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1. It takes about three months to grow a beard.
Here’s a timeline of what you can expect to see:
At the end of week one, you’ll have some light stubble. Don’t try to trim it until at least week three.
Around week three, you should visit a barber and consult with them about the kind of beard you’d like to grow. They can help you shape the beard, and advise where to trim in the interim. It’s a good idea to repeat appointments every four weeks with the same barber – that way you can build a relationship.
By week six, you should see the basis of a beard forming. By week 12, you’re there!
How should you care for your burgeoning beard? Rory Hazell, senior creative barber at Murdock London, tells BuzzFeed Life:
“Do nothing other than wash and comb until the third week of growth or as long as you can get away with until it becomes too much (the longer the better). Three months would generally be considered the average time for a significant growth to be seen.”
2. Beards Don’t Run in Families.
It’s a myth that beards run in families, or are linked to the baldness gene. Beard growth depends on how your body processes testosterone during puberty.
Richard Ross, professor of endocrinology at the University of Sheffield, tells BuzzFeed Life:
“The development of secondary sexual characteristics in men including beard growth is dependent on the rise in testosterone at puberty in men.”
However, the thickness of your beard may have something to do with your genetics: “The thickness of the beard is more related to how the hair follicles respond rather than the level of testosterone. This response is presumed to be genetically determined although the genes have not been identified.”
Post-puberty, other factors can affect your beard growth too. Men who have diminished testosterone due to an orchidectomy (removal of both or one of the testicles) may experience their facial hair reducing over time, Ross says. Equally, women who are treated with testosterone will experience a growth in facial hair.
3. Shaving Won’t Help You Grow a Beard.
Ignore this myth. Shaving more frequently will give you the effect of hair growth, but there won’t be an increase in growth.
“When hair is cut or shaved, the end of the hair becomes flat,” Hazell says. “This gives the hair a shinier appearance, making regrowth more prominent.
“You also remove the white hairs or ‘baby hairs’, meaning the coarser, thicker stubble isn’t dulled by them. So shaving will only give the appearance of a thicker regrowth rather than there actually being more beard.”
4. What Does Beard Oil Do?
Beard oil is best for a thick beard with length. It will make your beard look shiny and well-maintained. You only need to use a little bit – about a 5p-piece amount. To use it, you coat the surface of the beard and bring the oil to the ends.
Meanwhile, beard moisturiser is a more everyday product, and prevents beard dandruff. It’ll nourish the hair and help your skin in the itchy early stages of growing a beard.
6. How do I Find a Beard to Suit my Face Shape?
A beard should enhance your features, so aim for a beard that is the opposite of your face shape. Ie if you have a narrow face, avoid a pointy beard. If you have a square face, avoid a low beard.
“When in the latter stages of growing a beard only then should you look to start creating a shape,” Hazell says. “If you would like to change the shape consult your barber for advice before home maintenance as they will be able to give you a professional perspective and help you to find the shape that suits you.
“As a general rule of thumb you should look to shape the beard the opposite to your face shape. If your face is narrower don’t go pointy, [and] if it’s square go for a narrower beard. Beards should be used to create a more flattering appearance and manipulate the face shape.”
