Every true beardsman has a vision of how his beard should look. A platonic ideal, if you will. Maybe it’s Ron Swanson or Mr. T. Perhaps you like something contemporary and understated like Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born. Alternately, you might hearken back to the 19th century, to a grand thicket like Rutherford B. Hayes. However, very few guys aspire to a beard they can see through. So how do you fix a transparent beard?
There are many solutions to fixing see-through facial hair. You can grow it out, style it, dye it, or take steps to promote growth in patchy areas. Whether and how you fix a see-through beard depends on your vision of perfect facial hair.
With that in mind, let’s look at some potential solutions. You will certainly find at least one option to bring you closer to that ideal beard.
A See-Through Beard Might Not be a Big Deal
To begin, ask yourself: is it so awful that people can see through my beard? Thinner, less consistent facial hair is not inherently unattractive. On the contrary, many male celebrities are known for their scraggly beards.
Keanu Reeves has never had a particularly thick beard, but he has made facial hair inseparable from his public image. The same is true of Tom Hardy, Jared Leto, and Matthew McConaughey. You might want to consider leaning into the translucent beard look.
Grow Your Beard Longer
If you’re dead-set on closing the gaps of your see-through face-mane, the first, simplest measure is to grow it out.
Beard volume makes a big difference. The reason beardsmen adhere to a 4-week rule is that cheek hair grows slower than other facial hair. You need lots of additional time and growth to fill in those gaps.
Also, the longer your beard grows, the more layered it will look, and the less daylight you’ll see through it.
Make Your Neck a Little Scruffier
If that long mane descending from your jawline is looking a bit mangy, it could be time to give it some backup.
Luckily, most guys find it easy to grow a thicket of hair on their necks. A slightly scruffy neck can provide some support to a see-through beard. Granted, the prospect of a hefty thatch under your chin might make you nervous. The out-of-control neckbeard is a hallmark of young, inexperienced beardsmen. How many awkward teenagers have mistaken a nest of neck hair for a real beard?
But you’re older and wiser now, and you know how to carefully trim and maintain facial hair. Spend some quality time in the morning tapering your neck hair so that it supports the structure of your beard and looks natural on your neck.
Brush and Style Regularly
Often, the one-two punch of careful shaping and loving brushwork can solve your see-through beard issues.
Is there a particularly patchy area on your upper cheek or just under your jawline? Perhaps you should just trim it off and opt for a more geometric look. No man is required to keep a full face of hair. A more sculpted beard, a Van Dyke, or a mustache-and-mutton chop combo might be your jam. Playing to your strengths will relieve you of the headache you get trying to fill in stubbornly patchy areas.
Of course, any facial hair styling should be accompanied by regular brushing with a quality oil or wax to give your facial hair a healthy, luxurious appearance.
Apply Some Dye
Sometimes, what you need to fill in a beard that looks see-through is a more consistent color. Not all hair grows with the same hue. There’s bound to be some blond and – let’s face it as we get older – some gray in there.
This mosaic color scheme can make a beard look patchwork-y and inconsistent, but there’s a relatively simple solution: dye it!
Many beardsmen worry that beard dye will undermine the natural, rugged look their facial hair provides. We’ve all seen an overdone dye-job that makes a guy look like he painted his beard on. But never fear! A little common sense and critical thinking will help you in this process.
To begin, think about your hair’s natural tone and look for a dye that matches it. Don’t just grab the darkest color you can find with the goal of making your beard impenetrable to the eye. If you’re graying at the temples, look for a dye that incorporates some salt in the pepper. Once you’re done, you will find your facial hair looks much fuller and more uniform.
Make Some Lifestyle Changes
Many factors can affect the texture and consistency of facial hair.
So, while you’re thinking about the density of your beard, don’t neglect the following lifestyle choices that might have substantial effects on your beard.
| Lifestyle Choice | Effect on Beard Growth |
| Getting regular, ample sleep | Reduces stress, promoting hair growth |
| A regular exercise routine | Improves testosterone production and blood flow to follicles |
| Taking Vitamin D supplements | Further improves testosterone production |
| Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and proteins | Provides nutrients that follicles need |
| Washing your face regularly | Clears pores and moisturizes skin to improve hair growth. |
Making concerted choices to stimulate beard growth will go a long way toward filling in see-through areas on your face. Luckily, these are also just plain good life habits!
Look into Pharmaceutical Solutions
If your facial hair is still thin and patchy after you’ve taken the steps outlined above, there could be a physiological cause. Here are some common reasons for bald and slow-growing patches in beards and medical solutions for each:
| Medical Issue | Common Treatments |
| Birthmarks preventing hair growth. | A doctor can prescribe steroids to promote growth. |
| Alopecia areata, causing bald patches. | Doctors prescribe a wide variety of treatments, including steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. |
| Genetic predisposition to thinner beard growth. | Lots of options, many over-the-counter, including vitamins, fish oil, biotin, and minoxidil. |
It may seem extreme, turning to medication for a see-through beard, but the remedies listed above are non-habit-forming and have minimal side effects. Many don’t even require a prescription.
Go short
One final option for guys with transparent facial hair is to scale back. A shorter, stubbly beard still gives off the beardsman’s aura of manliness and ruggedness. However, it doesn’t require every square inch of your face to produce hair of the same length or density.
This shorter option also has a lot to recommend it. You can maintain it with much less sculpting, trimming, brushing, and styling. Those are big savings in time and treasure!
In Conclusion
While any man looking to grow a full, lustrous beard might be put off by see-through facial hair, there are lots of options to fix it. Some guys need only wait for a little extra hair growth. Others may need to trim, shape, or dye to get the full-beard effect.
If you want to explore some of these options in greater detail, why not dig into our beard-filling tips and life hacks?