Long gone are the days when men were expected to shave their faces every morning, with a baby-smooth, hairless face seen as the norm.
In past years, having facial hair was deemed “unprofessional” and only seen in those with blue-collar, rough-and-tough occupations. Thankfully, the world has seen a complete shift in the perception of men’s facial hair, and just about everyone is rocking some sort of a beard, whether it be the CEO of a Fortune-500 company or just your average Joe working a 9-to-5 job.
To put it simply, today’s men have put away the razor and have completely embraced their facial hair.
However, while just about every man envisions growing a luscious, thick beard, the reality is a little more complicated. Not every man can grow out his facial hair in a full, consistent manner, as the hormones and genetics required for such facial hair growth differ from man to man.
Thankfully, there are numerous tips and tricks that can allow each man to maximize his facial hair growth and have it looking as full and healthy as possible. Read some of our key pieces of advice below for your best beard yet!
Tip #1: Sometimes Shorter is Better
For many men, the most frustrating part of growing a beard is that at a certain length, the beard begins to look patchy and incomplete. Sadly, this is due to the variance in men’s facial hair follicles, with some follicles simply being unable to grow out any facial hair, leading to the patchy look. Thankfully, an easy way to work around this is to keep the beard at a shorter length. By regularly trimming the beard to a medium-to-short length, you’ll be able to prevent the frustrating patchiness that arises. While it may not look as full and thick as you’d like, you’d be surprised at how attractive and sharp a well-groomed short beard can look. By taking extra care to line-up the short beard and eliminate any stray or straggling hairs, this look can come across as sophisticated and dapper!
Tip #2: Dye Your Beard
For men with light-brown or blonde hair, it can seem nearly impossible to grow a beard that looks thick and full without letting the beard grow out to excessive lengths. To counteract this, men with lighter-colored facial hair may opt for a beard dye or beard color treatment to darken the color of their facial hair. With a darker color shade of facial hair, you’ll be shocked at how thick and full your beard suddenly appears!
Tip #3: Cut Down on Stress
Aside from genetics, the biggest factor on your facial hair growth is your hormonal balance. Facial hair growth, and hair growth in general, is driven by positive levels of testosterone in the body. When the body is under stress, the testosterone level decreases, and the body releases the hormone cortisol. Cortisol negatively reduces the rate of hair growth in the body, thus limiting your ability to fully grow out your facial hair. Reduce the stress levels in your life and ensure that external stressors aren’t impeding your hair growth goals.
Tip #4: Exercise
While you’ll want to reduce stress to prevent a drop in testosterone, you can also take several steps to actively increase the levels of testosterone in your body. One of the most effective ways to naturally increase the body’s level of testosterone is through exercise. All forms of exercise can help improve testosterone levels, although weightlifting has by far the most impact overall. Make sure to stick to a regular workout routine to help improve testosterone levels, and in turn improve facial hair growth.
Tip #5: Shampoo Your Beard
As strange as it may sound, shampooing your beard is a fantastic way for enhancing your facial hair growth! The growth of your facial hair is dependent upon the performance of the hair follicles on your face and their production of keratin. When these hair follicles are blocked by dirt, grime, and dead skin cells, hair production suffers, resulting in patchy, thin beard hairs. Make sure to regularly shampoo the facial hair area, not only to clear debris from the hair follicles but also to remove oil and grease that inhibits your beard’s natural shine.
Tip #6: Apply a Beard Oil
Beard oils have become quite popular these days, as they’re a fantastic solution for several beard-related issues, such as itchiness and dryness. Additionally, beard oils are a perfect way to tame unruly beard hairs and make the facial hair more manageable, which allows for a fuller, more well-maintained appearance. What many don’t also realize is that beard oils help to fully moisturize the hair strand, penetrating deep within the hair structure. When hair of any kind becomes too dry, it runs the risk of becoming damaged and weak. This damage can prevent proper hair growth later in the hair-growth cycle, and result in brittle, thin hairs that ruin the overall look of the beard. Be sure to regularly apply beard oil, not only for manageability but also to ensure adequate facial hair health.
Tip #7: Facial Hair Supplements
Lastly, a great solution to consider is the addition of several hair-growth related supplements to your diet. For many, a broad-spectrum multivitamin can be the ideal solution for facial hair woes, as multivitamins can help make up for whatever nutritional deficiency is inhibiting the natural hair growth cycle. For a more specific supplement regimen, look for vitamins containing large amounts of biotin, carnitine, and zinc. These vitamins have been directly linked to hair growth and thickness, and the incorporation of them into your diet can make all the difference in your overall beard satisfaction.
