As men, we’re constantly struggling with the inevitable; that one day we’ll wake up to bald spots and thinning hairlines, reminding us that our youth is behind us.
This fact leads you to the question: can your beard go bald like your head? A valid inquiry that many men ask themselves and that we’re here to help you answer.
Below, we cover not only this question but also others, including how you can identify early signs of baldness, how to avoid it if possible, and of course, how to fix it.
Can Your Beard Go Bald?
The short answer would be no, or at least not permanently. Even if your head is balding, you can still grow a full beard. With that said, you should know that thinning beards are either a direct genetic result or an early sign of sickness.
Beard hair is considered axial hair. Other examples of axial hair are underarm and chest hair. They’re referred to as such because their main function is to protect the body.
Simply put, your beard is there to help you!
And because your beard is axial hair, any thinning or patchy spots that appear are abnormal. As a result, your panic is understandable.
Remember, though, this baldness is simply pointing at something else that’s wrong.
Why Is My Beard Balding?
Again, there’s no definitive answer to this question. It could be one of the reasons below or a collection of a few.
That said, let’s take you through the three most common reasons for balding in men:
Genetic Composition
This reason has been pointed out over and over again. That’s because it’s the one science has the most proof for.
As a result, you’ve surely looked at your father (or even your mother) at some point in your life and thought that’s what your future holds.
Having said that, science still hasn’t assigned blame to a specific side of your family. In fact, genetic baldness often dates back generations, and it could be your grandma or grandpa that’s the culprit!
In other words, your 50-something father might still have a full head of hair and a beard, or maybe show late stages of baldness, while you’re left with bald spots as early as your 20s even. Quite unfair, I say.
Mishandling of Stress
Another common reason for your balding facial hair is stress. In today’s fast-moving society, your brainwaves are typically functioning at high levels throughout the day. This is directly correlated with many health problems, including hair loss.
Contrary to your genetic makeup, however, you can actually do something about this problem. Handling your stress well includes changes to your diet, daily routine, and focusing on work-life balance.
That being said, balding due to stress is different from genetically caused balding. Meaning, stress thins and sheds your hair. Meanwhile, male pattern baldness recedes your hairline and makes bald spots appear.
Alopecia Barbae
Alopecia Barbae is among the lesser-known medical conditions responsible for beard balding. This is also why it’s commonly self-misdiagnosed as genetic male baldness. The main reason for this mistake is that both lead to bald patches.
However, the symptoms of this autoimmune disease not only include the appearance of quarter-sized bald spots but also makes the hair coarse and often white. In some cases, redness, itchiness, and irritability of the skin also occur.
That being said, the main causes for Alopecia Barbae can be psychological stress or your genes, yet again. In addition, the disease is commonly treated by creams, steroids, or in extreme cases, hair transplants.
Is My Beard Balding Related to My Testosterone Levels?
I blame famous bald men with reputations for being strong such as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson for this question. That’s because it’s led you, and me, to believe that somehow less hair equals ‘more manly.’
This is why I’m here to tell you there’s no correlation whatsoever. Yes, your testosterone levels play a role in how thick and healthy your hair grows, but that’s the extent of it. More or less of the ‘man hormone’ in your blood doesn’t directly cause hair loss.
That being said, testosterone does create another hormone known as dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This male androgen is behind the growth of your facial hair. As a result, low levels of DHT may lead to a balding beard. However, that isn’t a rule of thumb yet.
In addition, DHT levels are also affected by genetic male pattern baldness. So, although you may have enough testosterone to make DHT, you’re still prone to patchy beard spots if your gene code says so.
How Do I Cure My Balding Beard?
Given that your genes aren’t chugging you down the road to inevitable baldness, there are many things you can do to make your beard happy and less patchy.
Here are my top four recommendations to get the results you wish for:
Ramp up Your Lifestyle
The surest way to have healthy facial and head hair is to care for your body. That’s because a clean diet, frequent exercise, and a stress-monitored routine will help your body carry out its functions easier and more efficiently.
This is why we advise you to include testosterone and DHT-inducing foods in your diet. Such foods include pomegranate juice, oysters, and alfalfa. In addition, you should stick to a regular sleep cycle and a beard care routine.
Minoxidil Treatment
Minoxidil is a drug made for beard growth. It yields significant and permanent results over time. Not only that but, it’s safe to use on your chest hair and wherever you want more hair to grow.
We recommend using minoxidil with a beard rolling routine to achieve a fuller beard in less time. Of course, this will require more effort on your part but we promise it’s worth it.
Oil Up
Many natural beard oils have proven to stimulate facial hair growth. This is why we recommend you get your hands on some peppermint oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil, and start adding them to your beard care routine.
Just make sure that you dilute the oil first before applying. This way it won’t burn your skin. So, add 2-3 drops of your chosen oil to 3-4 ounces of water then gently massage the solution into your skin.
Beard Growth Supplements
Taking daily doses of supplements that stimulate beard growth isn’t a traditional method for facial hair growth, but it’s certainly effective.
That’s because they typically include the dietary needs that’ll boost your testosterone and DHT levels. So, a rich supplement with enough multivitamins, amino acids, and minerals will cure your balding beard.
Final Thoughts
The answer to can your beard go bald like your head is a definite yes. Plus, there are many factors that contribute to those irritating bald spots. Not just that but, it’s not completely irreversible unless it’s a hereditary result.
In the meantime, you can check out our collection of best forums and blogs where other beard enthusiasts gather to answer each other’s burning questions.