How To Grow a Beard Faster: What Actually Works?

Everybody wants to know how to grow a beard faster.

And that's created an enormous market of products promising exactly that.

Beard growth oils.

Gummies.

Supplements.

Serums.

Rollers.

Pills.

You'll see adverts suggesting that if you buy the right thing, your patchy three-month beard will suddenly transform into a massive beard.

Here's the less exciting answer:

You can't simply turn up the natural speed of your beard growth with a cosmetic product.

Your genetics, age, hormones and individual follicles have a massive influence over what grows from your face and how that beard develops.

But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do.

There is a big difference between:

“How do I magically force my beard to grow faster?”

and:

“How do I give myself the best chance of growing the healthiest beard I'm naturally capable of?”

The second one is worth talking about.

I've been growing facial hair for most of my adult life and I've run Braw Beard since 2012.

So let's separate the useful stuff from the beard-growth marketing.

How Fast Does a Beard Actually Grow?

Facial hair grows slowly.

Around half an inch, or approximately 1.25 cm, per month is a reasonable average figure to keep in mind.

But it's an average.

Your beard isn't required to hit that exact number.

Some men's facial hair grows faster.

Some grows slower.

And different areas of your own beard don't necessarily behave identically either.

This is why measuring your beard every three days isn't particularly useful.

Think in months.

Not days.

If you're only three months into growing yours and you're disappointed with the result, read our guide to 3 month beard growth before reaching for the razor.

What Determines How Fast Your Beard Grows?

A substantial amount is biological.

Your beard characteristics are influenced by things including:

• genetics;
• age;
• androgen hormones;
• how individual follicles respond to those hormones;
• your hair-growth cycles;
• overall health.

This explains why two men can follow exactly the same grooming routine and grow completely different beards.

One may have extremely dense cheek growth.

The other may grow heavily around the chin and moustache.

One might grow quickly.

The other slowly.

One may eventually grow a beard halfway down his chest.

The other won't.

That's not because one of them discovered the secret beard oil.

They're different people.

Can You Actually Make Your Beard Grow Faster?

For a healthy man whose beard is already growing normally, there isn't a simple grooming trick that dramatically increases its natural growth rate.

That's the distinction I'd make.

You can look after your health.

You can correct nutritional deficiencies.

You can look after the skin underneath.

You can reduce unnecessary hair damage.

You can make the growing process considerably more comfortable.

And there are medical treatments that can affect hair growth in certain circumstances, which we'll come to later.

But don't confuse maintaining a good environment for healthy hair with magically overriding your genetics.

Does Trimming Your Beard Make It Grow Faster?

No.

This is one of the oldest hair myths around.

Beard hair grows from follicles in your skin.

When you trim your beard, you're cutting the hair shaft further down.

The follicle doesn't know you've done it.

Think about it.

If your beard is four inches long and you remove an inch from the end, how would that tell the follicle inside your face to start working faster?

It doesn't.

Trimming can make a beard:

• look neater;
• appear fuller at the ends;
• improve its shape;
• remove damaged-looking ends.

But it doesn't increase the rate at which new length emerges from your skin.

If your goal is maximum length, repeatedly cutting length off is obviously going to move you in the opposite direction.

Does Shaving Make Your Beard Grow Back Faster?

No.

Same principle.

Shaving cuts the hair at the surface of your skin.

It doesn't change the follicle underneath.

Fresh stubble can feel thicker because you've cut the hair across the shaft and created a blunt end.

That can make new growth feel coarse.

It hasn't changed the actual growth rate or transformed the follicle.

So if somebody tells you to repeatedly shave a patchy beard because it'll “come back stronger”, you can stop sacrificing your beard to that myth.

Do Beard Growth Supplements Work?

This needs a more nuanced answer than either:

“Yes, vitamins grow beards.”

or:

“Supplements do absolutely nothing.”

Your body obviously requires nutrients to function properly, and nutritional deficiencies can contribute to hair problems.

Protein, vitamins and minerals matter to overall health.

But that doesn't mean taking increasingly large doses gives you increasingly fast beard growth.

What About Biotin?

Biotin is probably the best-known “hair vitamin”.

Actual biotin deficiency can cause hair loss.

But biotin deficiency is relatively uncommon, and evidence that taking additional biotin improves hair growth in otherwise healthy people is limited.

So:

Deficient in something? Correcting that deficiency may help restore normal function.

Already getting enough? More isn't automatically better.

That's why I wouldn't blindly buy a massive stack of beard-growth supplements just because an advert promises thicker facial hair.

If you suspect you're deficient, speak to a healthcare professional and get proper advice.

Can Supplements Actually Be Harmful?

Potentially, yes.

“Vitamin” doesn't automatically mean harmless at any dose.

Some nutrients can cause problems when consumed excessively, and high-dose biotin can interfere with certain laboratory blood tests.

So don't treat supplements like beard sweets.

If you've got a normal balanced diet and no identified deficiency, there's limited evidence that piling additional biotin into your body is going to suddenly transform your beard.

What Should You Eat for Healthy Beard Growth?

Don't look for a magic beard food.

Think about your overall diet.

Hair is largely made from keratin, a protein, so adequate protein intake matters to normal hair production.

A balanced diet might include sources such as:

• eggs;
• fish;
• meat;
• dairy;
• beans;
• lentils;
• nuts;
• seeds;
• fruit;
• vegetables;
• whole grains.

You also need adequate energy intake and a range of micronutrients.

That doesn't mean:

“Eat salmon and your beard grows 30% faster.”

It means your body works best when you give it what it needs.

Boring?

Maybe.

More believable than beard-growth gummies?

Absolutely.

Does Drinking More Water Make Your Beard Grow Faster?

Water is essential to normal bodily function.

But drinking an extra litre isn't a beard-growth hack.

If you're dehydrated, fix that because hydration matters to your health.

Just don't expect your beard follicles to suddenly accelerate because you're carrying a massive water bottle around all day.

The same principle keeps coming up:

Support normal health rather than searching for a magic accelerator.

Does Exercise Help Beard Growth?

Exercise is excellent for your general health.

Keep doing it.

But don't turn that into:

“This workout makes your beard grow faster because testosterone.”

That's an enormous leap.

Train because it's good for your:

• cardiovascular health;
• strength;
• fitness;
• mental wellbeing;
• general health.

A healthy lifestyle gives your body a solid foundation.

It doesn't guarantee a massive beard.

Does Sleep Affect Beard Growth?

Sleep is another part of overall health worth taking seriously.

Chronic poor sleep affects many aspects of physical and mental health.

So get enough sleep because your body needs it.

But again, I'd avoid treating sleep as a beard-growth serum.

Seven or eight good hours won't magically create follicles you don't have.

We're trying to support the body not game it.

Does Beard Oil Make Your Beard Grow Faster?

No cosmetic beard oil can create new beard follicles.

And I don't sell Braw Beard Oil as a miracle growth serum.

That's not what it is.

For me, beard oil has two main jobs:

condition the beard hair and moisturise the skin underneath.

That can make the process of growing a beard considerably more comfortable and manageable.

It can help with:

• dry-feeling facial hair;
• roughness;
• manageability;
• lubrication when combing;
• dry-feeling skin underneath.

Those are real, useful jobs.

We don't need to invent another one.

Can Beard Oil Help You Grow a Better Beard?

This is where wording matters.

Can beard oil increase the biological speed at which your follicles produce hair?

That's not what I'd expect from a cosmetic oil.

Can conditioning the beard help you maintain the hair you've spent months or years growing?

Yes, that's the point.

Long beard hairs experience:

• friction;
• weather;
• washing;
• combing;
• brushing;
• clothing;
• daily wear.

Keeping that hair conditioned can make it softer and easier to manage.

If your goal is length, maintaining the condition of existing hair matters.

That's completely different from claiming the bottle stimulates new growth.

Beard Oil Does Not Prevent Every Split End

This is worth clearing up too.

Conditioning helps with manageability and reducing friction, but no beard oil creates an indestructible force field around each hair.

Hair fibres can still become weathered and damaged.

And a split end does not normally travel backwards through the entire hair shaft and destroy the follicle underneath your skin.

The follicle is below the skin.

The damaged end is dead keratin outside it.

So the goal isn't:

“Save the follicle with beard oil.”

It's:

“Look after the hair I've already grown.”

That's a much more accurate reason to use it.

Does Dry Skin Stop Beard Hair Growing Through?

Not in the way this is sometimes described online.

Dry, flaky skin can absolutely be uncomfortable.

You can experience:

• itching;
• scaling;
• redness;
• irritation.

Looking after the skin underneath your beard is therefore important.

But ordinary dry skin isn't generally forming a barrier that physically forces newly growing beard hairs back inside your face.

Ingrown hairs are more commonly associated with hairs curling or growing back into the skin, particularly after shaving, tweezing or other hair removal.

So moisturise because healthy, comfortable skin is worth looking after.

Not because you're trying to physically open a tunnel for your beard to escape.

Keep the Skin Under Your Beard Clean

This does matter.

A beard can trap:

• skin oil;
• dead skin cells;
• sweat;
• grooming products;
• environmental debris.

So clean both the beard and skin underneath it.

That doesn't mean scrubbing aggressively.

Use a gentle cleanser, rinse thoroughly and find a washing frequency that works with your lifestyle and skin.

If you're unsure, read how often you should wash your beard.

A clean, comfortable beard is simply a nicer beard to grow.

What About Beard Dandruff?

Call it beardruff if you want.

I often call it beard dandruff because that's what someone experiencing flakes on their T-shirt is likely to search for.

Whatever you call it, persistent flaking isn't necessarily something you should just cover in beard oil.

It can have different causes, including dry skin and skin conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis.

If you've got persistent:

• scaling;
• redness;
• itching;
• inflammation;
• painful skin;

and your normal grooming routine isn't fixing it, speak to a pharmacist, GP or dermatologist.

Beard products have a job.

Diagnosing skin disease isn't it.

What About Dermarollers for Beard Growth?

This is an interesting one.

Dermarollers or microneedling devices create tiny controlled punctures in the skin.

You'll see plenty of beard-growth claims surrounding them online.

The problem is that much of the stronger research into microneedling and hair growth relates to scalp hair loss, often in combination with established treatments such as minoxidil.

That doesn't automatically mean rolling your beard area at home will produce the same result.

It also doesn't mean microneedling inherently destroys beard follicles.

That's too strong a claim in the opposite direction.

My view is simpler:

I wouldn't injure my face with a home device based purely on social-media beard-growth claims.

If you're considering microneedling specifically to address hair growth, speak to a dermatologist first.

That's especially important if you have:

• acne;
• eczema;
• infection;
• inflamed skin;
• another dermatological condition.

Can Brushing Make Your Beard Grow Faster?

I use a boar-bristle brush regularly.

But not because I believe the bristles switch follicles into turbo mode.

A beard brush is useful for:

• shaping;
• distributing products;
• removing loose debris;
• helping control flyaways;
• working through the beard;
• gently exfoliating loose flakes from the skin.

I enjoy the massaging effect too.

But I'd separate that from a proven beard-growth treatment.

Use a beard brush because it's a useful grooming tool.

Not because you're expecting another inch of growth next month.

Does Increased Blood Flow Make Your Beard Grow Faster?

You'll hear this explanation everywhere:

“Stimulate blood flow and you'll stimulate beard growth.”

Biology isn't quite that simple.

Hair follicles obviously receive nutrients and oxygen through their blood supply.

But that doesn't mean every activity that temporarily increases circulation to your face automatically makes beard hair grow faster.

If rubbing your chin for ten minutes dramatically accelerated beard growth, we'd all have solved this years ago.

Be sceptical of explanations that take a genuine biological fact and then make a huge unsupported jump from it.

What About Minoxidil for Beard Growth?

This is the important exception when discussing beard-growth products.

Minoxidil is an established medication for certain forms of scalp hair loss.

Using it specifically to enhance beard growth is different because facial application is an off-label use rather than its standard approved indication.

However, there is some clinical research suggesting it can increase facial-hair growth.

A small randomised, placebo-controlled study found improvements in beard growth with topical 3% minoxidil.

More recent research has also reported increased beard and moustache density and hair diameter in transgender men using topical minoxidil alongside stable gender-affirming hormone therapy.

So I wouldn't tell you:

“Minoxidil definitely doesn't work on beards.”

The evidence doesn't support that statement.

But I also wouldn't tell somebody watching a beard-care video to simply buy minoxidil and start putting it on his face.

It is a medication.

Facial use can cause irritation and there are individual health considerations.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends speaking with a dermatologist before using minoxidil to try to increase facial-hair growth.

That's sensible advice.

What About Beard Growth Serums?

Ask what is actually in them.

“Growth serum” is marketing language.

It doesn't tell you how the product works.

If it's essentially a cosmetic blend of carrier oils and fragrance, I'd expect it to behave like a grooming oil not a medical hair-growth treatment.

Look for:

• the actual ingredients;
• the mechanism being claimed;
• human clinical evidence;
• whether that evidence specifically involves facial hair;
• whether the product is cosmetic or medicinal.

Don't let before-and-after photographs do all the scientific heavy lifting.

Beards naturally grow over time.

A photo taken on day one and another three months later doesn't prove the bottle in the middle caused the growth.

Why Your Beard Can Look Like It Has Stopped Growing

This happens all the time.

Your beard grows rapidly at first.

Or at least it looks like it does.

You go from:

clean-shaven - stubble - short beard - established beard.

Those visual changes are massive.

Then several months later you think:

“Nothing's happening anymore.”

Often you're simply noticing the change less.

You see yourself every day.

An additional few millimetres on an already long beard doesn't create the same visual transformation as the first few millimetres on a clean-shaven face.

Take Monthly Beard Progress Photos

This is one of the easiest things you can do.

Take a photograph today.

Then stop obsessing.

Take another at the end of next month.

Try to keep:

• the angle;
• lighting;
• beard styling;
• camera distance

reasonably consistent.

Do it for three to six months.

Then compare the first and last photographs.

You'll get a much better idea of what's actually happening than you will by staring into the bathroom mirror every morning.

Beard Growth Eventually Becomes Less Obvious

Individual hairs don't grow indefinitely.

Hair follicles cycle through periods of growth, transition and rest before hairs eventually shed and are replaced.

Different follicles aren't perfectly synchronised.

That's why your entire beard doesn't reach maximum length and fall out on the same Tuesday.

As a beard becomes very long, the overall appearance of additional length can become less dramatic because individual hairs are at different stages and have different maximum lengths.

Your beard can therefore still be biologically active even when visible progress seems much slower.

Stop Comparing Your Growth Rate to Somebody Else's

This may be the biggest thing holding people back psychologically.

You grow for three months.

Then you find someone online whose three-month beard looks like your twelve-month goal.

Now you think yours isn't working.

You don't know his:

• genetics;
• age;
• starting point;
• hair texture;
• density;
• growth pattern.

It's a useless comparison.

Judge your beard against your previous beard.

That's what the monthly photographs are for.

How To Give Yourself the Best Chance of Growing a Good Beard

Forget the miracle hacks.

I'd concentrate on this:

Eat a Balanced Diet

Give your body adequate protein, energy, vitamins and minerals.

Correct Genuine Deficiencies

If you suspect one, get proper medical advice rather than randomly taking huge doses of supplements.

Look After Your General Health

Sleep, exercise, hydration and sensible nutrition matter far beyond your beard.

Keep Your Beard and Skin Clean

Use a routine that suits your lifestyle and skin.

Condition the Hair

Use beard oil if it works for you.

Its job is conditioning and moisturising not rewriting your genetics.

Comb and Brush Sensibly

Don't unnecessarily rip through tangles and damage the beard you've spent months growing.

Stop Trimming if Your Goal Is Length

A tidy-up is one thing.

Constantly removing length while complaining that your beard isn't getting longer is another.

Give It Time

This is the big one.

You cannot rush a year of beard growth into three months.

When Slow Beard Growth May Be Worth Investigating

Having a naturally sparse or slow-growing beard isn't automatically a medical problem.

Genetics varies enormously.

But if you experience:

• sudden beard hair loss;
• defined bald patches;
• major unexplained changes in hair growth;
• significant skin inflammation;
• other new symptoms alongside the hair change;

speak to a healthcare professional.

That's different from simply wishing your beard grew faster.

The Beard-Growth Industry Sells Speed Because Patience Is Hard to Sell

This is probably the real lesson.

“Give it a year” isn't an exciting advert.

“Grow a massive beard FAST!” is.

I understand why the second one gets clicks.

But I've spent years growing my beard and more than a decade talking to men growing theirs.

The process is slow.

That's normal.

Good beard care can make that process:

• cleaner;
• softer;
• more comfortable;
• easier to manage;
• more enjoyable.

That's valuable enough.

We don't need to pretend a bottle of oil is changing the speed of your follicles.

Final Thoughts

So, how do you grow your beard faster?

For most healthy men, there's no simple cosmetic hack that dramatically accelerates your natural beard-growth rate.

Trimming doesn't do it.

Shaving doesn't do it.

Beard oil isn't a growth drug.

Random supplements aren't a shortcut if you're already getting the nutrients you need.

And I'd be cautious about sticking needles into your face because somebody on social media promised a thicker beard.

Instead:

Eat properly.

Look after yourself.

Keep the beard and skin clean.

Condition the hair you're growing.

Correct genuine nutritional deficiencies if you have them.

Take progress photographs.

And give the beard time.

If you're interested in medical options such as minoxidil because your facial-hair growth genuinely concerns you, speak to a dermatologist and have that conversation properly.

Otherwise?

Keep growing.

The most boring beard-growth advice is often the most useful:

Patience.

Feel the difference and join the #Brawtherhood

Scottish beard care.
Born in Scotland, enjoyed Worldwide.

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