You might be reading this because you want to grow more facial hair. Right now, you might be only seeing some wimpy strands of hair on your chin and it frustrates you. You want to grow a beard or goatee badly but can’t seem to get more facial hair to come out. I know it sucks, doesn’t it?
Here’s the sad truth. Not everyone is born with the ability to have lots of facial hair. Not everyone can grow a full beard. Why? Genetics and hormones. How much facial hair you have depends on your genes and hormone levels. These determine facial hair growth completely. Look at your dad and brothers or relatives, do they have facial hair? If not, it’s very unlikely that you will too.
If you’re still a young kid below 15 years old, you will get more facial hair over-time, don’t worry. But don’t expect to have a lot of facial hair as you age if you don’t have the right genes and hormone levels. Some teens can get a full beard when they are only 14 years old while others take up to their late twenties. So the time needed for maximum beard growth is different.
If you’ve already experienced some actual changes while undergoing puberty (height growth, increase in body/pubic hair, deeper voice etc), this means that your lack of facial hair isn’t caused by a medical problem with your hormones. However, you can visit an endocrinologist or doctor for a thorough examination if you are still concerned.
Here are some common questions and answers about facial hair and beard growth. The advice below applies to both people who can’t grow facial hair and those interested in growing their beards faster and thicker.
If I shave often, will my facial hair grow faster and thicker?
No. It will not. This is a myth. There is no evidence that shaving makes your hair grow faster or thicker. Although hair growth increases faster after shaving, it is followed by a decrease in hair growth rate in the hours that follow. This cancels out any overall increase in hair growth. This was reported in the 1963 issue of Science Digest by Howard T.Behrman in the Journal of American Medical Association.
Are there creams or medicine I can use to grow more facial hair?
Yes. The chemical minoxidil (commonly sold under the names Rogaine/Apogaine) seems to have had some effects for some men when it was applied on their face. Rogaine is a popular hair tonic for balding men and you can pretty much find it in most drugstores. Do note that this is not approved for facial use at all but some men have experimented with this and noticed increased facial hair growth. While this is unlikely to be hazardous to health, caution is needed. Consult your doctor. You can purchase Rogaine online at Amazon.com.
There is another drug called finasteride (sold under the name ‘Propecia’ and is FDA-approved) which has shown good effects on hair growth. Finasteride increases the level of testosterone by 10 to 20% and this leads to the increase of body and facial hair, which is affected by dihydrotestosterone9 (DHT). However, not all people have seen a similar increase in facial hair so this might not work for you.
Testosterone creams can also be used although they are never prescribed just for beard or facial hair growth. Originally prescribed to solve problems like sexual dysfunction, male osteoporosis and diabetes, they may have an unintended side effect of increase hair growth. These are considered to be anabolic steroids so you cannot take them if you are a competitive athlete.
Lastly, I’ve known some people who have had good results with special shampoos designed to accelerate hair growth. A recommended shampoo that they swear by is the DS Laboratories Revita Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo which is made with some pretty good ingredients. You can click to check it out on Amazon.com. This is not a miracle but over time it should have some positive effects. Doesn’t hurt to try!
How to Grow Facial Hair? Are there any natural methods to increase facial hair growth?
Supplements, oils and herbal formulations may help. Supplements like Biotin and MSM can promote healthier hair growth when taken regularly. A good vitamin and mineral supplement that supposedly helps speed up hair growth is the Hair Formula brand. It’s got a great range of 37 vitamins specifically focusing on overall health and faster hair growth. Maxi-hair is also another popular and affordable supplement brand that many people take to grow their hair faster.
I would recommend the Nioxin Intensive Therapy Recharging Complex because it’s a great multi-vitamin/herb supplement blend. I bought it for my Dad who’s in his 60s and he really liked it. He told me that he actually got more beard and chest hair growth from taking these pills as well. Fascinating. I haven’t tried it personally but there are a lot of rave reviews on Amazon, so it seems like its working for a lot of people!
Oils like bayberry, sesame and olive oil have said to have useful when applied to the facial area although I think you won’t see drastic results. They may also cause acne so be careful with that. I have heard great things about Bhringaraj Oil, some of my friends tell me that its a great oil to use when you want softer, denser and stronger hair. This may also help a good deal with hair growth.
As for oral herbal formulations, there are some herbs which increase testosterone levels. I don’t want to make any recommendations that could potentially be harmful so I recommend checking with a professional herbalist or homeopathic practitioner for more information on what is suitable for you.
I’ll try to update this page with more information when I come across any new methods or products that work on increasing facial hair or beard growth. I hope this has been helpful for you!