How to grow a beard is what this article is all about, The speed of beard hair growth is mainly influenced by your genes. Each hair on your body goes through specific phases where it grows, falls out, and regrows before eventually stopping as you age.
Beard hair growth is controlled by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme transforms your body’s testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which then stimulates beard follicles to grow.
However, having more testosterone doesn’t necessarily mean more beard hair. The key factor is how responsive your follicles are to DHT, which is mostly determined by your genetic makeup.
Using artificial testosterone or supplements doesn’t have a proven effect on beard or body hair growth. Taking DHT can even slow down hair growth.
Now, let’s explore natural methods to boost beard growth, understand what changes you can expect, and when it’s advisable to consult a doctor for hair growth concerns.
How to Grow a Beard Naturally
Here are some natural ways that can assist you in achieving longer and thicker beard hair while maintaining its health for a prolonged period:
Diet and Beard Growth Foods:
One effective approach is to focus on your diet by consuming foods that can benefit your beard growth. Certain vitamins can potentially reactivate hair follicles that have become dormant. Key nutrients to consider include:
- Vitamin D: This vitamin is known to rekindle the activity of hair follicles that have ceased hair growth. You can obtain vitamin D from various sources, such as:
– Fish.
– Eggs.
– Fortified plant-based milk.
- B Vitamins: These are also associated with promoting healthy hair growth. You can find essential B vitamins in the following foods:
– Biotin, present in whole grain bread, dairy products, and nuts.
– B12, found in meats and fish.
By incorporating these nutrients into your diet, you may be able to support your beard’s growth and maintain its overall health.
Exercise:
While there is no direct research showing a connection between exercise and hair growth, engaging in physical activities, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can potentially elevate your testosterone levels. This increase in testosterone may indirectly support hair growth, including beard hair.
Sleep Quality:
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep can lead to a decrease in your body’s natural testosterone production. This reduced testosterone can affect the receptors on your beard hairs, causing them to grow more slowly. To promote healthy beard growth, aim for better sleep quality and an adequate amount of sleep.
Washing and Moisturizing:
Maintaining clean and well-moisturized skin is essential for fostering healthy hair growth. Use a mild, natural soap to wash your face, and after bathing, apply a moisturizing lotion or oil, like castor oil or coconut oil. This will create a favourable environment for your beard to grow.
Quitting Smoking:
Smoking is associated with hair loss, primarily due to the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke that cause inflammation and DNA damage to the blood vessels supplying hair follicles.
Quitting smoking can reduce this damage and inflammation, potentially allowing your beard to grow. Quitting smoking can be challenging, but consulting a doctor for a personalized cessation plan can be a helpful step.
Microneedling:
Microneedling involves creating tiny holes in your facial skin using very small needles. It is believed to promote hair growth by increasing blood flow to your hair follicles and encouraging healthier hair.
A study from 2013 demonstrated that combining microneedling with minoxidil (Rogaine) could reduce male pattern baldness in about 12 weeks. While not directly proven for beard growth, it may offer similar benefits.
Does shaving Every Day Speed up Beard Growth?
Can shaving every day make your beard grow faster? No, this is a common misconception without scientific backing. Shaving daily might make your beard hair appear thicker because you’re cutting off the thinner tips, revealing the denser base near the follicle, but it doesn’t accelerate growth.
Is there any Ayurvedic remedy for promoting beard growth?
While some Ayurvedic treatments may support scalp hair growth, there isn’t specific evidence to suggest their effectiveness for beard hair growth. Some studies have indicated that certain components in Ayurvedic herbs like bacopa and gooseberry may stimulate hair growth, but more research is needed to confirm these claims.
How Long Does it Take to Grow a Beard?
Beard growth follows a typical cycle:
- Anagen phase: Hair grows about half an inch per month and continues for 3 to 4 years, even if you trim it.
- Catagen phase: The hair follicle contracts while the hair keeps growing, lasting approximately 2 weeks.
- Telogen phase: The follicle remains inactive for a few months, then restarts growth. The old hair falls out, and new hair begins growing.
Your beard continuously grows and renews itself. Over time, you may notice changes in your beard pattern as new follicles grow and regrow.
What Factors Affect Beard Growth?
Several factors influence the speed and thickness of your beard growth:
- Genetics: Your ability to grow a beard is largely determined by your genetic makeup. If your parents or grandparents had trouble growing a beard, you’re likely to face similar challenges.
- Genetic conditions: Certain conditions that harm hair follicles, cause pore blockages, or result in low hormone levels (like hypogonadism) can impede beard growth.
- Stress: Elevated cortisol levels due to stress can lead to hair loss and affect overall hair health.
- Skincare: Different skin types have varying requirements, but well-moisturized, healthy skin nourished with nutrients from natural skin care products is more conducive to healthy beard growth than dry, neglected skin.
When should you consult a doctor?
If you’re experiencing hair loss as you age, you can talk to a doctor about prescription-strength medications like minoxidil (Rogaine) to promote hair regrowth. For larger areas of hair restoration, a doctor may suggest a hair transplant procedure. Seek medical advice if you’re losing substantial amounts of hair suddenly and rapidly.
Bottom line
You can’t speed up beard growth, but you can make it thicker, stronger, and healthier by changing your diet, lifestyle, and daily grooming routines. Give it a try and see what works for you!
