Everyone has different amounts of facial hair. The fullness, growth pattern, and texture of a person's facial hair often differs from person to person. Compared to the hair on the scalp, beard hair tends to be thicker, coarser, and curlier.

"The biggest factor for beard growth is genetics. External hormones, like testosterone or other anabolic steroids, can sometimes make people grow thicker beards than they otherwise would," says Jay Vary, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Washington.

It's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle because diet, stress levels, and exercise also influence beard growth. Here's what you need to know about growing a beard.

No, not everyone can grow a beard. "Beard growth is mainly genetically predisposed," says Anthony Rossi, MD, attending dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "It is under genetic and hormonal control."

Therefore, facial hair growth will vary depending on your ethnicity, says Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.

In general, for those with testes, beard growth starts during puberty as testosterone levels increase. Testosterone is key for beard growth because its byproduct, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), triggers hair follicles to grow longer and thicker hairs. For transgender men, the growth of facial hair typically begins a year or more after starting their testosterone intake.

Though beard growth depends heavily on your genetics, there are some things you can do to improve the facial hair you do have and encourage it to grow.

Here are six tips from the American Academy of Dermatology Association for growing a healthy beard:

Moreover, it's important to keep the skin in the beard area as healthy as possible to avoid acne and dandruff.

It varies among different people as some grow fuller beards faster than others, says Rossi.

"Beard hair can grow at a rate of half an inch per month. It is possible to begin to grow a beard in two weeks as it is thought that facial hair grows faster than scalp hair, but it can take up to two to four months to grow a full beard," says Garshick.

According to Vary, most beards continue to grow thicker as people age into their 20s and 30s. However, if you've tried and haven't developed a thick, full beard by age 30, then it's less likely to see a big difference because that's when testosterone levels start to decrease with age, says Garshick.

You may not be able to grow a beard instantaneously, but certain practices can help stimulate hair growth, such as:

"Depending on how much it bothers you, there is such a thing as a beard transplant to actually take hairs from the back of your scalp and place them in your beard area," says Garshick.

You don't have to undergo this procedure unless you find your facial hair to be a major cosmetic concern.

One of the biggest factors for beard growth is genetics, but testosterone levels, diet, exercise, and stress levels can also influence it. Beard hair grows about half an inch per month, and it will take you about two to four months to grow a full beard from having a clean-shaven face.

Shaving generally doesn't make hair grow thicker, but you can encourage beard growth by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Proper grooming, such as cleansing and moisturizing the beard area, is important to have a healthy-looking beard.

"If someone is trying to grow a beard, patience and genetics need to be on their side," says Vary. "Some people were born to grow thick beards and others were born to grow thinner beards or none at all."

Link:
6 dermatologist-approved tips to grow a healthy, full beard - Insider - INSIDER

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