Beard Growth

Giovani · Apr 9, 2016

What does influence beard growth? Why does it grow uneven, why does a cheek grow faster than the other one?

Any ideas?

I'm currently 18 and have a full and even goatee and moustache, but my cheeks grow unevenly. My left side is faster and thicker than my right side, which mainly contains vellus hair.

Tips please.

Loyal 2 da game · Apr 9, 2016

Your body doesn't do everything in perfect symmetry, hence why one cheek might have more beard than the other.

There's a few different beard growth enablers out there, but I believe they can't just make a beard appear on your face, but just speed up the maturity of the hair follicles to make them grow thicker and darker faster. However, I'm also fairly certain it's all snake oil.

Laurie · Apr 9, 2016

Just let it grow out, then if you think it looks shit, shave it and let it grow back again. As you get older it'll thicken up. That's what i've done anyway and i've got a rather large beard.

Giovani · Apr 9, 2016

Amethyst said:
Just let it grow out, then if you think it looks shit, shave it and let it grow back again. As you get older it'll thicken up. That's what i've done anyway and i've got a rather large beard.

I'm still young, so it could be in development. However my beard grows fast but uneven on both cheeks, it's kinda weird.

Superman · Apr 9, 2016

Even though it grows uneven you need to sit it out for at least a few months. If you don't like how it looks, try evening it on your own and seeing how it looks then. If you still don't like it, shave it off and start over. But be patient, because a beard worth maintaining takes time.

justpixels · Apr 9, 2016

How fast hair grows comes down to genetics (it's different for everyone). "Beard growth" products are basically a scam and will not cause your hair to grow faster (some products will make the hair healthier though).

Jack · Apr 9, 2016

It's all genetics unfortunately dude. There's the a common misconception too that the act of shaving will thicken it up and promote growth of new hair follicles but realistically it only appears to be thicker temporarily since the follicle no longer ends in a fine tip, it's effectively been cut off close to the root where it's thicker. I know there has been people who have experimented with using hair growth products, originally intended for the top of the head, on their face but I wouldn't really recommend it - sounds very hit & miss and looks like there's plenty of potential side effects.

Giovani · Apr 9, 2016

Jack Goff said:
It's all genetics unfortunately dude. There's the a common misconception too that the act of shaving will thicken it up and promote growth of new hair follicles but realistically it only appears to be thicker temporarily since the follicle no longer ends in a fine tip, it's effectively been cut off close to the root where it's thicker. I know there has been people who have experimented with using hair growth products, originally intended for the top of the head, on their face but I wouldn't really recommend it - sounds very hit & miss and looks like there's plenty of potential side effects.

Do you think my beard will eventualy even up? I've seen a lot of progress in the last 6 months, where i basicaly had no beard on cheeks.

Jack · Apr 9, 2016

Giovani said:
Do you think my beard will eventualy even up? I've seen a lot of progress in the last 6 months, where i basicaly had no beard on cheeks.

It's hard to say, my father can't grow a full solid beard apparently and he's 50 yet one of my good friends can almost effortlessly summon a giant bushy beard. As hard as it may be, you'll just have to wait and see.

Gun · Apr 10, 2016

I had a nasty neck beard in high school, but once I began regularly shaving it began to grow in tricks and more coarse. If I'm not mistaken, simply shaving regularly can increase the thickness and rate of growth. So imo just start shaving and grow it out down the road. Took me like 2 years, but I grow a thick duck dynasty beard now (if I let it grow that much)

Giovani · Apr 10, 2016

Gun Is God said:
I had a nasty neck beard in high school, but once I began regularly shaving it began to grow in tricks and more coarse. If I'm not mistaken, simply shaving regularly can increase the thickness and rate of growth. So imo just start shaving and grow it out down the road. Took me like 2 years, but I grow a thick duck dynasty beard now (if I let it grow that much)

This is the discussion most people tend to disagree with. I agree with it to an extent, however how do we know it was done due to shaving on a daily or just a mere pass of time.

justpixels · Apr 10, 2016

Giovani said:
This is the discussion most people tend to disagree with. I agree with it to an extent, however how do we know it was done due to shaving on a daily or just a mere pass of time.

I completely disagree with shaving more often resulting faster growing hair. Jack explained very well why people tend to believe it, as indeed your hair follicle is much thicker at the base than at the tip. Just look at a strand of hair on your head, the tip will be very thin, but the base will be thick.

Blupig · Apr 10, 2016

Shaving more often does not result in a thicker beard. It's genetics, mixed with how follicles are spaced out on your face. Patchy area = fewer follicles. Speed of growth and spread is also linked to how your body uses testosterone. Every male has *roughly* the same levels of testosterone, but how your body uses that is different from person to person. Those who cannot grow beards typically just have bodies that do not use testosterone for facial hair growth. This is a more common trait in different races, too. East Asians for instance cannot (typically) grow giant santa beards. Their bodies simply use that testosterone elsewhere.

Giovani · Apr 10, 2016

Blupig said:
Shaving more often does not result in a thicker beard. It's genetics, mixed with how follicles are spaced out on your face. Patchy area = fewer follicles. Speed of growth and spread is also linked to how your body uses testosterone. Every male has *roughly* the same levels of testosterone, but how your body uses that is different from person to person. Those who cannot grow beards typically just have bodies that do not use testosterone for facial hair growth. This is a more common trait in different races, too. East Asians for instance cannot (typically) grow giant santa beards. Their bodies simply use that testosterone elsewhere.

The problem arrises when I do have hair on both cheeks however its mixed between thick and vellus hair, unlike my 50year old goatee alike.

de noob · Apr 10, 2016

Jack Goff said:
It's all genetics unfortunately dude. There's the a common misconception too that the act of shaving will thicken it up and promote growth of new hair follicles but realistically it only appears to be thicker temporarily since the follicle no longer ends in a fine tip, it's effectively been cut off close to the root where it's thicker. I know there has been people who have experimented with using hair growth products, originally intended for the top of the head, on their face but I wouldn't really recommend it - sounds very hit & miss and looks like there's plenty of potential side effects.

I want a beard but my father and his father never had beards. They grow full moustaches and so do I, but a beard seems relatively impossible. I shave often regardless because when my micro beard begins to grow it looks messy. So, I guess I just can't grow a beard, it'd probably take 2 years without ever shaving to grow a semi-decent beard.