Growing a beard isn’t an easy thing. Most people don’t know what they should do or avoid. But, most importantly, they don’t know how long they should wait before letting it go.
So, how long to grow a beard before giving up?
On average, growing a beard takes 90 to 120 days (three to four months.) Besides the growth time, other controlling factors like age, health, genes, race, and hormones exist. These factors could either shorten or elongate the waiting period.
We’ll briefly talk about these factors and discuss what you should do to help your beard grow. It’s not just a waiting game; there are stages, things to do, and things not to do. Keep reading for more.
How Long Should You Wait?
Most people don’t know how long it takes before deciding to tap out. Growing a beard could be confusing and complicated.
Even if they wait long enough, some people might have factors like genes and bad lifestyles that could prevent them from having a beard altogether. This is when beard transplants could be a good option.
You should give a beard a chance of three to four months to grow. Typically, the hair grows about half an inch every month.
This growth period is divided into five main stages, which we’ll briefly discuss.
Stage 1: Stubble
In this stage, you’ll begin with a smooth textured skin that lasts for a day or two; then, you’ll notice some pointy roughness on your skin where the hair starts to grow back.
This stage lasts around a week and a half.
Stage 2: Patchy Beard
In this stage, you’ll start to notice how some areas on your face grow facial hair faster than other areas.
Don’t be discouraged by the patches; this is normal in this stage, which could last for two weeks.
Stage 3: Short Beard
The patches will start to be less noticeable now, and the uneven growth will be less noticeable.
This is when it starts to get a little itchy. Don’t scratch your beard because you’d increase the chance of bacteria growing around the hair follicles.
Instead, use coconut oil to ensure that your beard is clean and moist. This stage lasts for about a month.
Stage 4: Long Beard
Remember the uneven areas that started to get masked in stage three? They’ll come back again at this stage.
You’ll need regular grooming of your beard at this stage to keep it in good shape. Cleaning it would be more critical than ever, especially the deeper areas near the hair follicle.
This stage lasts from three weeks to a month.
Stage 5: Full Beard
Getting the full beard after stage four is easy, but maintaining it is hard. To remain healthy, your beard will need constant grooming, cleaning, and moisturizing.
A full-grown beard can inhabit a lot of bacteria if not taken care of. That being said, let’s find out other factors that affect the growth of your beard.
Factors That Affect Beard Growth
These are the factors that could either favor or slow down beard growth.
Age
If you’ve had classmates who grew beards before getting a driving license, that’s the exception, not the norm.
In general, men experience the most change in their beards between 25 and 35 years old. If you’re younger than that, your beard will grow unpredictably, and you might see a few hairless patches.
On the other hand, if you’re older than 35, your waiting period before you give up should be around a month and a half more. That’s in addition to the initial four months.
Genes
Genetics is a factor you have no control over. If you knew your father and grandfather to have good beards, chances are, you will too.
The same goes when the history of beards in the family isn’t so promising. Keep in mind that some men will still fail to grow beards purely because of genetic factors.
Ethnicity
The origin of men can play a role in their beard growth. For example, people around Mediterranean countries usually have longer and thicker beards than other countries.
On the other hand, Chinese and Japanese people tend to have shorter and lighter beards. This is not genetics-related, as exceptions are often seen.
Androgenetic Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. The word “autoimmune” means that the body’s defensive system is attacking its own cells.
In this case, the immune system is attacking the hair follicles. The effect of this disease is seen as hairless patches in both scalp and beard hair.
There’s no specific cause or specific treatment for this case, but many doctors believe that reducing stress and applying prescribed medicine can help reduce it.
If the condition is severe, it may hinder the journey of getting a good beard until it’s treated.
Testosterone Levels
Also known as the masculinity hormone, testosterone is responsible for hair growth to a large degree.
People with low testosterone levels tend to have less hair growth. There are many ways to increase testosterone levels, like lifting, eating healthy, and minimizing stress.
With these factors in mind, there are a few things to do in the waiting period to help your beard grow faster and healthier.
How To Help Your Beard Grow While You Wait
Most men call it a quit after a month or so, and many others wait enough time but without doing what’s necessary to help the beard grow.
Here’s what you need to do (or not do) while you wait so you can say you’ve done everything you can before you give up.
Healthy Diet
Healthy food is probably the biggest aid you could give for your body to grow in general and for your beard in specific.
You need to consume foods rich in vitamins, especially vitamin D, vitamin B12, and biotin. These vitamins stimulate the hair follicles to grow back up if they are dormant.
Exercising
There is no direct correlation between exercising and hair growth. However, regular exercising boosts testosterone levels in the body, especially weight lifting.
Testosterone can significantly contribute to hair growth, and it can help you get a fuller beard faster.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is scientifically proven to have adverse effects on hair growth. Chemicals found inside tobacco can permanently damage the blood vessels.
Additionally, the heat from the smoke causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which reduces the blood circulation in the affected area.
Quitting smoking is a win-win situation for both your health and your hair growth.
Cleaning and Moisturization
Any hair growth on the body is liable to have bacterial growth, as well as dust and dirt particles.
These harmful substances should be regularly cleaned to prevent inflammation of the skin. Additionally, use products like coconut and castor oil after you bathe to moisturize your skin. You can also make your own oils at home.
Patience Is Virtue
In the first few weeks, your beard may look strange and unmotivating. Don’t let that discourage you.
Wait long enough and take care of your beard till it reaches its full size. Do your best to avoid bad habits like smoking to hasten the growth even more.
It will be worth it in the end. But there are some scenarios where getting a beard is just not possible. Read this article for more.