You’re probably not new to the old saying that shaving your facial hair will only make it thicker. This is a well-known urban legend that has made many men shave every single hair they see on their face during their teenage years.
If you’re one of those beard fanatics that envy men who have a thick and almost grizzly-like beard, we don’t blame you. According to a study published by Dixson (2013), both men and women correlated facial hair not just with attractiveness, but also with health, masculinity, and even parenting ability.
Shaving your facial hair will not in any way change the hair follicle width, number, how fast it grows, or even its color. What shaving does do is give your hair a blunt tip that makes it feel rough when you run your hand over it. The darker shade comes from the roots trying to come through.
The Effects of Shaving your Beard
Now that we have established that shaving your beard will not help it grow any thicker let’s see some of the real effects it does have on your facial hair.
Shaving is still considered one of the most effective and instant ways of getting rid of hair on any area of the body. However, you should never expect the results to be long-lived since the hair will just grow back in a matter of hours to days after the shave.
If done accurately, shaving should be painless and generally safe. The usual side effects of manual or wet shaving are ingrown hairs, burns, pimples, and cuts. Make sure that you moisturize the area first before shaving and change the blades when they are blunt.
It’s also advisable to shave along the direction in which your hair grows. Some people recommend shaving against the grain, but that will only cause razor burns. A cold-water rinse is best after shaving since it reduces inflammation.
Tricks to Getting a Thick Beard
Make a commitment
Growing a beard can be a test of patience, and you might fail by shaving it after a few weeks. The amount of time you have to wait for it to grow thick will vary from one individual to another. But, you should stay committed and wait it out.
Increase Testosterone
Increasing your testosterone production has a good effect on growing your beard because it leads to the production of DHT. The androgen DHT has a positive effect on hair growth on the body (just not the scalp).
Get your blood pumping
You will want to consider hitting the gym or doing short, intense exercises to get your blood circulation going. Blood flow is good for hair growth. In a few months, you will have a thicker beard.
Make sure you are well-rested
Less sleep also means less testosterone production. One of the main factors in having a thick beard is to make sure that your body gets enough rest and sleep to produce the hormones that help in hair production.
Focus on positive things
The effects of excessive stress and stress hormones as a net negative on virtually all parts of the body are well documented. If you’re high in stress and anxiety, that’s bad news as this will not help in your blood circulation. If you’re familiar with people losing hair because of stress, the inverse is true and can help in growing a thicker beard.
Give yourself good food
By good, we mean nutritious food that gives you different vitamins and proteins that help stimulate hair growth. Good sources of protein and minerals are eggs, fatty fish, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
You may want to take supplements
Iron, Vitamin B, E, &D, Zinc, and Magnesium can help you in achieving thick hair. Don’t just go to the nearest pharmacy, ask your doctor what supplement is best for you. You can also go for supplements that are specifically for helping people grow their hair. Do your research first before purchasing.
Consider having your beard professionally trimmed
You always have the option to trim your beard yourself, but having an expert work on it might do some magic. These are people with significant experience in handling beards, and yours will surely be treated with the utmost importance. You can have it trimmed by a professional barber then practice on your own once it grows out.
Take care of your skin
Healthy skin will encourage your beard to grow thicker. One surefire way to do this is to drink enough water. Making certain that you are well-hydrated will make sure nutrients are getting delivered, and waste is getting removed.
The Best Beard Shape for Your Face
Every beard type is different, and some beards will always tend to sway more to the wild side. If you are looking into growing a full thick beard, it will not hurt if you know what compliments your face shape.
The first step is knowing your face shape. Then, carefully stroke your beard hair in the same direction. You can also consider shaping your sideburns. The best beard shape for your face will help establish your neckline. Precision trimming of your beard around the lips area also makes you look good.
Rectangular, Diamond, and Oblong
These face shapes look better with sideburns kept at a short length while keeping the bottom part more circular. Your face will seem fuller.
Triangle
Having a “beardstache” or a full mustache with a beard is a good recommendation for men with a triangular face. Make sure that the bottom of your facial hair is short.
Oval
The oval shape is hands-down the easiest shape to work with. This shape is perfect for any beard shape under the sun and looks good with a full beard. You also have the option to maintain bushy sides as long as you straighten it once it becomes too frizzy.
Square
Not all people possess that coveted square jawline, and you can highlight it even more by having a circular beard. This shape gives a variance that elongates the chin, and therefore, balances your facial features.
Round, Heart
Short sides are a good way to amplify the beard’s longer presence. Having a full, elongated beard is also a good choice for men with heart or round-shaped faces.
The Patchy Beard
Just like we’ve been saying, not all beards are created equal, and some people have a bigger tendency to grow a patchy beard. Growing a full beard depends on a lot of factors that include your mom and dad’s genetics. However, this doesn’t mean that you’ll always be stuck with a patchy beard.
Here are some ways you can let go of the patchy beard curse.
- It all begins with taking care of your facial hair.
Hair follicles need to be healthy to continue producing hair. This is the secret to having a full beard. You can opt to use beard oil that helps in easing up the itchiness. Make it a habit to brush your bread using a bristle brush. You can cover the patches while having a tidy looking appearance.
- Give it time.
Having the insatiable urge to trim your beard is a recurring thing every month, and we know how hard it can be. You need at least a month of both no trimming and no shaving to see how your beard grows. You can always trim your neck and cheeks to make the beard look neat. But make sure you don’t trim big tracts of your beard.
- Rock what you got.
Just because your beard doesn’t look like the traditional full and lengthy beards doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of it. Who knows, maybe your patchy beard can be a breath of fresh air for some people? If not, just focus on getting a killer jawline so that you don’t have to compensate with a beard. To learn how to enhance your jawline, check out our in-depth guide.
The Wonders of Minoxidil
If you’ve used up all the natural solutions in growing a beard but are still left with no success, we’ll introduce you to minoxidil. Minoxidil is often incorporated into a foam or liquid solution and applied to the target area.
The FDA has approved minoxidil only for the apex of the scalp. Although using it on the beard has not yet been approved, the drug still works the same for your beard. A lot of men have resorted to using minoxidil to make sure that their beards grow thick.
For minoxidil to be fully absorbed into the skin, you’ll need to wait for 4 hours. If you’re following a strict skincare regimen, you need at least an hour before applying your skincare products on top of minoxidil.
You’ll get better information on how to properly apply minoxidil here. Minoxidil can be easily found in stores and online. There are different brands of it, but minoxidil is the active ingredient. We recommend using minoxidil 10% for the best results.
Beard Transplant
A beard transplant is very similar to a hair transplant. Hair follicles are removed from your scalp by a machine, creating a tiny pinprick scar. The hair follicle is then moved onto your beard. Since it’s your own hair, there is no chance of rejection. The hair grows and can be shaved just like normal. This is the ultimate solution for anyone who has struggled with beard growth. However, we recommend trying minoxidil first. It’s much less expensive and doesn’t require harvesting your other hairs.
