I want more facial hair.

September 25, 2004 8:37 PM

[Beardfilter] I have practically no facial hair. But I want to grow sideburns and a beard. Is there a way I can promote facial hair growth?
posted by timyang to health & fitness (13 answers total)

Shaving what you have, with some kind of blade razor, will promote growth. I dunno - you may already be doing that.
posted by scarabic at 10:17 PM on September 25, 2004

What's with all the recent "help me grow something" posts?
posted by mrgavins at 11:45 PM on September 25, 2004

An urban myth, alas, disproven in 1928.

Genetics is pretty much the rule here, unless you're willing to go with a drug such as Rogaine, which can be used on the beard area. I suppose you may as well give the OTC variety a whirl.
posted by dhartung at 11:50 PM on September 25, 2004

Shaving what you have, with some kind of blade razor, will promote growth

No, it won't. It may grow back a bit more evenly, which gives the illusion of more hair.

timyang, I have almost the same problem as you. I have facial hair, but it never grows thick and long enough to become a proper beard or moustache. We're screwed, so let it be. :)
posted by madman at 12:26 AM on September 26, 2004

Well, technically, the hair on your arms isn't growing right now, but if you shaved it, it would begin growing back, right? Arent the fresh hairs / lengths of hair liable to be stronger?
posted by scarabic at 1:23 AM on September 26, 2004

My suggestion is that you buy a beard-trimmer. Get one with very short teeth -- they usually also come with an adjustable plate of some kind to change the length you wish to trim. Use it every day at the same setting. This will keep the faster hairs in check while the slower hairs can grow and fill out your face.

If you just have big, empty patches, this isn't going to help new hair grow there. But it can give you an even beard-look without the scrappy, patchy middle-steps.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:07 AM on September 26, 2004

Do what bevis and butthead did - glue some ass hair on your face.

I mean for me, I have a beard in two days if I want one, so I guess just let it grow. I would just leave it alone, and don't worry that it looks kind of shitty for a few weeks.
posted by Quartermass at 10:29 AM on September 26, 2004

I have a related problem. I can grow plenty of hair, but it's impossible to grow a 'proper' moustache beard combo as there are two patches, each side of my lips, where hair doesn't grow.. so you don't get the 'all round the mouth' look. Result? I don't grow it.. *g*
posted by wackybrit at 4:55 PM on September 26, 2004

scarabic, initially it grows in thicker, but as you wash yourself regularly, the hair thins back to normal. It has a lot to do with the strength of soaps and shampoos. That's why people condition their hair. The thinning effects of shampoo are countered by the moisture that the conditioner injects.

As for growing hair on your face, if there isn't a folicle, no amount of shaving will cause additional folicles to form. dhartung's idea for Rogaine seems good, but quite frankly, I think beards are far more difficult to maintain than a clean face because having a nasty beard is really easy; having a clean, maintained, and attractive beard takes a lot of work.
posted by BlueTrain at 6:40 PM on September 26, 2004

Thanks, all!

I guess getting Rogaine might help the slow hair grow a bit faster to fill out the space while the beard trimmer will keep the longer hairs in check. Those suggestions seem reasonable. Well, I won't know till I try! Wish me luck! (Hope I don't look too stupid trying this ;-)
posted by timyang at 9:02 PM on September 26, 2004

Rogaine only works as long as you keep using it. If you stop, your hair will go away. I didn't say that; they did. ;)
posted by madman at 11:17 PM on September 26, 2004

Well, technically, the hair on your arms isn't growing right now, but if you shaved it, it would begin growing back, right? Arent the fresh hairs / lengths of hair liable to be stronger?

I think it always grows -- it just falls out at a certain length.
posted by callmejay at 9:03 AM on September 27, 2004

timyang - it might be an age thing (although guessing that if yang is your surname it's more likely genetic). i couldn't grow anything approaching a decent beard until about age 24. at first the sides were iffy, so i went with a goatee. now at 30 it comes in better, so full beard.

it is kind of a pain sometimes, but i keep it trimmed pretty short. i also am blessed with slow-growing facial hair in general so i don't need to trim or shave the edges that often at all (a "trial size" can of shave cream can last me forever).

anyway, what with all the weird hair patterns i see these days on my students, looks like you can almost always make some sort of symmetrical pattern with what you can grow, if it comes in patchy. good luck.
posted by caution live frogs at 9:39 AM on September 27, 2004