A beard can change the way you look and feel. It enhances your masculine features and it can give you that extra boost of confidence. Growing facial hair can be easy for those with a good gene pool, but it can be a struggle for those of us who drew the short straw in the genetic lottery.
Patchy beards are the bane of beard enthusiasts everywhere. But all is not lost. Read on to find out how to grow a thicker beard naturally or how to thicken a beard with the added help of dedicated products, supplements and treatments.
What Makes A Beard Thicker?
Beards grow differently depending on each individual person. Some are naturally thick, and some are uneven and patchy. There are many things that make a beard appear thicker, such as hair color, hair follicle diameter and the overall density of hairs.
The patchy parts of your beard with some carefully planned trimming. Additionally, grooming products like beard wash and shampoos, conditioners and beard oils can go a long way towards achieving a healthier, fuller beard.
Hair Follicle & Diameter Size
Hair is produced from a structure known as the hair follicle. We develop hair follicles during fetal development and no new follicles are produced after birth. The hair follicle is found in the dermal layer of your skin and it determines the growth of the hair. A follicle with a larger diameter will produce a hair with a large diameter as well and will occupy more space in your skin. This leads to the appearance of a fuller beard.
Although hair follicle diameter is mostly determined by genetics, hormones, such as testosterone, also play a role. High levels of male testosterone can boost the development and appearance of a fuller beard. .
Beard Hair Coverage and Density
Beard density can be described as the number of hair fibers growing on a certain area of the skin. As we all know, hair coverage is uneven. Some areas can have a large number of hairs with no skin showing through, other areas may contain few hairs, or sometimes none (if you’re particularly unlucky!). The only way to improve beard hair coverage is to grow new hairs and to do this, you must ensure proper hair health.
The Length of your Beard
The length of beard is a personal choice as it affects the overall aspect of your look. Keep in mind that you can actually use longer hairs to hide certain patchy areas. Speeding up hair growth is something you’ll be interested in if you’re trying to learn how to make your beard look fuller.
Beard Hair Color
The pigments in your hair will determine the color of your beard. Darker pigments absorb more light,giving an impression of a fuller beard, while lighter pigments reflect light, making the beard appear thinner than it actually is. Although the color of your beard is genetically predetermined, it’s nothing a beard dye can’t change.
The 13 Best Tips to Grow a Thicker, Fuller Beard
If you're looking for ways to grow a thicker, fuller beard, there are some key cardinal rules to follow in order to achieve your goals. Some of them will come naturally while others may be counterintuitive, and we might just have to debunk a myth or two. Here are 13 of our best tips to grow a thicker, fuller beard.
1. Patience is Key
As the age old saying goes - ‘good things come to those who wait’. Keep in mind that there is no miracle cure to grow a thicker beard. As with skin care, you can’t see results overnight. No matter what the ad tells you, patience is key. You have to give your body time to integrate the changes and translate them into visible effects, such as healthier looking hair, or a fuller, longer beard.
2. Don't Shave Your Beard!
That’s right! Shaving your beard does not make your beard hair thicker and does not improve hair density, no matter what we’ve all heard time and time again.
Hair follicle density is determined by factors such as age, genes and hormone levels. Shaving your hair just cuts off the hair strands. The hair follicle is situated deep inside the dermal part of the skin and the blade never reaches it.
Also, hair strands are thicker at their base and thinner at their ends. If you shave off the hair, all that will be visible is its thicker base. Once it grows out, its diameter shrinks, and the hair’s appearance returns to its thin, normal self. The perceived thickness is temporary and does not help you grow a thicker beard, even over time.
3. Skin Care is Beard Care
Skin care is essential if you have a beard. It prevents redness, irritation, beard dandruff and breakouts. It also has the added benefit of boosting hair growth and regeneration by improving blood circulation. A good skin care routine consists of cleansers, exfoliants and moisturizers, and helps you feel good and look your best. These products help improve local blood flow and promote hair follicle health.
4. Use a Derma Roller - A Secret Weapon for Beard Growth
This effective tool uses a method called microneedling to promote hair growth, and is great for developing a thicker beard. It uses hundreds of tiny needles to puncture the upper layer of the skin in order to accelerate the production of collagen and improve blood flow. This technique has been used for some time in dermatological procedures, for removing scars and wrinkles.
When it comes to your beard, using a dermaroller promotes the health and elasticity of the skin, reactivating hair follicles, increasing blood flow which brings more nutrients to the patchy area of the beard, and stimulating collagen and keratin production. In short, a dermaroller will make your beard thicker by stimulating facial hair growth.
5. Reduce Stress for a Fuller Beard
We all know that stress can be harmful to the body and unfortunately, it can even affect your beard growth. Constant stress causes the release of harmful hormones such as cortisol, with a direct effect on testosterone levels. Stress hormones also cause vasoconstriction, which means that there will be less nutrient rich blood reaching the beard hair follicles.
Reducing stress can not only allow you to grow a fuller beard, but it helps keep your body and mind healthy. One proven way for stress relief is meditation, but it can be as simple as taking a day off to go hiking, or unwinding on your couch with a good book.
6. Exercise Helps Facial Hair
Taking care of your body pays off. Exercising can boost your testosterone levels and improve blood flow. These two factors alone have been known to promote beard hair growth and improve hair follicle density. Exercise also helps to reduce stress levels, which by now you know helps with growing a full thick beard.
7. Improve Your Diet
All hair is composed of a protein called keratin. Eating a balanced diet, with an appropriate amount of proteins, helps promote hair growth by providing your body with the proper building blocks to make hair grow thicker and stronger.
It’s also important you don’t forget about your veggies. A well rounded diet provides vitamins such as biotin, vitamin C and vitamin E, which promote hair growth and keep your beard looking healthy by providing antioxidant activities.
8. Get Plenty of Rest
How many times have you heard about the significance of getting 8 hours of sleep? Well, the science is there and it seems that getting a good night’s rest can lower your stress levels and promote testosterone levels. So if you're growing a beard and want to make your beard grow thicker, get plenty of rest.
9. Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is important to your overall health. Drinking enough water maintains proper kidney function and lets your body get rid of harmful compounds. Also, it keeps your skin hydrated and healthy. Happy skin means happy hair follicles.. So if you want to grow a thick beard, or grow more facial hair, try to drink the recommended 8-10 glasses of water a day.
A great tip here is to purchase a 1.5 liter water jug, fill it completely at the beginning of the day, and make sure it's gone by the evening. That 1.5 liters of water translates into 10 glasses of water that are helping to fuel your beard growth.
10. Supplements to Promote Beard Growth
Supplements do exactly what their name says. They aid the nutritional gains of your diet. Most supplements come in the form of vitamins and minerals and should never be taken without consulting your doctor. Your body needs vitamins and minerals to function and maintain good health, helping you grow a full beard. Some key vitamins and minerals to assist with beard growth are: biotin, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, copper and magnesium.
All of these nutrients are needed for a large variety of functions in the body and are not specific to promoting hair growth. Still, a deficiency will most surely interfere with your ability to grow a full beard, or make your beard thicker.
11. Use Beard Oil for a Healthier Beard
Once you start growing your beard, you quickly learn that beard oil is an essential tool in your beard health arsenal. Beard oil keeps your beard hairs looking healthy and it prevents itchy skin and beard dandruff. It does all this by providing a thin film on the surface of your skin, which locks up all the moisture and prevents dryness. Most beard oils contain natural oils such as macadamia, sunflower and sweet almond oils.
A small amount goes a long way. Depending on the length of your beard hairs, you only need about 6 to 8 drops, applied near the skin. Work your way with the oil towards the ends of the hair.
Beard oil protects your skin and beard from damage and, as we’ve already discussed, healthy skin helps grow more facial hair. Super bonus, some beard oils are scented.
12. Trim and Shape Your Beard
Trimming your beard does not promote new facial hair growth but you might give the appearance of a thicker beard. Giving your beard the right shape for your face and features can sometimes compensate for a lack of fullness, which is a type of beard hack. Also, adjusting hair length through trimming can be a neat way to conceal patchy beard areas.
If you don’t have experience, we recommend going to a trained professional for an initial trimming. You can then slowly get adjusted to trimming your beard yourself for maintenance, but then again, there’s no shame in asking for help and seeking a barber.
13. Shampoo and Condition Your Beard
Growing a thicker beard requires proper maintenance. Healthy looking beard hairs can make your beard look thicker, with thicker looking hairs. Using a beard shampoo is an easy, gentle care routine for your facial hair. Shampooing your beard helps prevent dryness and itchiness, and gets rid of dust and microbes.
A beard conditioner provides additional moisture to the hair, preventing frizziness and keeping your beard from curling. It provides local nourishment, and helps the general wellness of the skin and hair follicle. For those of you who treat their beards to extreme temperatures and experience dryness, you might also want to try products like beard masks.
Additional Options
The following three alternative options for achieving beard growth are a bit beyond your regular set of tips and tricks. They require input and guidance from doctors and you should consider their gains vs risks carefully.
1. Minoxidil
Minoxidil was first introduced in the 1970s as a treatment for hypertension, and a common side effect to it was hypertrichosis, which means an increase in hair growth. This discovery convinced scientists to use it directly on the skin to promote hair growth and decrease hair loss.
Although it is generally used on the scalp, it seems to have positive results on facial hair which in theory would lead to beard growth. Its use in beard enhancement remains off-label, meaning it is not FDA approved. User reviews seem to be mixed, with some people claiming that their hair fell off once they stopped the treatment.
You should keep in mind that this is a medication. And, as it is with any type of medication, you may experience some side effects. The most common side effects of Minoxidil are: headaches, dryness, itchiness and local irritation.
We recommend consulting your doctor before starting any kind of treatment.
2. Hormone Therapy
Hormones play an important role in hair growth and hair follicle density. Dihydrotestosterone, a derivative of testosterone, is responsible for the regression and death of your hair follicles. Most hormone treatments, whether in the form of a tablet, ointment or injection, target this hormone.
Keep in mind that any change in your hormone balance can have negative effects on your health. You should carefully weigh the risks and gains of these kinds of treatments and consult your doctor.
3. Beard Implant
This option is not for the faint of heart. Although it guarantees results with beard growth that leads to a full and even beard, it is still a surgical procedure which comes with its own set of problems like local soreness, redness, swelling and sensitivity. Another thing you should factor in is the price. This procedure is quite expensive too. But hey, it works faster than anything else out there, so there's that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do beard thickening products work?
Most beard thickening products help beard growth in an indirect way, by improving the health of your skin and hair follicle through providing adequate local moisture or optimizing blood flow.
Very few products such as Minoxidil will target hair growth itself. Most products work to some extent, but they require patience and consistency.
How do I fill my patchy beard?
You can fill your patchy beard by stimulating local hair growth with tools like a dermaroller and topical medication like Minoxidil.
However, there are smaller things you can do to promote hair regeneration, such as having a good skincare routine and a healthy lifestyle. You can even mask the patchy parts with a clever trim.
How can I speed up beard growth?
Beard growth is strongly connected to the general health of your body. Eating a balanced diet, sleeping an adequate amount of time, reducing stress and staying hydrated can go a long way towards improving the speed of growing a thick beard.
Another thing you should try is keeping your skin healthy with a good skincare routine.
What age does your beard stop filling in?
Hair loss in general, and this applies to beards as well, is associated with low hormone levels in men over 50. But keep in mind that the density of hair follicles of your beard is associated with your genetic inheritance, some of us may never be able to naturally grow a full beard or a thick beard.
How much do beard implants cost?
Beard implant costs depend on the number of grafts implanted, with more expensive procedures for larger implant areas. In the US, prices can vary between $5000 to $15000.
A Viking’s mastery is reflected by his beard. Grow a beard worthy of a song.
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