How to Grow Facial Hair
You've always wanted to grow out that beard, but genetics are not on your side and your follicles are not as forthcoming as you would like them to be. Short of visiting the local theatrical supply store for glue-on hair, there are some things you can do that may help you sport thicker whiskers. This article will show you a few things you can do to help you along the way. Read on!
Letting Your Hair Grow
- 1Let nature take its course. For men with sparse facial hair, it may seem an impossible dream to have a convincing beard or mustache. However, unless you're truly hairless, time really is on your side.
- As your hair begins to grow in, it may seem patchy and incomplete. However, as the hairs become longer, the slower-growing follicles will have time to sprout their own hairs, and gradually—over the course of a couple weeks (maybe more)—the patchy gaps will eventually be hidden, both by longer hairs and the slower, shorter hairs growing in as well.
- If you can hold out without shaving it all off for about a month, you will be rewarded with a hairy chin and mustache.
- As your hair begins to grow in, it may seem patchy and incomplete. However, as the hairs become longer, the slower-growing follicles will have time to sprout their own hairs, and gradually—over the course of a couple weeks (maybe more)—the patchy gaps will eventually be hidden, both by longer hairs and the slower, shorter hairs growing in as well.
- 2Give it at least four weeks. Growing hair in can be a frustrating experience, as your beard and mustache will go through a scraggly period that may have people commenting.
- Don't give up! If time is all you need to grow a beard, consider yourself fortunate—some guys may not be able to grow facial hair at all, no matter what they try.
- Don't give up! If time is all you need to grow a beard, consider yourself fortunate—some guys may not be able to grow facial hair at all, no matter what they try.
- 3Keep your hair trimmed. Once you've achieved a decent starting growth (about 1cm), use scissors or clippers to keep the hair from looking too scraggly. Some hairs will grow much faster than others, and look a little wild. By keeping the length uniform, if your beard is patchy it will look intentional, not like you've been on a bender for the last few weeks!
- Home hair-trimming clippers work great for keeping your facial hair tidy. They generally include a guide so that the home stylist doesn't take too much off the top.
- As your beard grows out, you can increase the length of your trim.
- Home hair-trimming clippers work great for keeping your facial hair tidy. They generally include a guide so that the home stylist doesn't take too much off the top.
Maintaining Proper Nutrition
- 1Take hair-healthy vitamins. While you can always apply hair-growth treatments to your face, and hope for the best, working from the inside out is always the better option. Think of it this way: your body is a factory, and everything your body grows needs that factory to operate efficiently and have the things it needs to run correctly. Your hair is no different. Here are some vitamins you can take to help your body's hair production engine, and what foods you can eat that have those vitamins:
- Vitamin A: This vitamin stimulates the production of sebum, which keeps your hair follicles and skin hydrated—important for keeping hair healthy looking. You can find it in eggs, meat, cheese, liver, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, and dark green leafy vegetables. [1]
- Vitamin C: Not only is it good for boosting your immune system, it keeps your hair and skin healthy too. Citrus is the standby for natural vitamin C, and you can also find foods such as green peppers, dark green vegetables, potatoes, and tomatoes rich in vitamin C.[2]
- Vitamin E: This has long been recognized as key for healthy skin, and can increase blood flow—leading to an optimal environment for hair growth. Foods rich in vitamin E include oils, leafy vegetables, nuts, and beans, and most people get plenty of vitamin E when eating a normal diet.[3] Topical applications can also be beneficial.
- Vitamin B3: This also helps boost circulation, which may have a positive effect on hair grown. Reports find that B3 is even more effective when taken with biotin. You can find vitamin B3 in beef, chicken, fish, and wheat germ.[4]
- Vitamin B5: Also known as pantothenic acid, B5 not only helps the body use fats and proteins, necessary for healthy hair, it also has been reported to help reduce stress; and stress can definitely inhibit hair growth. It occurs naturally in brewer's yeast, broccoli, avocado, egg yolks, organ meats, duck, milk, lobster, whole-grain breads, and more.[5]
- Folic acid. This vitamin can help promote thicker hair, and is necessary for the growth and repair of hair. It can be found in whole-grain breads and cereals, leafy green vegetables, peas, and nuts.[6][7]
- Vitamin A: This vitamin stimulates the production of sebum, which keeps your hair follicles and skin hydrated—important for keeping hair healthy looking. You can find it in eggs, meat, cheese, liver, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, and dark green leafy vegetables. [1]
- 2Increase your biotin intake. Biotin is an important water-soluble B vitamin, necessary for the the formation of fatty acids and glucose, as well as for metabolizing amino acids and carbohydrates. A biotin deficiency can lead to hair loss, so making sure you are getting the recommended amount is well worth the effort. Normal recommended daily amounts of biotin range from 30 to 100 mcg.[8]
- Biotin is found in liver, oysters, cauliflower, beans, fish, carrots, bananas, soy flour, egg yolks, cereals, yeast, and other foods. While you can take vitamin supplements that include biotin (most popular brands do), eating fresh foods is always the preferred course.
- While some people claim that biotin promotes hair growth, this claim is not proven. However, if a biotin deficiency results in hair loss, it can't hurt to make sure you're getting the minimum suggested amount.
- Biotin is found in liver, oysters, cauliflower, beans, fish, carrots, bananas, soy flour, egg yolks, cereals, yeast, and other foods. While you can take vitamin supplements that include biotin (most popular brands do), eating fresh foods is always the preferred course.
Caring For Your Hair (And Yourself)
- 1Take care of your skin. To make it easier for those tiny, slow-growing hairs to fulfill their destiny, keep skin health at the top of list of your grooming habits.
- Exfoliate your face. Once a week, wear an exfoliant mask with eucalyptus. It's great for your skin, and can help promote and stimulate hair growth.[9]
- Use hair-healthy grooming products. Shampoos or lotions with a vitamin B complex will help.
- Exfoliate your face. Once a week, wear an exfoliant mask with eucalyptus. It's great for your skin, and can help promote and stimulate hair growth.[9]
- 2Manage your stress. One of the noted side-effects of stress is hair loss. If your goal is to grow hair, you want to maximize your body's potential for follicular success. That means avoiding stressful situations, as well as either eating the right foods, or taking vitamin supplements that help your body combat stress. (Vitamin B5 is good for managing stress).[10]
- Try yoga, or meditation.
- Listen to relaxing music.
- Play sports, work out, or do anything that you prefer that relaxes you.
- Try yoga, or meditation.
- 3Take one low-dosage (81mg) aspirin daily. This is the same dosage people use for heart health, and works by improving blood flow. It can encourage a healthy scalp and may also stimulate facial hair growth.[11]
Using Medical Techniques
- 1Visit your physician. For best results, testosterone therapy should be closely regulated. Too much testosterone can backfire, and actually inhibit growth of hair.
- Testosterone can be applied through injection, through topical applications, or taken orally (though this is not recommended due to adverse effects on the liver).
- Testosterone is not stored, so you may need to maintain a supplement regimen until your facial hair grows in, or other methods such as minoxidil or skin grafts take hold.
- Using testosterone may take up to a year to produce results.[12]
- Testosterone can be applied through injection, through topical applications, or taken orally (though this is not recommended due to adverse effects on the liver).
- 2Visit a plastic surgeon. For some, nature was just not kind, and no matter what you try, whiskers refuse to call your face "home." When all else fails, the plastic surgeon can help by transplanting hair follicles from the back of your scalp (generally) right into your face.
- This is generally done on an outpatient basis, and will result in some mild skin irritation. It can also take quite a long time—one to two years—for the procedure to deliver the results you want.[13]
- Try applying Rogaine to your face. Note that this is not an "authorized" use of minoxidil, but many have found this to be a very effective method of stimulating the growth of facial hair.
