Through the site, I get lots and lots of questions about beards all the time. Over the years, the question that I get most often comes from guys who report having little or no beard development. They ask if there is a cream, a medicine, or some other remedy that they can use to produce beard growth.
The sad truth is that there is no magic solution to produce beard growth where there is little or none. If the guy is young, patience may be the answer, as there is always the chance that he will develop more facial hair in the future. Otherwise, unless there is a medical problem inhibiting beard development, there’s really not much that can be done.
Many who ask this question express having a great deal of anxiety over their insufficient beard growth. Some have even reported contemplating suicide because of extreme frustration and powerful feelings of inferiority that stem from the inability to grow a beard. I recognize that it is a serious problem for them. Although others may insensitively dismiss it as being trivial, it is not. For many, the pain and frustration are profound.
I encourage all guys to work on accepting the level of beard development that they have and learning to make the most of it. If it still bothers a guy enough, I encourage him to consult a medical doctor. The doctor may not be able to help him develop more beard growth, but should be able to assist the patient in understanding the situation and help him to build coping skills. This is one of the toughest lessons about beards.
Although I know – both direct and indirect – that many are not content about their facial hair. But I didn’t know it could go to that extent. I’m afraid I don’t have much to contribute to this matter at the moment, but I could share a quote from a conversatiion I had with a younger friend.
“My father once told me ‘I see you’ve inherited my weak beard-growth’ to I replied ‘You mean I should have inherited it from mom?'”
Sure, his mom might’ve had some bearded relatives or such, but it still sounded strange. My friend gave up on ever growing a beard when he was 14 years old. He’s 16 now, and I wasn’t even close to having a beard when I was 16 (though I could grow nasty sideburns!) Didn’t get one until now, when I’m 19 years old. Really a shame that he’s given up already, well I hope he’s proven wrong (if he wants to have a beard, that is) when he’s a bit older. His younger brother wants a beard, and still has some hope.
Facial hair is tricky. I can grow a beard, but not a mustache. My older brother can’t grow either, and my younger brother seems like he’s going to be able to grow a mustache at least. My father has a mustache, and seem’s like he could grow a nice beard but I’ve never seen him with one.
For the record, 50% of my ‘IRL’ friends have nice beards.
“Hige wa saikou desu~!”
IT WAS NOT UNTIL I REACHED FOURTY THAT I THOUGHT I COULD GROW A RESPECTABLE FULL BEARD. EVERY TIME THAT I TRIED TO GROW MY BEARD OUT, I GAVE UP BECAUSE IT LOOKED TOO THIN AND PATCHY.
WHEN I STARTED TO GROW MY PRESENT BEARD I ALMOST GAVE UP AGAIN FOR THIS SAME REASON. I WAS FRUSTRATED AND TOO CRITICAL OF THE SLOW EARLY GROWTH. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEB SITE AND OTHERS LIKE IT THAT I FOUND THE INSPERATION TO KEEP GOING.
TODAY MAKES TWO MONTHS OF GROWTH, AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. AFTER THE FIRST SIX WEEKS, MY BEARD SEEMED TO BE GETTING THICKER AND FULLER EVERY DAY. OF COURSE IT IS GETTING THICKER AND FULLER EVERY DAY, BUT NOW IT LOOKS THAT WAY TO ME.
FOR THE FRUSTRATED; REMEMBER A BEARD IS AN OUTWARD SIGN OF YOUR GROWING AND MATURING AND THAT, IS A PROCESS WHICH TAKES TIME. IF IT CAME TOO QUICKLY, IT WOULD LOSE IT’S SIGNIFICANCE, AND WOULD NOT BE AS HIGHLY ESTEEMED. THE BEARD IS ALSO A SIGN OF WISDOM, WHICH COMES SLOWLY AS ONE EXPERIENCES LIFE. THIS; IS AS IT SHOULD BE.
SO LOVE THE BEARD YOU HAVE, AND ONE DAY IT WILL BE THE BEARD YOU LOVE TO HAVE.
I have a couple Taiwanese friends who I watched mature through their twenties from having just a handful of hairs on their face to being able to grow respectable goatees. That may be no help to the depressed guys, but like others I would just encourage patience.
I like my beard – Its my chest hair Im not happy with . Is there a cream or product to make it grow in thicker ?
At 46 , I finally happy with my beard , althought it has taken years , My mustache is finally growing thicker and darker . I know how some of the following men have felt about there patchy or sparse beard growth . I went through It for years , My Dad a life-time ” Clean-Shaver ” has beautiful thick whiskers – But refuses to grow a beard . My Dad looks like Kenny Rodgers without a beard – with one he could look like his brother . My Dad used to get on me as a teenager – telling me to “Wash that damn dirt off your face ” – That really hurt . I have a weak chin , people like my clean shaven face better , but I dont – I NEED to have a beard – Always! . My two teenage sons refuse to grow a beard , both have their moms thick hair , My older son , John Jr , has very dark thick hair and would look like Osama Binladen if he didnt shave , Me and his brother call him ” Jihad Johnny ” . I wont give up on either of them , Someday maybe they would make Dad happy and grow a beard .
P.S.. .. I have found that Consort Holding Gel # 10 , When applied to your beard can thicken it , also Waxman Mustache Wax , and It smells good too.
i m 23 yrs old guy from india.i have very less facial hair on my face.which hair r there r too weak and light.thatno one can recognize that there r any bread in my face or not.i want good bread and hairs on my cheast.Is there any way.Plz help me out.
To whom it might concern…how do YOUs recommend that i persist-oN with my DREAM to prosper in the area of my facial hair ??
Meaning, I have a goatee, but, it goes thru so many stages, meaning,
some hairs are courser than others, some are LONGer, some are more and less straight, some stronger–apparently the roots for them particular ones, some are seemingly shorter ’cause the wind distracts them often times ….
MY KEY GOAL is to re-grow out the goatee to be like I had it about 5 years ago, when I was 23 yRs. oLd.
Back in theM-dayz’, my goatee was a HEAVEN-SENTed, meaning,
each hair was inexplicably + undeniably STRAIGHT, and also each one
was STRONG, + each hair was evidently real STRONG [yeA’, winds had to be REAL strong to move ‘eM].
ANywaYz’, if anyone knows on Earth ’bout this, it’s YOUs.
sO , ANY iNFo. bACK REGARDING THIS iNQUiRy WILL BE ‘PPRECIATED . .
I am 50 years old and my chin whiskers are grey. Not much luck on on the cheeks or burns. All i can come up with is the grizzled look.
So I concentrate on the goatie that grows in well in about three days.
The stashe is light red and i shave it on the sides about 1/4 inch daily.
Vitamin E seems to help.
wer
Gabby , I have the same problem . Check out my pictures under United States – Ohio -John . My chins been gray since age 29 , Im now 46 , Ive tried to cover it up with dye , but in a few days , the grey pops back thru . So Ive accepted it . Good Luck on the beard growth . God Bless / Take Care – Ohio John .
hi! I’m 18 and i want to grow beard (better fullbeard). but i’m very dissappointed because i can’t. i’ve got thin hairs, and they are not as much as i want. can i do anything to grow a beard?
Spanish guy: You should just wait and be patient to see if your beard will further develop over the years. At eighteen, chances should be good. If you are sufficiently concerned, though, you should consult a physician. Good luck to you.
Thank you Steve. What do you mean with “At eighteen, chances should be good”? Should my beard have grown already?
I mean that for most guys, their beards are not fully developed by age eighteen. So you likely could look forward to more beard development in the coming years. It’s not guaranteed, but I would not come to any conclusions at eighteen. Just wait and see what happens over time.
im 17 and can grow a full mustache ands sideburns, also alot of hair around my chin. my cheeks are weak but the more i shave the more hair that comes through. ive been shaving with an electic razor. seems to work. my cheeks are getting more hair on them everyday it seem. i should have a full beard in no time. its gonna be awesome
That’s great news, Jake! It’s really not the shaving that’s causing more hair to grow. That would be happening anyway. Good luck with your beard!
I’m 19 and have a full beard and moustache. it’s not to the length i want it but it seemed natural for me to grow a beard, since at first sight my dad had a beard when i was a baby. so i think that is sort of why i love beards. it’s comfortable for me to have one. it’s like a distinction of sorts.
Cheers,
Drew
my moustache wont come in fully it has a blank patch and then on the sides it has full length hair..is that strange or what should i do? wait it our or something? let me know.
lastly, what type of beard would you say that i have? if any of you know exactly.
I would say that you have a full beard with some gaps or patches. These may or may not fill in over time. As always, just make the best of what you have. If you like the way it looks, keep it. If you don’t like the way it looks, you might trim it down into a different style. If that doesn’t work for you, then you can wait and see if it fills in more each year. Good luck to you.
Thank ya for the tips, and the info mate. heh, my mother hates me beard but i love it with a passion lad. it gives me let’s say a characteristic that’s unique to myself. I love being out of the crowd and always have been. is the reason that i don’t have it all filled in is because of the gaps? It isnt as thick as let’s say a 34 year olds beard. Mine it’s just kind of.. i dunno it’s not quite like a older males beard. Does that change over time? It’s not like the way an older guys beard looks if that makes any sense. are those gaps permanent or will those get thicker and fill in over time.? anyway thank’s for helping me out man it helps alot.
Cheers,
Drew
P.S. is my mustache filled in all the way or no?
thank ya for the tips lad. What are the gaps and patches caused from if you know? and if you think you have any suggestions on what type of beard might fit my face better let me know that’d be cool if you could give me some reccomendations to try. I’m thinking of trying something new.
Cheers,
Drew
I AM 21 YEARS OLD AND CURRENTLY WEAR A FULL BEARD. I LIKE IT ALOT, BUT WISH THAT IT WOULD BE A BIT THICKER WHERE THE MOUSTACHE AND GOATEE JOIN, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME HAIRS THERE, AND ALSO A BIT THICKER ON THE CHEEKS. ALL MALES ON BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILLYU GROW FULL RESPECTABLE BEARDS AND IM ALMOST THERE. JUDING BY MY AGE AND FAMILLY HISTORY OF BEARDS, DO U THINK THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE AREAS WILL IMPROVE THAT IM NOT SO HAPPY WITH?
Steve, i was wondering what you meant by gaps and patches. Where are they located on my beard if you wouldn’t mind showin’ me. I’m fairly new to growing a beard so that’d be great.
Thanks!
Drew
Hey Guys! At the age of 19 I look in the mirror and wonder if I can feel the satisfaction as millions of other men across the world do by having a beard. My mom has always told me that I’ll never grow any facial hair, that my grandpa never had any in his years. However, her theory has been proven wrong. At 16 I had a good length mustache and by the age of 18 I grew thickly on my chin. I am now 19, aging near 20 and I seem to be growing what might develop into a beard, but might take some more time and patience. Strangely enough the hair that does grow on each of my cheek varies. One cheek has more hair covering the area and the other cheek is missing, but a small patch. I see what could be a development, but there’s a slight fear of never accomplishing it. My prime has yet to peak so I may be in for luck. Any suggestions?
Hi, Chris,
I’d say to just be patient and keep an eye on how your beard growth develops over the coming years. Good luck to you!
hello,
i just want to say that all you guys in your early twenties should give it more time with your beard growth. i’ve wanted a beard since i was a little kid. i’m 32 now, and still my beard grows more like that of an eighteen year old. i know genetics play a role in this, but i seem to be the only male in my family not able to grow a decent beard. my brother’s grew full by his late twenties at least. i’ve literally been shaving since i was eight years old. i thought even back then that if i started shaving that early it would grow good by the time i was old enough. now, at 32, admittedly it’s never grown as much as it does now; i can get a decent stash, o.k. goatee and maybe a sorry excuse for sideburns, but the sides are still barely there. i even tried growing it for a whole year without taking a razor to it at all, and only trimming it with clippers once in between. i found that if you really let it grow for a very long time, you may be able to slightly cover some of the bald patches with some hair growing above a bald area; a little bit of it did grow long enough to sort of hang down over some of the baldness below; however, even then i could brush the hair away and reveal the big bald spots. i shaved the beard off about a month ago, and now i’m trying to grow it back. i’m putting some Rogaine on my face even though i’ve heard very little evidence of it working for that; i have heard that it has caused some people to grow facial hair as a side effect-hope i get that one! So remember, younger guys, i’m 32, i grew it for a whole year and it’s still skimpy. however, i’m never going to stop trying! by the way, there are some interesting videos on youtube, where guys filmed themselves growing a beard everyday and show it to you in a few minutes. go there and type in, “growing a beard.” and you’ll find some of these.- they’re very interesting to watch, although the nice thick beards these guys can grow make me quite jealous!
Hi guys,
I have consulted a doctor since i do not have proper beard. And i have been advised to take SUSTANON injections for 10 weeks.
I dont know whether that works or not if sombody has any information about plzz advice.
Ajay,
We cannot give medical advice on this site. If you have any questions about this, you should direct them to your doctor or seek a second opinion from another doctor. Good luck to you.
The sad truth is that there is no solution of this problem!
If you and the other men in your family have beards that grow differently (in the distribution and number of beard hairs, speed, colors, coarseness, etc.) be thankful for the variety of genes that combined to make you! The health benefits of being a genetic mutt are less visible than one’s face but still wonderful.
it’s odd, but it seems to me that shaving makes your facial hair tougher. anyway, at 19 i still cannot grow my beard. i tried it this summer, but all i got were tiny long hairs that caused the sensation of having a tiny coat of down over my skin. my facial hairs grow very separated one from another. i don’t know what to do. i’ve got some friends of 20 that have a full grown beard and make me jealous, i’ve always wanted i beard you know…
but i think there is no chance. if it has to grow, it will grow sooner or later… but i don’t want to wait more!!!!
i think there are not, but if somebody knows any tip that could help me i’d be really happy
have a nice day!!
Spanish guy,
Mainly all you can do is to wait and be patient. As you get older, you’ll see if more hair develops on your face. Good luck to you!
i’ve got just a few countable beard and dosn’t grow to the shape i want, how do i improve the growth.
Please, is a big concern, i am 31year old an actor and the major roles i win are being denied me just because of my baby face.
thank you i wish to recieve your possitive responce soonest.
Ferdinand.
Ferdinand,
The only thing you can do is either accept what you have or seek advice from a medical doctor. And a medical doctor may not be able to do anything for you short of recommending hair transplants or something drastic like that. Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer for you. Good luck to you.
Is beard growth inherited from both sides of your family? Or is it more to one side?
That’s a good question, Sean. I don’t have an authoritative answer for you. I’m sure that both sides have an influence. I don’t know if one side may dominate. From real life examples that I’ve seen, it seems plausible that one side may have a greater influence than the other. I would like to see some scientific studies on this.
Steve, how even-handed of you! The anecdotal (scientific jargon for a handful of stories rather than careful surveys and experiments) examples I’ve seen in print and around me seem to point to the mother’s side’s controlling at least the ability to produce a beard.
One woman who went through sex-change surgery (and the accompanying hormone treatments) in the 1990’s produces a thick beard now as transgendered man. I saw this in a credible publication.
Here is what I’ve seen in many people around me:
When a man who can produce a thick beard has a son by a woman whose male relatives in her maternal line cannot produce thick beards, the son usually cannot produce a thick beard. When a man who cannot produce a thick beard has a son by a woman whose male relatives in her maternal line can produce thick beards, the son usually can produce a thick beard. I’ve seen both cases.
I have no idea how much each side influences the follicle “map,” the hair textures, or the hair colors of a beard.
I’ve heard that baldness comes from your mother’s side … yet I get my balding tendancies from my dad’s side of the family.
On my mother’s side I have only two pictures of bearded ancestors. One has a “chin strap” and the other a full beard.
On dad’s side I have pictures of four bearded ancestors and their’s are more impressive than Mom’s ancestors.
I have heard that balding men are the ones with the thickest beards … I can not prove that but I am balding and do have substancial beard growth.
I am sure that growing a “good” beard is in the genes but where do those genes come from????? I simply do not know.
Aldon
Hi, Steve!
Thanks for the additional insight. It is a great question, worthy of more investigation.
Hello-
I’m 34 and trying to grow a beard. I’ve had a goatee/mustache years ago but I’m not the most hairy guy so I’m not sure if I can pull off a beard. It is very thin and low through the cheek area though it seems ok in the neck, jaw, and chin. I’m 10 days into it. Should I let it grow for 30 days to see what happen? Can you look at how a beard is growing and determine what it will look like when it is done?
Thanks your help
-Ed
Ed, Let it grow for at least 90 days. This will give your beard time to fill in. Not all beards grow at the same rate and not all areas of the face fill in as fast.
Good luck and happy growing.
Aldon
Hello everyone.
First I would like to say that this is a great site. I have had a beard for about 2 months (I am 29 years old) and I have tried to keep it nice and trimmed but I am simply not pleased with how I have shaped my beard. The growth is certainly there but the hairs stray too much. I recently bought a WAHL 9916-817 Groomsman ® Beard & Mustache Trimmer. Is anyone familiar with this particular model?
Anyway, I am one who would rather continue having a beard but I need to shape it accordingly. Dale’s beard was simply perfect. I will try to imitate his beard.
Ed:
If you’re not sure, let it keep growing for a while longer. Too often, guys give up before giving the beard enough time. In many cases, it will fill in and look good even when in the early stages it may look weak. In some cases, however, that may not be the outcome. Only you can decide for sure how well you like it. Just be sure to give it enough time to make a fair assessment. Good luck.
Hello, A.B.,
Congratulations on being bearded for two months so far! I’m not familiar with that specific Wahl trimmer, but that is one of the leading brands. Shaping your beard with a trimmer is something of an art. You’ll get better at it with practice. Always keep in mind the principle that you can’t immediately “undo” trimming, so take small steps at first. You can always keep trimming in small increments if you feel that you didn’t take off enough in the first pass. Even if you do take off too much in one trimming, just chalk it up to experience and let it grow back out. Good luck to you.
Ed (from Feb. 13),
My facial hair seems to grow at medium speed. I don’t get my beard’s and mustache’s real texture until about two months.
From the way you’ve described your face, I’d suggest waiting two months before starting any high-maintenance styling. In the meantime you could shave below your mandible-neck crease and use a trimmer (or fingers, scissors and comb) to keep everything short while waiting for the slower-growing hairs fill in, and then let the beard go longer in stages until it reaches the preferred length.
If the follicle map for your mustache is thin, you could let your mustache grow over your upper lip and then trim it back in (small!) stages.
A.B. (from Feb. 15),
If you hairs stray, then you probably have a beard like mine, which looks good either really short or really long.
Hi, yall!
I’d like to say that I’m glad I found this site! There’s a lot of really great info and feedback here – after all, how often do you have a discussion with others about your face?
I’m 59, and I have a moustache and a goatee. I grew my moustache 30 years ago, and it’s never been shaved off since. It inspired my father, who’d been clean-shaven his whole life, to grow one of his own!
Although my moustache is very full, the sides of my face are extremely sparse of hair, to the point where I only have to shave them once or twice a week!
I believe this is due to genetic influence from the maternal side of my family, which is of central Russian ancestry. There is a definite Eurasian influence on the maternal side – I have 3 uncles with noticable Asian eyefolds, who only shave on a weekly or biweekly basis!
It was just last fall that I noticed that the hair on my chin had developed to the point where it might be possible for me to grow a goatee. I gave this a try, and after a couple of months I now have a decent goatee – although it’s white as can be!
This doesn’t bother me at all. I do have some friends who make comments from time to time about how I should color my goatee, like the ads shown on TV. I think that dyed beards look extremely artificial, and that they are VERY noticable! (Like Billy Mays, the “Oxyclean” pitchman!)
To all the people who wish their beards could be thicker, look at my age (59), and I know it was only in the past year or so that the hair on my chin became thick enough for a decent goatee. Each person is individual, and having patience can definitely be required!
Jon,
Welcome! Thanks for sharing your story!
Firstly, thank you Steve (the beard guy) for the advice. I have actually shaved my beard off but will start growing it again. My beard grows back fast (its my greek blood I suppose…ha). Oh and I am not sure why I mentioned “Dale” when I meant “Patrick” who was the one with the great beard.
I think you are right Steve (not the beard guy). After about 2 months or so it looks too scraggly. I remember I didn’t shave for about 6 months and it looks darn good. Anyway, back to square one!
*it looked darn good*