Growing a beard.

Alright duders, I’m trying to grow a beard and I have some questions.

First off, I’ve had thick sideburns and facial hair beneath the chin and around the neck area since I was 13-15, I’m 17 now, and my mustache and facial hair on the soul patch area and chin are pretty weak, this year I’ve noticed some improvements, but nothing big . So my first question is. Is there a way to increase the density of my beard and increase its growth speed? Secondly my father keeps telling me that shaving makes your beard stronger, but I’ve read that that’s a myth. Thirdly does genetics plays an important role? And finally, to what age does a beard continue to develop?

This thread aint shit till Claude gets here.

I just kept it minimal till I knew it would become a proper beard. The picture I have in my profile is my beard at it's longest, I have trimmed it after that. But I spent at least a year to get it like that, and I didn't start saving for that till I was 20 or something.

I would just trim it and keep it in a state where it looks fine until the time you can really unleash the proper beard within you.

As for your questions... 1. I don't think so. 2. I think that was a myth, yes. It feels like it grows stronger, just because it does that as you age. 3. Probably. 4. No idea.

I bet that helped a lot.

No there is no way to increase hair growth, some people are naturally lucky and others aren't. No shaving more often does not increase speed of growth, that is indeed a myth.
 
I've had a Beard since I was 19, i've shaved it off once since then. I am turning 25 in a month.

My beard had patchy coverage through my teens and early 20s. It filled in more and more each year. I am now 25 and I can grow a full beard.

HOWEVER

I think beards look like shit on secular white males. I have noticed that strangers and colleagues are generally more gregarious when I'm clean shaven than when I'm bearded. Unless you're doing it for religion or culture or whatever, just fuck it and go clean shaven.

Drink lots of red bull and stop masturbating

Drink lots of red bull and start masturbating

Just don't try to force it, simply emphasize your facial hair's strengths. Me, for example, I have good growth on my chin, but can't really grow much for a moustache or side burns. So I wear a chin goatee only. There's nothing sadder than a guy who tries to grow a splotchy, weak ass beard.

Also, the older you get, the thicker it will probably get. So even if you can't grow certain areas very well right now, in a few years you might see it filling in.

Beards are hit and miss as far as I know. My beard is in flux at this time. I had shaved my chin, but it's filling out now.

But here's my epic beard dance.

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Question 2: Since I joined the army and have had to shave everyday, I quickly went from being able to get a way with shaving every other day to the point that I almost have to shave twice a day. Weather it's a coincidence or not I don't know. I just know that my facial hair grows at least twice as fast as it used to.

it's just something that happens with your facial hair. i tried growing, it didn't work when i tried. i say just shave it out, and wait a while.

A lot of it is just genetics and putting up with the itching until your beard is fully grown.

Patience is the thing, and lucky genetics. I was facially follicly challenged into my mid twenties, and as no other men in my family can grow much past a series of fuzzy wisps I just thought that would be my fate too. Then, at about 27-28 something, possibly my Irish genes, kicked in and a robust ginger beard just manifested itself. Now, at 40, it's becoming more silver than red but it's weirdly thick for someone who spent their early twenties with dramatic beard envy.

Also, facial hairs grow at quite different speeds. Some good advice given to me was have it trimmed for a few months on a short clipper setting and then notch it up one, keep it like that for a month or so, and repeat. This helps the slower growing hairs fill out, without the ones that seem to race out looking so lonely.

It's been 8 years, hopefully OP has a Gandalf-style beard by this point.

@gunflame88: gosh darn, I get caught out by these revitalised threads far to often (I'll blame my phone view version of the site rather than my complete lack of checking). Man, always 8 years late to the party...

Moved to the appropriate forum.