If you’re eager to grow a glorious beard, it’s hard to accept that it simply takes time. In reality, your genetic profile is the most important (and unchangeable) factor in how fast your beard will grow.[1] There are things you can do to potentially speed up the process a bit, though. Take care of your beard as it grows, follow a beard-healthy lifestyle, and talk to your doctor if your beard needs additional help. And, above all, be patient!
1 Be patient and let your facial hair grow. Your genetic profile is the primary factor in how quickly (and how fully) your beard grows, and there’s not much you can do about that. While you can take measures to support the process, you should also accept that your beard will grow in its own way and at its own pace.[2]
- Some people say that regularly trimming your beard will stimulate faster growth, but there’s no evidence to support this.
- It’s possible that frequent shaving before you start growing a beard may stimulate the hair follicles to grow faster, but the evidence for this is also limited at best.[3]
- So, once you start growing a beard, just let it grow!
- Washing your face regularly will help to remove dirt and oil from your hair follicles. This makes it easier for them to grow.
- To test if a cleanser is gentle enough for your skin, apply a small amount to your chin and leave it for 10 minutes. If you don’t have any signs of a reaction (like redness or irritation), you can try washing your face with the cleanser.
3 Massage your face twice daily to stimulate the follicles. Apply firm but not painful pressure on your face with your fingertips, then massage in small circles over your beard-growing area. Do the massage for about 10 minutes, twice per day.[5]
Tip: Regular facial massages may help to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage faster beard growth. And it definitely feels good!
- Exfoliating will help to clear away dead skin cells that may be impeding your hair follicles from achieving their full growth potential.
- Before using an exfoliant on your entire face, test a small patch on your chin for 5-10 minutes. If you don’t feel any burning or irritation, you should be good to go.
- Avoid beard oil if you have acne, though. It may worsen your breakouts.[7]
- At the very least, using beard products will make your beard look and feel better, no matter how fast it’s growing.
Tip: If possible, choose a beard product that contains eucalyptus. There’s some evidence that it may actually help stimulate hair growth.