hair growth is different for every man, and we hate to tell you this, but there's not much you can do about that.
However, there are steps you can take to work toward a thicker, fuller beard. You might not necessarily be able to grow a thicker beard, but with these tips and facts in your arsenal, you'll definitely learn how to grow a better beard.
We're here to fill beardsmen everywhere in on these two pieces of hardware that are crucial for trimming and grooming your beard. Whether you've recently hit a couple of months of growth or you're just looking to tame some gnarly morning beard, we'll help settle the comb vs. brush debate and give you all the beard grooming basics you need to look like the badass beardsman you know you are.
How To Grow A Fuller Beard
- Factors That Impact Your Ability to Grow a Thicker Beard
- 9 Tips for How To Grow a Better Beard
- The Phases of Beard Growth (Why You Must Be Patient to Grow a Thicker, Fuller Beard)
- Other Options for Getting a Thick Beard (That We Don't Necessarily Recommend)
- Common Myths About Growing Facial Hair
- Find New Ways to Grow a Thicker Beard With the Help of MEAN BEARD
Factors That Impact Your Ability to Grow a Thicker Beard
Several genetic factors impact your ability to grow a thicker beard. As you probably know, some people just naturally have thick beard hairs, and those larger facial hair follicles make it easier for them to grow a full beard. Some men's hair will grow faster, too. But you might be wondering about those factors that control beard growth, giving you a patchy beard while your buddy's facial hair growth is off the charts.
- Dihydrotestosterone (DHT): Your body converts testosterone into DHT, which attaches to your facial hair follicles and stimulates beard growth — however, more DHT doesn't automatically mean you can grow a thicker beard as the growth is really determined by how sensitive your hair strands are to DHT.
- Testosterone: Contrary to popular belief, more testosterone does not equal a thicker, fuller beard. That said, clinically low testosterone causes a plethora of problems, including preventing beard growth.
- Alopecia Areata: While generally associated with baldness, this disorder can cause hair loss anywhere and give you a thin, patchy beard.
- Lack of Nutrients: If you aren't getting the vitamins, minerals and proteins you need (from either your diet or supplements), you might not be able to grow a thicker beard.
- Age: If you're still a young man, you might not have to worry about how to make your beard thicker quite yet. Beard growth tends to increase well into your thirties as your body continues to change, so you just might wind up with a full beard.
- Color: The color of your hair can make a difference. Darker beards tend to look fuller because they naturally absorb more light.
There are certainly other factors that contribute to your ability to grow a thicker beard. But if it's not one of the things listed above, there's a good chance it's just in your genes. Some men have thick beard hairs because their facial hair follicle diameter size is larger, letting them grow a thick beard naturally. Others have scraggly, thin hair strands with hair fiber density that is uneven, leading to that patchy beard look. But don't fret quite yet — there are still plenty of tips to pump your beard thickness, or at the very least make it look its best.
9 Tips for How To Grow a Better Beard
Genetics might generally determine thickness, but that doesn't mean you can't make your beard look fuller, healthier and better. Here are our top nine tips for how to grow a better beard.
1. Have a Good Skin Care Routine
You have to take care of the skin underneath your beard to help it grow. With face cleansers and moisturizers, you can avoid skin irritation, dandruff ("beardruff") and more.
The best beard care products will also help with these factors. Stimulating your skin will also get your blood flowing, giving you the best chance of growing a thicker, fuller beard.
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2. Keep Your Stress Low & Your Rest High
Stress has negative effects on your entire body — including beard growth. Immense amounts of stress can release cortisol which harms your testosterone levels and leads to vasoconstriction, meaning there's less blood flow and fewer nutrients reaching your beard hair, thus limiting facial hair growth.
Lowering stress keeps you and your beard healthy. Do whatever is best for you to keep your stress levels low — meditate, enjoy nature, watch a movie, take time off from work, etc. Above all, make sure you get enough sleep. Sleeping eight hours a night can reduce stress and increase testosterone, helping you grow a thicker beard than you otherwise might.
3. Eat Well & Exercise
You might enjoy french fries and donuts as much as the next guy, but you know they aren't good for you. A well-balanced diet can help you grow thicker facial hair or ensure that your beard grows as strong as possible.
Protein is crucial for getting your beard hair the keratin it needs to grow. Lean meat, nuts, milk and egg yolks are all great choices. And don't forget the fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens — their biotin, vitamins, antioxidants and more will promote healthy beard hair.
Along with eating a good diet, ensure that you're exercising regularly. Exercise can help keep your testosterone and blood circulation high, promoting hair growth. Take your overall health into account, too — meaning cut out harmful vices like smoking.
4. Drink Enough Water
Never underestimate the power of H2O. Staying hydrated is crucial to moving nutrients throughout your body, including to your beard hair. A thicker, fuller beard needs nutrients, and water is the catalyst for getting them there. It also helps keep the skin hydrated. The old barometer of drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day is a good start. And, unfortunately, proper hydration means cutting back on the whiskey and beer, too.
5. Take Vitamins
If you aren't getting enough out of your diet, take some vitamins and other supplements to maintain good beard growth. While there are some "beard vitamins" on the market, a general daily men's vitamin will have what you need to grow a thicker beard. These include biotin, vitamins E, C and D, zinc, magnesium and more. Vitamin D is particularly important for testosterone. They're all about promoting your overall health, which in turn promotes beard growth.
6. Use Proper Beard Care Products
Using the right beard care products will help to keep your facial hair and the skin beneath healthy. Beard oil, in particular, is great for moisturizing and promoting the growth of a full, thick beard. Adding a beard wash and beard enhancer to your routine is also a good step.
Check out our #1 recommended skin and beard care product for a thicker, fuller beard.
7. Style Your Beard in a Way That Works for You
Every man's face is different, and getting your facial hair to go with that shape can provide the appearance of a thicker, fuller beard. This includes utilizing different lengths to your advantage — you can trim (not shave) certain areas while leaving other hairs longer to help with patchy beards and play with dense beard styles. Using a beard comb to get the right style also helps, and a stronger beard balm can keep unruly facial hair styled appropriately.
8. Stop Shaving
Shaving does not give you a thicker, fuller beard. That's an old wive's tale. All it does is cut your hair strands — the follicles are still the same. After being clean shaven, your hair will grow back the same as before, and you won't suddenly have thick beard hairs. Beard hair needs time to grow, and shaving just extends that time.
9. Be Patient
One of the best ways to grow a thicker beard is to give it time. Your beard won't grow faster by some sort of miracle. You just have to wait, be patient and give your body time to adapt to all the previous tips we've given you.
1. NUTRIENT RICH. Supports healthy skin and hair.
2. STOP ITCH. Soothes skin and softens hairs. Fiddling with a scratchy beard causes hair fall and separation.
3. MODERATE CONTROL. Consolidate whiskers for a thinker, fuller look without harsh, messy waxes.
4. NON-GREASY. Get results without that "I just bathed in motor oil" feeling.
MEAN
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while building up the unruly beast inside you.
The Phases of Beard Growth (Why You Must Be Patient to Grow a Thicker, Fuller Beard)
If you're asking how to make your beard grow faster, you've already lost the fight. As we mentioned, patience is absolutely crucial. That's because beard growth comes in phases. The following are the general phases of beard hair growth with rough time estimates for how long it takes to get there:
- Clean shaven (the beginning)
- Stubble (after a week or two)
- Itchy stubble (between two and eight weeks)
- Short beard (two to four months)
- Full beard (four to seven months)
- Long beard (seven months to a year — and into infinity)
While the exact times will differ for every man, there's not really a way to make your beard grow faster than this. Hence, you must stay patient.
Other Options for Getting a Thick Beard (That We Don't Necessarily Recommend)
Some men will go to great lengths to grow a thicker beard. We prefer to grow thick beards naturally, but if you're curious about other options, there are:
- Derma-Rollers — tools with tiny needles that puncture the skin beneath your beard, intended to improve blood flow and activate hair follicles to stimulate beard growth
- Medication like Minoxidil (commonly found in Rogaine)
- Hormone therapy for those with clinically low testosterone
- Beard implants through surgery
Again, we don't really recommend any of these methods, and you should consult your doctor about any of them if it's a route you want to take.
Common Myths About Growing Facial Hair
While we've touched on most of them, the following are some myths about growing facial hair that you should be aware of before you try to grow a thicker, fuller beard:
- "Shaving makes your beard grow fuller" — It doesn't.
- "High testosterone makes your beard thicker" — Follicle sensitivity to DHT is the more important factor, unless you have severely, clinically low testosterone.
- "Beard oil makes your beard grow faster" — It doesn't, but it definitely promotes growth by conditioning your facial hair and skin.
Find New Ways to Grow a Thicker Beard With the Help of MEAN BEARD
At MEAN BEARD, we're committed to helping you learn how to grow a better beard, and we're always looking into new ways to grow a thicker, fuller beard that is healthy and stylish. We've crafted all of our products to help give you what you need to grow your best beard and keep it looking great. See the difference with MEAN BEARD.
