Q&A for How to Grow a Beard

Two of the most important factors for beard growth are genetics and the shape of your face, neither of which you can control. Instead of trying to style your facial hair from what you see on other people, let yours grow out naturally to see how it looks, and then style it from there.

No. The myth that shaving makes your beard thicker or fuller is incorrect.

Same as growing straight hair. Brush it out constantly, use a beard oil, and use specialized shampoo/conditioners.

You can't. Just be patient.

Yes. When you clean your face, it opens more pores on your face, allowing more hairs to grow over time.

Use castor oil with another oil like coconut oil. Apply it to the bearded area and leave it until the oil soaks in.

Live with it or figure out your style with a clean-shaven face. I'm 26 and patchy as hell, I'm only growing it out because I don't give a damn. There's nothing you can do about a thin beard besides hoping you grow into a full one - which can take years. It's all a roll of the die.

Beard oil will not make your facial hair grow in quicker. It conditions and nurtures existing beard hair to soften/condition it. If you have no cheek hair at that age, it sounds like beard growth isn't in your genetics.

By being patient. Beard growth rate is different for all, so don't be discouraged.

You cannot do anything to prevent your natural hair growth except shaving it regularly, which will be a part of your adult male life anyway, so embrace it. The thing about beard becoming denser and growing faster when shaved is false, it's a pure myth and known to be false.

Go to a dermatologist. Growing beard and fighting baldness are very similar, and your main tools will be Minoxidil and patience.

If you want a short or medium beard, shave just below your jawline and straighten out your cheek lines for symmetry. If you are going for a longer beard, don't shave or trim for at least 8 weeks. It will be patchy until your hair follicles have had time to grow out, so be patient. If you are looking for a neat long beard, research on the internet for what style you want.

Don't shave. If there's no beard coming, you'll have to wait. Many men can't grow a beard before they're 23-25.

A good way to straighten curly hair is to use a blow dryer and a comb after showering. Use the comb to hold your hair straight and let the blow dryer dry your hair. You could always use an straightening iron as well. See this Wikihow on how to how to get wavy hair .

You can try thick stubble with the edges cleaned up. If your jawline isn't naturally defined, you can define it with facial hair. Just don't let the edges be too sharp, as it will look weird. Also, make sure your haircut is fresh. It's important that your facial hair matches your hairstyle.

Trimming never hurts, as long as you don't trim too much. You definitely don't want to shave if you're trying to grow a beard.

Patience is key. Wait a few more years until puberty has finished. However, order of puberty varies by individual and some boys will be able to grow facial hair at an earlier age than others, while some may not have to shave until their twenties.

You will have to define your cheek line with a beard trimmer. Any hairs growing above your cheeks should be shaved off for a neater, more defined look. You can make your cheek lines look even sharper by shaving the hairs above your cheeks with a razor. If you do not feel confident doing this yourself, visit a barber and ask him for advice on grooming your beard. Then you will just have to shave around the outlines every day or so to maintain the fresh look. Use a blue or transparent shaving gel so you can see your cheek hairs easier, and avoid cutting off too much accidentally.

To straighten: After a hot shower, I towel dry my beard so that it is a little damp. Next I take a comb and run it through the whole beard to remove any tangles and dead hair. Next I take a round wire roll brush (wires are a half inch from the center), and roll the hair with the brush while blowing downwards with a hair dryer (make sure this is blowing hot air). Repeat the rolling and always blow down with hot hair. Next, I take beard balm (medium hold) rub a dime sized amount into my hands, and then work the balm down my sideburns and then down my beard.

Wash your beard with a beard wash, then use a conditioner and comb the hairs to train them to go where you want. Patience is key.

Your diet as a whole helps with how your hair grows, so beards are impacted too. Sugarcane wouldn't really impact you. Make sure you eat a balanced diet to allow your hair follicles to grow faster, better and thicker, which will enhance your overall appearance.

Occasionally a rough peel off mask (i.e. a charcoal mask) can rip follicles out from your skin, similar to waxing. So yes, certain ones can. But mud masks and moisturizers shouldn't have any affect as long as you keep your pores clean.

Be patient. Some men don't get beards until their mid-20s. Also, make sure to eat a healthy varied diet and exercise.

Grow as much as you can, or consider just donning a mustache.

You don't need to worry about that. Some people grow facial hair earlier or later than others.

Beards take a while to take form. Try to grow it out for at least eight weeks. Before this, you never really give your beard a chance to start to really grow out. If you are not happy with what you see, shave and try again.

Stop shaving, moisturize, eat healthy, and exercise.

If you can, either shape it into a defined, short-boxed beard with thinner sides, a goatee, a moustache or just go clean-shaven. Some men look better clean-shaven.

No, you shouldn't paint a beard on your face.

Grow it out and shave it, grow it out and shave it, grow it out and shave it. Continue until your beard thickens.