A thick beard may prove a challenge for a variety of reasons. Factors include an imbalanced or poor diet, lack of exercise, and not taking skin health seriously, which causes thin hair and weak roots. We also have to deal with patchy areas when growing out our beards. We'll be discussing how to resolve these problems, grow your beard faster, thicker and healthier in as short a time as possible.
First, we'll start with some definitions;
The essential qualities of a thick beard are:
- Thickness – the volume of the beard
- Liveliness – the health of the beard, this is achieved through proper care and commitment to your beard.
- Length – the length of the beard
3 major factors that help you have a thick beard include;
- Your Beard Color – the darker your beard, the thicker and fuller it will look.
- Your Beard Density – facial hair which has more roots is fuller.
- Thickness of Your Hair strands – Genes play a vital role here as some men who have thicker hair follicles will grow out a thick beard.
Other factors include your age and how well you manage your health.
Steps To Start Growing Your Beard:
We'll mention a couple of basic things at the very beginning of your journey that will help your beard grow faster and thicker.
Apply beard oil from the very first day. This is highly effective in caring for your beard and will leave you with a healthier, softer and itch-free beard.
The steps you need to take are summarized into 2 major sections;
1. Growing your beard continuously without shaving for 4 weeks
2. Getting into a bearding regimen
The four-week beard rule means you have to grow your beard constantly for up to four weeks (No surprise there!). The fun begins after you have completed this milestone and are ready to move to the next phase.
At this point you'll have two options;
One: Leaving your beard to grow out its full natural length
Two: Refining your beard by trimming it every few weeks.
Your beard should grow out into its natural shape and help you decide what style best suits you; a full, long or short, styled beard.
Some men try and refine their beard styles very early on by trimming, and that is okay. But don't overdo it, you can misjudge your lengths and mess up your natural beard curve lines. This will also affect your styling range.
Next step, Continue Bearding Thicker and Faster: Get into a Bearding Regimen
After you've completed the four-week challenge, follow these steps to have your beard grow longer and thicker.
- Skincare:
This is the foundation of having a healthy and thick beard. This is the time to invest in some good moisturizing products.
Cleaning your beard and the skin beneath thoroughly will not only stimulate blood circulation but also exfoliate your skin. Exfoliation cleans out your pores which helps you grow thicker follicles.
A good moisturizer helps your skin remain healthy, helps you manage your beard, reduces itching and bumps and increases hair thickness over time.
- Exercising:
Exercising is good for your health and can improve your beard too!
Laying a solid foundation to help you grow thicker beard hair; You have to focus on exercising which circulates your blood flow and opens your pores. Sweat that extra weight.
Hopefully, you get the idea that growing a fuller beard is not only based on applying products, but changing your lifestyle too.
Cardio workouts are the best for your overall health with running and dancing high on the list, which help you grow a thicker beard.
The goal here is to increase your testosterone levels which in turn causes healthy hair growth and firmly rooted strong hair follicles.
More exercise means more testosterone levels but also more DHT (dihydrotestosterone) levels. This testosterone based hormone is crucial when trying to get a thicker beard.
- Watch your stress levels:
Yes, you read that right. Stress can badly affect your beard growth. It increases the cortisol levels in your body which leaves a negative impact on testosterone and causes hair loss.
It causes the blood vessels to shrink and make a challenge for them to deliver the amount of blood and other nutrients to get to the body.
Stress is bad in every form but short term stress can be just as harmful as prolonged stress. It disrupts sleep patterns. This, in turn, can cause a devastating impact on your beard. Making adjustments in your lifestyle is a good way to relieve yourself of that stress.
Use meditation to your advantage and let your stress melt away.
- Get Rest:
To have a patch-free beard it is advisable to have at least 8 hours of good sleep. This will boost your testosterone levels and help you grow a thicker beard.
Depriving yourself of sleep can reduce your testosterone level by 15%. This is the reason you have those patchy areas!
- Focus On Your Diet:
A vitamin-rich diet consisting of vegetables is necessary, as they are enriched with minerals and vitamins that your body requires to stay fit and healthy.
Remember to focus on proteins especially; they are rich in nutrients that are absolutely essential for your hair growth.
Incorporate these specific food items in your daily diet: eggs, nuts and kale, they help in producing testosterone and give your beard a luxurious look.
- Supplement Your Diet:
A well balanced diet with additional supplements can be just what you are looking for to increase your beard growth and thickness.
Supplements such as vitamin B, iron, vitamin D, vitamin E, copper, nettle and zinc helps boost your hair growth production.
Other supplements that have an impact on your beard growth are vitamins B6 and C; especially beta-carotene and flaxseed oil.
Truth is not everyone gets these nutrients in their diet. Supplements have a positive impact on boosting your diet and leaving a strong positive impact on your hair length, thickness, volume, and density.
One important fact, they can help enhance your beard but cannot grow it for you, if it’s not in your genes!
Always consult with a physician to get the dosage right.
- Use Beard Oil, Regularly
It is a good practice to get started early supplementing your hair oil with beard oil. Beard moisturizers and skin care products are a good place to get started. They also help avoid itching and dandruff.
Preferably use products with natural ingredients, these are the best products that work for you.
Avoid using products which will dry your skin and strip them of their natural oils. Apply a light layer of beard oil, that way it absorbs the moisturizer and oil and stays fresh.
- Trim, Trim, and Trim:
After a certain point, your beard will look untidy, a little trim can help it grow faster. With a little practice, you can master the art of trimming your edges.
Use a reliable beard trimmer. Always define your neckline first, then the shape of your beard. Keep it tidy and neat to allow it grow properly on you. Use trimmer once a week.
Caution; don't trim your beard right after taking a shower, as the moist hair can make you cut wrong leaving you with bad lines.
- Stay Hydrated:
Keep yourself hydrated, it will flush the toxins out of your skin. Healthy skin is the measure for a thicker beard.
It is obvious for some, but most men forget this crucial factor.
- Take Care of Your Beard (Use Shampoo/Conditioner):
After applying the conditioner of your choice, let it work its mojo for a bit, then run your fingers to check if they glide through while leaving no residue.
Use quality products. They last all day and give an impression of sophistication and style defined.
- Myth: Shaving Your Beard Makes It Grow Faster and Thicker
We've heard rumors flying about that shaving your beard off makes your beard grow faster? No, it does not. Trimming off the edges though, is fine and safe for your beard.
Hopefully, this gets you started on your first beard or helps you keep growing out your beard. Keep growing your beard, gentlemen, and with the right products, there's absolutely no reason for you to shave.
Cheers.
