Can't Grow A Beard? Valuable Info To Make You Rethink
We get emails often asking why a person still can't grow a beard at 30+ years old so what can they do about it?
It is mostly down to genetics unfortunately. Some people just don't have the genes to grow thick facial hair.
However...
Many people just don't give themselves the best chance to discover what they have and give up before seeing any results!
For those who "Still can't grow a beard"
Facts about beard growth.
Beards grow vvveeerrrryyyy slowly. Facial hair grows at around 1.25cm each month, divide that by 30 days, that's 0.04cm each day.
See where I am going with this? It takes a few months to get any decent amount of growth, be patient before shaving what you have off.
The 3 stages of beard growth.
There are 3 life cycles which the hair goes through as briefly explained below:
Anagen phase - 2 – 6 years (occasionally much longer).
This is the growth phase which on average can last between 2 – 6 years, or more in some cases. As mentioned before, genetics plays a large part here. If you naturally grow hair fast, you’ll have an awesome beard in a shorter time than other people. If you grow hair slowly, that’s totally fine, just be patient, good things come to those who wait n all that.
The key to growing a great beard is patience and regular maintenance. Everyone seems to want things instantly these days, taking useless supplements to chase results. Slow down and enjoy the journey. On average, hair will grow 1cm every month.
Catagen phase - 2 – 3 weeks (approximately)
This is the stage where the hair has stopped growing but stays embedded in the follicle, just chillin’, kinda showing off and enjoying the view. Behind the scenes, a process is taking place that cuts the hair off from blood supply and the cells that produce new hair, this phase lasts around 2 weeks. Then that hair enters the telogen phase.
Telogen phase - 3 – 6 months (approximately)
This is the phase where a new hair is born and replaces the old dead hair by pushing it out. This is where the anagen stage begins all over with the new hair.
Every individual hair goes through the 3 stages of beard growth at a different rate, this is why you will find random hairs on your desk or dead hairs in your comb/brush. They have been shed through the telogen phase and new hairs are entering the anagen phase.
I have scars on my chin from falling off bikes and skateboards as a child, I have patches where hair doesn't grow. But you'd never know because I let the hair grow long enough to cover the patches.
Not everyone wants a beard the same length as mine, but my point is, if you have patches in the early stages of beard growth, you may need to let the existing hair grow longer to disguise the patches.
We recommend growing your facial hair for at least 3 months using a natural beard oil before deciding if you still can't grow a beard.
Will beard oil help?
Braw Beard oil is 100% natural and packed with nutrients, these are absorbed into the hair and skin which helps keep the skin moisturised to reduce dry skin and irritation. For the best results, massage Braw Beard oil over the hair and onto the skin gently, ensuring you massage the roots of the hair.
If you have patches where the hair doesn't grow, massage beard oil there too (if the issue is blocked pores, using a beard brush may help exfoliate the area to increase chances of growth). BUT again, don't expect results over night, it may take months, consistency is key, do it daily.
Do you sweat a lot?
If you sweat often and don't keep the skin clean, dirt and grime can block the follicles resulting in spots which can prevent the hair from coming to the surface by becoming ingrown.
This is why we recommend using Braw Beard Wash daily if you sweat often. It is designed to be beneficial to the skin as well as the hair, the aloe vera is great for cleaning and moisturising the skin, providing the best opportunity for the hair to grow.
When using Braw Beard Wash, gently massage it into the skin to help unclog any follicles blocked with grime. Using a boar bristle brush afterwards will help exfoliate too.
Is your diet good?
(Without going into too much detail, red/white blood cells, plasma etc)
The blood in your body carries oxygen and nutrients to your organs, muscles and hair follicles. To ensure your hair has the best chance of growing healthy, you need to provide decent nutrition via the food you consume.
Healthy fats, omega 3, 6 and 9 are essential for healthy hair, that's one of the reasons we use hempseed oil in our beard oil, it's packed pull of them! Maintaining a healthy diet will give you a greater chance of growing a great beard.
It comes up often at gatherings, the beard is a conversation starter. The conversation usually starts outside with someone smoking and who has clearly had a few tasty alcoholic beverages saying "mate, that's awesome but I still can't grow a beard".
I'm not saying this is the reason he can't grow one, but it may just be if his diet is trash, it's just a thought.
Like if you put diesel in a petrol engine, it won't operate anywhere near it's best performance.
Alcohol dehydrates and smoke damages your blood circulation (reducing the chances of nutrients of reaching hair follicles to enhance growth).
I enjoy a beer of 2 but I drink at least 2.5 litres of water daily and maintain a healthy diet.
• I am not a doctor, consult yours first if you think this section may appeal to you. It's just a very brief overview •
Itchy beard? 4 reasons why and how to fix it.
Your beard is itchy and feels tender, why?
Believe it or not, this is quite common and there are numerous reasons for it.
I’ve been there myself, before I started the Braw Beard brand. My facial hair would feel tender and sometime be painful at the roots, I was so tempted to shave it off, but I didn’t.
It was only after I started taking care of my facial hair that the pain disappeared totally.
I’ll explain below some causes for painful facial hair and how to resolve them.
My beard hurts! Why?
1. A dry and brittle beard.
I hear & see it a lot at shows, guys saying to me they wouldn’t use beard care products because it’s not manly or that they use engine oil, yep that may sound cool, but it certainly doesn’t look cool when their chin is producing more flakes than winter.
You see, dry skin and dandruff will cause itchiness and irritation on the skin and at the hair root, this leads to pain and discomfort….and a glittery looking black t-shirt.
Use Braw Beard oil to moisturise the skin and hair with 100% natural ingredients.
2. Wear and tear.
If your chin is subject to impact or adverse weather conditions like our athletes, the hair follicles may be under strain from the hair being pulled/pushed in an unnatural direction. This usually takes a few days to settle, however, keeping hydrated with water and moisturising along with brushing the hair gently will help.
3. De-hydration.
Are you drinking enough water? Drank too much alcohol? If the hair roots are not moisturised enough, they will become dry and painful. Stay hydrated!
4. Shampoo residue.
If your shampoo hasn’t been rinsed off thoroughly, residue may be left on the skin which will irritate the roots, causing dryness and dandruff. Be sure to use an all natural shampoo too.
If your beard hurts or is itchy, consider the steps above. The majority of the time, the hair and roots are dry and need moisturised. Apply a natural beard oil daily and brush regularly to keep the skin flake free.
Patchy beard? Simple tips to get your confidence back.
Do you have uneven beard growth?
Do you have patches in your facial hair?
Most people do, don’t worry there are some ways around it.
As mentioned earlier, beard growth is mostly down to genetics.
Dealing with hand you’re dealt.
When starting out on your beard journey, you will notice uneven beard growth and patches appearing, almost certainly everyone will. I haven’t yet met a person who has the ‘perfect’ beard.
I have spoke to men who get to the 1 month stage of growth, notice patches with little growth, decide that’s the cards they’ve been dealt then shave it off. That is then engrained in their mind, thinking they can never grow a beard.
I’d recommend aiming for 3 months of growth before making a decision, let that hair get to 2-3 inches. You will be able to get a better gauge on things. The length of hair may fill in any patches, you can comb it to suit. Like I said earlier, I have bald patches on my chin from bouncing my chin off pavements several times as a kid skateboarding, you wouldn’t know it now though. Just let it grow.
Healthy lifestyle, healthy beard.
Now that you have got over that hurdle, it’s time to start caring for your new found love. You’ll want to take care of the facial hair and skin below, if you don’t, dirt and grease may clog the follicles, preventing hair growth, leading to an uneven beard, which is exactly what you do NOT want.
A good natural beard oil will help to start off with, a selection can be found here.
Natural beard oil will keep the beard soft, healthy looking and manageable whilst addressing itchiness, irritation and dry skin. This will set up a nice environment for growing some facial hair and give your follicles the best chance reach their potential. A good beard brush is recommended (found here) for making the beard appear fuller whilst also exfoliating the skin below, again giving the follicles the best opportunity to produce.
Tips for overcoming an uneven beard.
Drink plenty of water each day, this will keep the body hydrated and capable of producing the best results.
Eat a healthy balanced diet, again this will provide the best possible results by providing your body with the nutrients it needs.
Avoid smoking, smoking has been related to hair loss, contributing to an uneven beard.
Use a natural beard oil, moisturised skin will produce better results than dry skin.
If you have more growth on one side than the other, visit a good barber who specialise in beards to balance it up for you.
Is your beard hair falling out? Fear not!
The fear of your beard hair falling out sets in. We’ve all done it, brushed our beard in the morning and noticed some hairs have jumped ship and are now taking refuge in your brush.
Don’t worry!
It is perfectly normal to lose around 50 – 100 beard hairs EVERY DAY! Sounds scary right? But, the average male has around 30,000 follicles on their face, so losing some isn’t going to make a dent.
Remember from earlier? Your hair goes through 3 cycles of life which results in growing, laying dormant then falling out, it’s natural.
(If you are losing much more than 50-100 per day, if it’s coming out in clumps and leaving bald patches, go visit your doctor. There are illnesses that can cause hair loss.)
The timeline of the cycles can vary person to person but on average they last as follows;
Anagen – 2 – 6 years (occasionally much longer).
Catagen – 2 – 3 weeks.
Telogen – 3 – 6 months.
When you think you can't grow a beard... Remember...
Growing a beard takes time and patience.
Look after your hair with natural beard care products to keep the hair nourished and moisturised.
Don’t tug at the hair aggressively with a comb or brush, this can irritate the roots, be gentle.
Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
A healthy diet will supply healthy nutrients to the hair via your blood supply, exercise will get the blood flowing.
If you have more growth on one side than the other, visit a good barber who specialise in beards to balance it up for you.
Things that can prematurely cause beard hair falling out are drying it too aggressively with a towel, this can damage the roots.
A poor diet can slow down hair growth, like our bodies we need good nutrients to grow, also extreme stress can cause hair loss.
Genetics aside, this article should have helped give an insight and has encouraged you to continue your beard growth journey. I hope you no longer ask yourself why you still can't grow a beard.
Thank you for reading.
JJ
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