• Sleeping well is one of the essential factors that greatly helps you in repairing the damaged skin cells and promotes healthy beard growth. Not only is growing a beard a difficult task, but a good nights rest helps wonders.
• Certain vitamins and minerals help to maximize the speed in the growth of facial hair. While including the vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin E to your diet, it amazingly increases the speed of growth of facial hair.
• Clear skin enhances small hair to grow, just by keeping your skin clean, you may create well-defined growth of your bread. Frequent washing of your beard with warm water and using some mild cleanser as part of your daily routine, every morning and evening.
• Increase the protein in your daily meals, as this helps you in the growth of a beard. Rich proteins are often found in meat, fish, eggs and nuts.
• Facial massage is another good method that promotes the blood circulation to the face so that it is easy to stimulate new hair growth.
• Drink plenty of water so that the body will be generated optimally to raise the growth of hair.
• Eliminate sugary sweets and fast foods from your diet, for much better growth results.

Smoking: it is one of the major reasons for hair loss, nicotine found in cigarettes has the ability to absorb the nutrients that are needed for hair growth and also decreases the blood circulation. If you simply stop your smoking habit, than it will aid the best beard growth.

1. Stress can stop hair growth.

2. Exercising like an animal – look like a beast!

3. Avoid nasty chemicals – your beard hates them

4. Rest up bearded brother.

5. Diet to grow a beard faster

6. Vitamin D3

There was a time when dewy actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Gosling and many others started gracing red carpets with cheek-fringe that gave them a somber look. Today, the beard, a traditional signifier of wisdom and age in many cultures, has become a symbol of masculinity and youthful rebellion. From raising cancer awareness to looking masculine, men grow a beard for many different reasons. For some, it is a matter of few days. For others, it requires weeks of waiting to see their facial hair grow big. Remember, it won't grow overnight, but taking vitamins, keeping your skin healthy and so on will definitely make a difference.

How to Grow Facial Hair

1

Clean and Moisturize Your Face

If you want to know how to make facial hair grow faster, simply start by keeping your skin clean. Dirt, oil and dead skin can clog those tiny pores and keep hair follicles from breaking through.

• Wash your face with warm water and apply facial cleanser twice a day.
• Avoid standard soaps because they can be too abrasive and damage your skin.
• Don't stick to a timetable, but wash your face at any time when it gets dirty with oil or sweat.
• Sometimes, an itchy rash will develop while you try to grow facial hair. Don't worry and a dandruff shampoo will resolve the issue.
• After washing your face, use a moisturizing facial lotion to avoid dryness that leads to dead skin cells.
• Remember, new beard hair will always cause some irritation, but the prickly sensations usually subside in a week or so.

2

Massage Your Face

The next measure in the list of how to grow facial hair fast is a facial massage. A light massage may improve the growth of facial hair because it helps keep those pores unclogged and hair follicles healthy. It doesn't involve anything technical though and even small circular movements of your fingers will do the trick. A 10-minute to 15-minute-massage is usually enough to encourage faster facial hair growth.

3

Add Protein and Saturated Fat into Diet

Fat and protein play a big role in improving the growth of facial hair. Your hair is actually composed of protein with coatings of fats and oils. Moreover, protein and fat have a positive impact on testosterone levels. The higher the levels is, the higher the chances of you growing a beard quickly. It means adding protein and saturated fat into your diet will ensure a mustache or beard in a short time. So add fish, beans, egg and animal fat to get protein and provide your body with enough saturated fats to grow a beard in days.

4

Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin

Load your body up with all the right vitamins to make it easier to grow facial hair quickly. Vitamin B5, B9 and B3 are important for overall health, but B7, found in egg yolk and nuts, holds great importance in growing facial hair quickly. Vitamin B3 and B5, known to improve circulation, are present in beef, chicken, egg yolk, fish, milk, avocado and many whole grains. Folic acid and vitamin B9 improve your ability to grow thick hair, which can be found in nuts, cereals and leafy green veggies. Other important vitamins include vitamin A that helps maintain sebum and follicles, vitamin C that strengthens your immune system, and vitamin E that improves your blood circulation. You can take multivitamin supplements to provide your body with all the vitamins you need.

5

Reduce Stress

Another way to know how to grow facial hair fast is to live a stress-free life. Learn to chill out, if you love your hair. Stress leaves negative effects on your hair by thinning out the hair and hindering its growth. Don't worry too much about how others will perceive you after you've grown a beard. Stress disturbs your immune system, which will limit your ability to grow a beard. Meditation or exercises, such as yoga, will help release anxiety.

6

Sleep Well

A good night's sleep will help you stay fit and a healthy person is more likely to grow a beard quickly. Your body replenishes its energy while sleeping, which means insufficient sleep (less than six hours) will make it difficult for you to grow facial hair. Take at least eight hours sleep regularly to see positive results.

7

Do Exercise Regularly

Staying active is important. You cannot just sleep all the time and hope for your beard to grow quickly. Your emphasis should be on exercises that improve blood circulation, leading to high metabolic rate. With a better metabolic rate and proper circulation, your body will use the nutrients from your food to stimulate hair growth. Be sure to spend at least 15-20 minutes a day walking, swimming or doing other aerobic exercises.

8

Give It Time

It takes time to grow facial hair, and people often get impatient. You may even have to go through tough times, while you're still growing your beard. You will hear people making nasty comments. Don't give up and understand that once the wait is over, people will admire your new appearance when you meet them while sporting a full beard.

9

Testosterone Therapy

Testosterone therapy is the first medical methods for growing facial hair. Testosterone will determine how quickly you can grow a beard, but never forget that too much testosterone has its negative effects. You can apply testosterone through topical applications, injections or even taking it orally. Please note that you cannot store testosterone, so you have to develop and stick to a strict supplement regiment until you see results.

10

Plastic Surgery

For some men, it is just not possible to grow a beard no matter how hard they try. When nothing else works, a plastic surgery does. A surgeon will transplant hair follicles from your scalp to your face. The method usually works, but takes up to a year or two before you actually see some positive results.

11

A Useful Video

If you need more information about how to grow facial hair fast, you should check the video below:

Though there isn’t any recent, formal data on the popularity of facial hair, it doesn’t take a study to notice that beards seem to be everywhere. Growing them seems to have very little to do with keeping faces warm, and a whole lot to do with appearance and style.

But what about those of us who have trouble growing facial hair? While there are some tricks for encouraging overall hair growth, at the end of the day it all boils down to genetics.

Is It Testosterone?

It’s a knee-jerk response to think that testosterone, the male sex hormone, is responsible for beard growth. But most men actually have similar levels of testosterone. Low testosterone is characterized by a host of other symptoms, such as erectile dysfunction, infertility, decreased muscle mass, and the development of breast tissue. If you’re not experiencing these, testosterone therapy from your doctor or a supplement isn’t likely to help.

Learn more about the link between testosterone and hair loss »

Is It a Skin Condition?

In rare cases, a skin condition is to blame for a lack of hair growth. Certain skin conditions like alopecia cause balding or hair loss. If you have symptoms of a skin condition, which likely affects your head as well as your hair, visiting a dermatologist could help.

In some cases, thin or slow-growing hair is the result of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid). But, this condition is more common among women over 50. Thin hair or hair loss can also be a symptom of an iron deficiency, or anemia.

Generally, It’s Genetics

For most men who struggle to grow facial hair, genetics are to blame. If your father or grandfather struggled with facial hair growth, it is possible you will too. And for those men, there really aren’t too many solutions.

While beard implants recently hit the market, they’re an extreme option for a relatively minor problem.

Do Beard-Boosting Supplements Work?

The canary is dead. Up until the end of last year, beards were trendy. But now, not surprisingly, it's trendy to talk about how they're not trendy. The hipsters have been thoroughly ridiculed, and even scientists have ominously predicted the demise of the beard.

Either way, the conversation has entirely missed a significant segment of the male population — men who can't grow beards. And it's high time we started acknowledging the plight of the Great American Beardless Male.

It may not seem harmful — those jokes mocking that friend who gets carded at age 27, or ridiculed when, after a week without shaving, he boasts no more than a faint line of stubble above his lip. It may seem innocent enough to poke fun at the follicly challenged, but the advent of the beard's popularity means the inability to grow substantial facial hair is much more than an inconvenience for some men — it's a source of frustration and even shame.

Lest we forget, men have body image problems, too.

Image Credit: Getty 

A quick Web search yields results for beard-enhancing products in numbers akin to weight loss or muscle-builders. (My favorite example: the Beardilizer).

There are also multiple how-to guides (step one: Let it grow ) and countless online support groups for the chronically smooth-faced. Some men are even turning to testosterone to spur on stubble. The now heavily publicized $7,000 beard implants in Brooklyn, N.Y., are probably the most extreme examples of beard augmentation, and while the recipients are typically dismissed as hipsters being hipsters, they are actually a byproduct of a greater cultural pressure.

As this proliferation of beard products would suggest, the average guy now feels pressured to be not only taller, thinner and more muscular but to boast a sweet beard beard. Although insecurity over one's body image is generally framed as primarily a woman's issue, men suffer from similar self-doubt, going to extreme lengths to make their body more like the images portrayed in television and film.

There are various reasons why some men can't grow substantial facial hair, though it's mostly genetics. Most men have about the same level of testosterone, but those who are more sensitive to it are more likely to grow a fuller beard. In cases where testosterone is low, doctors can prescribe hormones, but taking extra testosterone when your levels are normal can have serious negative side effects, including acne, hair loss and even liver damage.

It seems silly to trade hair on top for hair on the chin, but that just proves the lengths some people will go to for the look. There are also skin diseases and conditions that limit beard growth, for which there are medications.

Image Credit: Getty

We apparently reached the era of "peak beard" earlier this year, at least according to a study by Rob Brooks, professor of evolutionary ecology at the University of New South Wales. Brooks' study found that "under experimental conditions at least, patterns of facial hair enjoy greater attractiveness when rare than when they are common."

But let me be the first to offer an alternative. Perhaps now is a perfect time to be the clean-shaven guy. Call it "classic" or "polished," this just may the your time to shine, my beardless brethren. 

A beard is a healthy way for men to express their masculinity that doesn't happen at the expense of women. It also doesn't lead to insecurity issues for other men. But this argument actually bypasses an important point: while men who grow beards should feel guilty, it's unacceptable to ridicule those who can't.

Image Credit: Getty

Two of the key things to remember is that your smooth-faced friend may not want to grow a beard — or may not be able to. To ridicule him for his preference is inappropriate in its own way, but to make fun of him for the latter is pointless.

There's already too much unrealistic pressure on men to look like Gerard Butler in 300 — and it's at least possibleto get a body (somewhat) like his. But a guy is in his 20s is not going to get taller or grow his beard any fuller, no matter the societal expectations. 

A bright spot for all the permanently clean-shaven men? We haven't had a bearded president in just over 100 years, so clearly, the unbearded are doing something right out there. The beard craze may be far less insidious than some of the other ridiculous body image expectations placed on men, but it is a body image issue nonetheles. So let's all just be a bit more conscious, and a tad less ignorant, shall we? Because at the end of the day, no one deserves to feel self-conscious about their facial hair — and they certainly shouldn't be made to feel it in any way makes them less of a man.

The beard. A symbol of manliness. Throughout history, beards were always associated with power, wisdom, leadership, masculinity, and virility.

The wise old man from the movies? Always had a beard. The tribe leader? The king? A full-bearded man on the throne surrounded by clean shaven subordinates.

Having a beard gives a powerful statement: “I am a man”.

From a psychological point of view, it’s a sign of maturity. And from the female’s perspective; attractiveness and ability to father children.

But before we go on to grow it thicker and faster, do you know what is the “best” way to grow a beard?

THE FOUR WEEKS RULE

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You are probably reading this because you believe your beard lacks the density to fill up.

Rage! Increase my beard!

However, most beards never come into existence, because the individual underestimates his beard’s actual potential.

In other words, many don’t ever grow a beard because they falsely believe their beard is too patchy — that it does not have enough coverage to connect and give the appearance of a ‘full beard’.

You must let your beard grow for at least four weeks. Only then, most beards start to connect. Only after a decent amount of time, you can evaluate your beard’s true status.

Commit. Growing a beard is a commitment. Growing a stubble is easy. It’s just a few day’s wait. After that, it only requires basic grooming for maintenance.

As for growing a beard, do not touch it for at least four weeks. Many are surprised by how thick it actually is.

Don’t start shaping your beard too soon either — you will most likely cut off more than you’ve wanted. You need to give your beard time to grow to a respectable length and show you it’s “real lines”.

After four weeks, you have two choices. You can continue to grow it into a majestic and natural ‘yeard’, or you can groom and shape it. Going for a ‘yeard’ will earn you more respect (particularly in the bearded community), while grooming will make it more presentable. The latter is best done by using a proper beard trimmer and scissors.

Don’t forget beard oil. Start applying it as soon as you start growing a beard. It makes it look healthier, younger and extra kissable (same goes for your skin).

Many fail to understand the 4-week rule. It’s the reason so many beards never come into existence in the first place.

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However, most of you reading this guide are here because you know you can’t grow a full beard. You are aware of the lack the density and it’s noticeable.

There may be at least one major thing going for you though. You most likely don’t suffer from male pattern baldness (or ever will).

Bald and bearded — like nature intended.

Those who are capable of growing a beard since a very young age are prone to hair loss. Only a few lucky bastards can grow a full, connected beard while never get to suffer from MPB.

One last thing. Don’t fall for the: “shaving it will make it grow faster” myth.

You grow a beard by letting it grow, not by shaving it.

But enough rambling. Back to the point. You are here togrow a beard faster and thicker.

I have compiled a list of all the things you can do to grow a thicker beard. If you find anything missing, you are welcome to write it in the comments below. If it holds any truth (and a reference), I will add it to this guide.

HOW TO GROW A BEARD THICKER, FASTER AND BETTER

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For the matter of growing a beard “faster”, you need to understand one thing. All human hair grows at the same rate. (Which is about half an inch or 1,25 cm per month).

I know you’ve all got that friend who can “grow a beard in two weeks”. It does not mean his beard grows faster; it just becomes apparent sooner.

There are three factors that give the illusion of growing a beard faster:

• Color (darker hair appears thicker)
• Diameter (some have large, thick hairs; others have fine, thin hairs)
• Density (thicker beards fill up faster and so appear to grow quicker)

We can’t make (facial) hair grow faster — but we can make it thicker.

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1. HEALTH, NUTRITION, TESTOSTERONE AND DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE (DHT)

The male hormone testosterone has a tremendous effect on facial hair growth. It’s what creates facial hair follicles to begin with. The more testosterone you have, the more likely you can grow a full beard.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a byproduct of testosterone. Both hormones play a role in forming and growing facial hair. (As well as secondary sex characteristics, such as penis growth, body hair, nose hair…).

“Findings suggest that T and DHT may have independent roles in the control of male facial hair growth, i.e. T for hair follicle priming and DHT for promotion of linear growth.” [10]

By increasing your testosterone and DHT levels, you can cultivate a thicker beard.

We will take in account everything you can do to enable your beard the most optimal and fertile conditions.

Let’s start by forming a solid natural foundation.

Here is how you can grow a thicker beard naturally:

A) EXERCISE

You’ll find this tip in every guide about anything. But what can we do — it’s true.

Work that beard.

Exercise affects facial hair in three ways:

• Shedding excessive weight increases testosterone. [1]
• Short intensive exercise is proven to increase testosterone and prevent it from declining. Particularly weightlifting and strength-oriented HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Although, any exercise has a positive effect on your health and testosterone. [1]
• Exercise increases blood circulation. (Blood carries proteins and vitamins to your hair follicles). [2]

Exercise also makes you more handsome.

B) STRESS

Some evidence has shown cortisol reduces testosterone. If you are under chronic stress, your male hormone levels may be suffering.

From a biological point of view, this may be due to testosterone associated behavior (aggression, mating and competing) may lower your chances of survival in an emergency.

Stress also constricts blood vessels, causing the hair root to receive fewer nutrients. Hell, it can even cause hair loss. [1] [3]

Control stress. I know this is easier said than done. What helped me was meditation — being present.

I book I would suggest is ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle. It will change the way you view (and handle) stress and emotions.

C) REST

Healthy bodies need sleep to function. You need to regenerate to keep your testosterone buzzing. A night’s sleep of 7-9 hours should do for most. [4]

Sleep is essential for your well-being and, in this case, growing facial hair.

A study in 2011 by the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed if you sleep for 5 hours or less your testosterone levels suffer as much as 15 percent. [5]

D) DIET

Stick to a healthy, nutritious and vitamin-rich diet. Eat vegetables — they have a profusion of vitamins and minerals. Usually, the worse they taste, the more nutritious they are. Also, hair is a protein filament — eat plenty of protein-rich foods. [6]

Foods like cruciferous vegetables, kale, brazil nuts and eggs also increase testosterone. [12]

Go on a diet. Studies have shown overweight men can boost their testosterone by losing weight. [7]

E) SUPPLEMENTS

They aren’t crucial if you are on a well-balanced diet. However:

“Iron, vitamin E, vitamins B (particularly biotin), vitamin D, selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc” — all play a crucial role in hair growth. Vitamin and mineral deficiency can even cause hair loss. [6]

You can also find oral supplements for facial hair growth. A popular example is Vitabeard. Beard champions like Jack Passion claim they take it with excellent results. [2]

It can help to a certain degree.

If you find it overpriced, a simple multivitamin can work as well.

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2. GENETICS AND PROCEDURES

Genes predetermine facial hair thickness at least by 85%.

You can live the healthiest life and eat the most nutritious food, but you are “stuck” to a certain degree with what’s written in your genes.

But since you can change genetics, consider the following:

A) TIME

Yes, time. Wait. Unlike height, facial hair never ceases to develop.

Eric Bandholz from Beardbrand explains it in this video. You can see a graph demonstrating beard growth potential over the years.

You should consider this particularly if you are still in your teens. As you head into your 20’s, your facial hair will begin to sprout from all sides.

Don’t concern yourself with density too soon.

If at you are thirty and facial hair is still nowhere in sight, however, it’s not in your cards. Your only bets are either a transplant or an extreme response from minoxidil.

B) FACIAL HAIR TRANSPLANT

Since 2007, beard transplants are up by at least six-fold. [8]

Judging by how popular beards have become in the last years this is unsurprising.

The hair comes from either the back or side of your scalp. It depends on what more resembles your facial hair. But note the donor hair they extract is limited. Keep this in mind if you are planning to do a hair transplant to cover up male pattern baldness. [9]

The transplant may cost well up to $7,000, and takes between two and five hours. It rarely requires second procedures. After two weeks, the transplanted hair falls off and regrows three months later.

If you can afford it, the option is available.

A transplant may be your only solution if you have no facial hair at all. Talk to your hair restoration specialist.

But if your beard is patchy and incomplete, there are hair growth stimulating products you can try first. You can find more in the next chapter.

C) HORMONE THERAPY

I wouldn’t recommend it for the sake of a thicker beard. It poses serious health risks and the effects are not guaranteed. [11]

But female-to-male hormone replacement therapy patients begin to develop facial hair. It shows how important is testosterone.

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3. PRODUCTS FOR STIMULATING FACIAL HAIR GROWTH

Products that stimulate facial hair exist — but know what you are getting into.

A) MINOXIDIL

If you are balding, you know what I’m talking about. Minoxidil, commonly referred to Rogaine, is incredibly effective for growing hair. Anywhere.

Minoxidil began as an oral medication for high blood pressure. After patients had begun reporting hair sprouting all over their body, topical minoxidil was born.

Minoxidil is FDA-approved only for hair loss. Use it at your own risk.

One way to use it on your face is to apply it once per day, leave it on for 4 hours, and then wash it off.

Itch is a common side effect of this treatment, so I would suggest you to moisturize.

If you decide to try minoxidil, be aware of the risks. Do more research. But it can provide you with excellent results.

You can find an outstanding F.A.Q. and user feedback on the Beard Board Forums.

B) BEARD GROWING OILS AND SPRAYS

You can find plenty of products on Amazon designed to grow facial hair faster and thicker.

But their effectiveness and potency is debatable.

Some are even filled with fake reviews to boost their ratings and sales.

I don’t want to put all these products in one basket and say they are all snake oil. Some may work — but don’t expect miracle results.

If you are willing to try them out, go with the ones that promise a refund in case you are not satisfied (e.g. Beard Growther).

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CONCLUSION

When contemplating to grow a thicker beard first consider your age, always.

If you are a teenager and it’s patchy, expect a lot of thickness coming in the next few years. No need to worry yet.

If you are in your twenties, know that your beard will continue to develop, although at a slower rate. Produce fertile conditions for your beard to grow. Eat healthy, exercise, get a lot of rest, manage stress, take a multivitamin.

For something more high-level — try using minoxidil. It will work, but effectiveness varies with each individual.

If you are in your thirties and you still don’t have any facial hair whatsoever, it’s not in your genes. Nothing will work — save an immense response from minoxidil or a facial hair transplant.

But whatever happens, Action Hank said it best:

I hope you’ve found this guide useful. Share this guide with your patchy-bearded friends to give them an extra boost.

Opinions and suggestions are most welcome in the comment section below.

How thick is YOUR beard?