Are you growing out your beard? Here are 8 myths you should be aware of.
You’d think that growing a beard would be a simple task — you just stop shaving, right?
Sure, but you want your beard to look good, right?
As it turns out, there is quite a lot involved in growing a glorious beard, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
But even if you’ve had a beard for a while, you may not be privy to every aspect of beard growth and maintenance.
You might know the basics of how to grow a healthy beard, but you can still fall victim to common myths about beard growth.
Unfortunately, there’s plenty of false and misleading information out there that gets passed around without thinking twice.
That’s why we will look at 8 of the most common myths about beard growth and see how true they are.
(Of course, if you want information specific to your beard type, talk to your barber).
8 Beard Growth Myths
Want to get the lowdown about what’s true and what’s not? Look no further.
#1: If You Shave Your Beard, It Will Grow Back Thicker
When you look up information about how to grow a beard, you’ll see this sentiment a lot.
It’s also something you’ll often hear from other guys (who probably aren’t barbers or beard experts).
There are a couple of reasons why this myth gets spread around so much.
Many assume shaving stimulates the hair follicles in some special way, helping hair grow more thickly.
In addition, facial hair regrowth looks different from fully grown-out hair at first, so many people assume it’s thicker or fuller.
However, this claim just isn’t true. In fact, it was debunked way back in 1928.
Simply put, shaving does not affect the thickness or rate of hair growth.
In short, shaving only removes hair at the skin’s surface — it doesn’t affect the follicles beneath the surface.
Barring significant changes in your health or nutrition, your hair is always growing at the same rate, so it’s a good idea to understand the hair growth cycle.
#2: Trimming Your Beard Affects Hair Growth
In the same vein, a lot of guys think that trimming your beard will affect the rate at which it grows.
Interestingly, there are mixed opinions on this. Some people think trimming stunts beard growth, while others argue it speeds up growth.
But for the same reasons we just looked at, trimming doesn’t affect the speed of growth.
Just like shaving, trimming only affects the hair outside the follicles, so it doesn’t do anything other than make your beard hair shorter.
#3: Trimming Your Beard Affects Hair Growth
Make no mistake — beard oil is an integral part of any beard maintenance routine.
Beard oil has plenty of benefits. It can help prevent itching, make your beard hair smoother, and moisturize your facial hair and the skin underneath.
However, beard oil can’t help you grow a beard faster.
Beard oil doesn’t contain any magical formula that tells your hair follicles to speed things up, and there’s no scientific evidence to suggest otherwise.
That said, beard oil still plays an integral role in beard maintenance.
When distributed with a good beard brush and used alongside other products like beard wash, beard oil helps keep your facial hair clean and smooth. This will result in your beard looking fuller and feeling softer.
Myth #4: Beard Oil Is All You Need To Maintain a Beard
Many guys aren’t familiar with all the different types of beard products out there, so they don’t always know what they should use.
Since beard oil is easily the most popular category of beard product, most bearded guys have at least heard about it.
As a result, some men pick up a bottle of beard oil and assume that’s all they need to get the most out of their facial hair.
But facial hair isn’t really different from the hair on top of your head, and you use several products for that (shampoo, conditioner, styling products, etc.).
In the same way, a healthy beard routine involves a few different products that all perform unique functions.
First, you’ll want a beard wash or shampoo to cleanse your facial hair and remove dirt or grime.
Second, you’ll want a beard softener or conditioner. This is especially important if you have coarse and wiry beard hair.
Third, you’ll want some beard oil for its hydrating and softening properties.
Last but not least, consider getting a beard balm or beard butter to finish off your routine. These types of products boost your beard and maximize softness and volume.
Myth #5: Your Whole Beard Will Fill In After Two Months
Here’s yet another myth about the rate of hair growth.
Growing a full beard from a completely clean-shaven face is often said to take two months. This is common advice, and many people take this to mean that the whole beard will be filled out in eight weeks’ time.
However, this statement just isn’t true.
For one, beard growth is partially determined by genetics and other factors, so the amount of time it will take for your beard to fill in will be unique to you.
What’s more, there’s no yardstick for what constitutes a “full” beard. Many guys can grow pretty long beards, so it’s impossible to tell how much growth someone can achieve after eight weeks.
When starting from a clean-shaven face, letting your beard grow for two months is a good rule of thumb.
Seeing significant growth takes one month or three months. It’s different for every guy, so don’t get too discouraged if two months go by and your beard is still patchy.
Myth #6: If You Don’t Have a Beard by Your Early 20s, You Never Will
Some beard myths are due to misconceptions about how beards behave, but assumptions about masculinity cause others.
For example, there’s a myth that if you’re “destined” to have a beard, you’ll have it by your early 20s at the latest.
Again, this just isn’t backed by science at all.
In fact, according to Healthline, some men won’t experience full beard growth until they’re 30.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you have less testosterone or are a “late bloomer.” It just means your genetics are different from guys who can grow a full beard at 16.
Myth #7: Some Guys Just Don’t Have the Right Genetics To Grow a Beard
Ask an “alpha male” on Tiktok why you’re not able to grow a full beard overnight, and he’ll probably tell you it’s because you have weak genetics.
And while this myth is exacerbated by the idea of the male hierarchy, it’s been around for a long time.
The truth is that while genetics do play a part in beard growth, they’re not the only factor at work.
In other words, genetics may not be the sole reason if you’re struggling to grow a thick and bushy beard.
Many guys are genetically hirsute but fail to properly maintain their beards, which can lead to tangling, breakage, dandruff, and other issues that stunt beard growth and damage the beard.
But also, there are no “best” genetics for growing a beard. Not every guy will have a huge lumberjack beard, and that’s normal. Some guys will always think that size comparisons reflect masculinity, but thankfully, this toxic mindset is becoming less common.
Myth #8: Guys With Beards Are Manlier Than Guys Without Beards
On that note, the myth that a beard automatically equals manliness needs to stop.
Socially, beards are typically associated with masculinity, so this sentiment initially makes sense.
However, it’s not as simple as “me have beard, me more man.”
Many factors affect how people perceive beards (and thus how people perceive bearded men).
According to Psychology Today, bearded men are typically perceived as less trustworthy.
In addition, since beards are commonly worn by low-ranking men in society (like manual laborers), they can create a messy appearance — especially if not properly groomed.
Ultimately, being “more of a man” just isn’t a thing, despite what those alpha male influencers would have you believe.
Conclusion
These myths about growing a beard range from partially true to flat-out false, but they’re all still myths.
Not every man can grow the same type of beard, but if you want to grow a beard, you can do it. Will it look like everyone else’s? No, but it’ll suit your face, and that’s what’s most important for a great-looking beard.
How fast does your beard grow? Leave a comment and let me know!
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