Can’t help but stare at the other dude’s full, awesome mane? Sucks to admit it sometimes, but it's only human to feel a little insecure. That's just the way it is--some guys are naturally charming and can shoot a ball from anywhere on the court, while others can grow a lumberjack beard with no effort. While knowing you can't really have it all is a bitter pill to swallow, it doesn't mean we can't try. Case in point: Don't let your inability to grow a thicker, fuller beard hold you back. Follow these tips on how to grow a thicker beard.
How to Get a Thicker Beard | 19 Tips
What Makes a Beard Good-Looking?
A good-looking beard must have vitality, length, and thickness. Most men struggle with the last one. Impatience leads to frustration as they compare their beard's growth with others.
What Makes a Beard Look Thicker?
Truth bomb: your beard grows at the same rate as others. Theirs might look much thicker because of the following factors:
- Beard Color - A darker beard tends to look thicker.
- Beard Density - This refers to the number of hairs per square centimeter of your face. The higher density, the thicker a beard will look.
- Hair Strand Diameter - This is the diameter of each hair follicle.
The Starting Steps to Growing a Thicker Beard
Wash Your Beard Regularly
We’re men—not savages. Keep your facial hair clean but do not over-wash as it can cause dryness. The only thing worse than a patchy beard is a dry patchy beard. Here’s a recommendation, bro — Wild Willies Beard Wash Shampoo: it's scientifically formulated to replenish, moisturize and hydrate the skin while restoring, fortifying and stimulating beard growth.
Beard Oil is a Must!
The use of beard oil will save you from excessive itching. This will also help in maintaining softer and healthier beard hair follicles. Check out this amazing beard oil made from 10 natural vitamins and organic essential oils.
You Can Take Beard Supplements
If you notice patchy areas on your beard, it's likely you may need a boost from the inside. Taking a beard supplement like Wild Willies Beard Growth Supplement, which contains L-cysteine, biotin, and P-amino Benzoic Acid can help populate these patchy spots.
The One-Month Beard Rule
If you haven’t already figured out, growing a beard requires quite an amount of patience. Enter the one-month rule! Pretty straightforward. Let your beard grow for a month.
Expect itching around the second or third week but don’t even think about succumbing to the discomfort and trimming or shaving it. Give it time to show its full potential.
It's Gonna Get Itchy!
Prepare for the itch, it’s a part you cannot skip. The growth of new hair irritates the skin and poor grooming habits and just make it even more uncomfortable. So, remember that it’s supposed to get itchy, and just keep on washing and moisturizing.
Surviving the first month without trimming or shaving your beard will allow it to grow to its full potential. Do otherwise, you’ll impeded it’s growth and bye-bye to the thick mane you want.
Post-One Month Rule Tips:
Up Your Skin Care Game
Invest in a good moisturizer to keep your skin healthy. After all, healthy skin is the most important factor in having good-looking whiskers. Wash your face regularly to exfoliate your skin and stimulate blood circulation. This can lead to a fuller, thicker beard over time.
Work Out
Hitting the gym or even simple walking or running can increase your testosterone and DHT (dihydrotestosterone) production. These hormones promote the growth of healthy hair follicles.
Watch Your Stress Level
Stress can raise the body's cortisol levels, affecting the production of testosterone essential to growing a beard. At the same time, when you're stressed, blood vessels tend to get constricted, affecting the flow of nutrients to the hair follicles.
Get Enough Sleep
Aside from reducing your stress level, getting a good night's sleep can also lead to a healthy production of testosterone. In fact, there are studies suggesting that sleep-deprived men can experience a staggering 15% drop in their testosterone levels.
Have a Healthier Diet
Did you know that human hair is a protein filament? Having a high-protein diet can make your beard look healthier and fuller. But don't think this is your excuse to eat steak all the time -- veggies and fruits must still be part of your diet to get the essential vitamins and minerals into your system. You can also add food that aids in testosterone production like eggs, nuts, and kale.
Consider Taking Supplements
To boost the growth of your beard, you can also consider the use of supplements. Minerals like iron magnesium, zinc, and copper and Vitamins B, D and E, all have roles to play in growing a thicker beard. Other vitamin supplements that can aid your beard's growth are biotin and flaxseed oil.
Lube Your Whiskers Regularly
If you want to take growing a beard seriously, the use of beard oil from the day one is necessary. Use beard oil to moisturize not only your beard but also your skin underneath. This helps reduce itching and dandruff. Opt to buy beard oil made from natural ingredients like jojoba and/or argan oil. These oils act very similarly to the sebum your beard naturally produces.
Groom Your Whiskers Properly
If you really want to trim your beard before getting past the one-month rule, it's better to go to a professional barber.
After growing it out for a month, you can start trimming it on your own. This, though, might require a little bit of practice. Here are a few helpful tips you can try:
- Invest in a good, reliable beard trimmer. Achieve perfect lines with the help of this precise shaping tool.
- Keep your beard in-tune with your facial features. It should match your face. This article from GQ magazine can help you out in figuring out what style will suit your face best.
- You can trim your beard 2-3 times a week.
Drink Enough Water!
Drinking enough water throughout the day will help in eliminating unwanted toxins in your body. This will also hydrate your skin, making it healthier, making your beard healthier, too, in the process.
Use Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Your beard basically needs the same treatment as the hair on your head. So, yes, shampooing and conditioning it will affect its appearance. Look for all-natural shampoos and conditioners like our Beard Soft to avoid damaging your mane with harmful chemicals. Condition your beard at least 3-4 times a week.
Invest in a Good Beard Comb
Beard combs with wooden teeth work marvelously in spreading beard oil evenly across your face. You should give the Wild Willies Beard Brush a try. Using a bad-quality comb can cause split ends and damage your beard.
Myth Alert! Shaving Your Beard Will Not Make It Thicker
This has been a long-circulating misconception. It simply isn't true. There's zero scientific evidence to support this theory. You can read this article to learn about a few reasons why a lot of people think that this is the case — one involves biology!
Other Ways to Have a Thicker Beard
Consider Dying It
This tip is more for gentlemen with beards with lighter colors. Dying your beard darker shades can help in making it look thicker than it already is.
Beard Transplant
Bad genetics — the worst enemy of every man who can't grow a beard. Even with the use supplements and other beard growth aids, some just can't grow their beards thicker. Well, they're not totally out of options. Doctors can now transplant hairs extracted from your scalp onto patchy beard spots. This will involve a couple thousand of beards grafts and hair will fall out after about two weeks. Don't you worry though, they'll regrow after a few months.
For more tips on how to grow thicker facial hair, watch this video from alpha m. below:
Full, thick beards have always been associated with masculinity. If you actually do decide to grow a beard, follow these tips to set yourself in the right direction.
Do you know any other tips on how to grow a beard? Share them with us in the comments section below!
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