Home › Blog › Beards and shaves

How to Make Your Beard Grow Faster, and Look Fuller Sooner

By The Lilacroix barbers · · 1,465 words

Beard Trim in Laurelton, NY

You cannot make a beard grow much faster than your genetics allow, but you can protect the length you grow and make it look fuller sooner. Hair grows about half an inch a month, and the rest is thickness, patience and good trimming.

The short answer to how to make your beard grow faster: leave it alone for the first month, keep the skin healthy, trim only the edges and split ends, and see a doctor if growth stalls or falls out in patches. A barber can shape the beard so it looks fuller at every stage.

How do you make your beard grow faster?

Mostly you remove what holds it back. Beard hair grows from the follicle at a rate set by your body, so the aim is to keep the hair from breaking and the skin from getting irritated.

We do not recommend any product or supplement as a growth fix, because published research does not back the big claims. If you are curious about the other side of this, read why some men cannot grow a beard, and talk to a dermatologist about any treatment.

How do you grow a beard fast?

You grow it fast by getting through the first month without giving up. The first four weeks are the hardest, because the beard is itchy, uneven and short.

Here is a plan that works for most of our customers. In weeks one and two, do nothing except wash and moisturize. In weeks three and four, clean the neck and cheek lines so the beard looks tidy. In month two, trim the whole beard to one length to even out patches. In month three, set the shape.

The timing is the same for everyone, because hair grows at a similar speed. What differs is how dense it comes in. Our first 90 days guide is the full version of this plan, and the timeline for how long it takes to grow a beard shows what to expect month by month.

Take a photo once a week. You will not notice growth in the mirror, but you will see it in the photos.

Plan your first trim for the end of month two, not before. Walk into the shop and tell the barber you are growing it out, so they take only the stray hairs and shape the edges instead of cutting length you want to keep.

How do you grow a thicker beard?

You make a beard look thicker by letting it grow long enough to cover the gaps, keeping it conditioned and trimming it into a shape that adds fullness. True thickness is genetic and cannot be changed by trimming.

Patchy cheeks often fill in over time, especially in your twenties. While you wait, grow the sides a little longer than you think you need, because length hides thin spots. Avoid shaving the cheek line too high, which makes the gaps look bigger.

Healthy skin matters. A clean, hydrated face with no ingrown hairs lets every hair come through. If a patch stays bare for six months or more, or you see round bald spots in the beard, see a doctor, since it can be a medical issue such as alopecia areata.

A short beard with a faded edge also looks thicker, since the contrast makes the center look dense. Ask your barber about a stubble beard style while you wait, and keep it neat.

How do you properly trim a beard?

Trim a beard from the longest part to the shortest, using a guard longer than you think you need, and always check the result in good light. Never start with a close cut.

  1. Brush the beard against the grain so every hair stands up.
  2. Set a guard, like a number 4 or 5, and trim the whole beard.
  3. Step down one guard on the cheeks to blend them.
  4. Clean the neckline and cheek line with a trimmer.
  5. Brush again and check both sides for evenness.

Trim every four weeks, or sooner for a short, sharp beard. Taking off a quarter inch at a time keeps your length close to what you want. For tips on the common mistakes, read how to trim a beard without taking too much. If you would rather have a pro do it, book a beard trim and sculpt, which is call for pricing.

How do you trim a beard neckline?

Place the neckline about one finger width above the Adam's apple, then curve it up behind each ear. A neckline too high makes a double chin look worse, and one too low looks messy.

With your head level, find the spot where your neck meets your jaw, and place two fingers above the Adam's apple. Draw an imaginary U from ear to ear through that point. Shave or trim everything below the line and leave the hair above it.

On coily hair, shave with the grain and avoid very close passes, because ingrown hairs are common on the neck. If bumps appear, take a break from shaving and ask a dermatologist if they last. Our hair shape up service, a line up at $16, sets crisp edges, and a barber can set the beard neckline as part of the sculpt.

If you want a sharper look, the Cut and Beard package on our groom packages includes a razor beard line.

How do you trim a short beard?

Use a short guard, such as a number 2 or 3, work with the grain and shape only the edges. A short beard looks good when the lines are crisp and the length is even.

Start with the cheeks and work to the chin, then clean the neck. Keep the same guard across the face unless you are blending. Short beards on tight curls are easy to over cut, so go slowly and check often.

A short beard needs a trim every two to three weeks, because short hair shows uneven growth fast. If you want shape without much length, ask for a faded edge. The guide to shaping a beard covers the lines, and for a quick refresh a barber visit takes less than half an hour.

When should you see a doctor about beard growth?

See a doctor or dermatologist if your beard stops growing, falls out in round patches, or comes with other symptoms such as fatigue or hair loss elsewhere. These can point to a medical cause that a barber cannot fix.

SignLikely causeNext step
Round bald patchesPossible alopecia areataSee a dermatologist
Growth stalls with fatiguePossible hormone or thyroid issueSee a doctor
Red bumps and painIngrown hairs or infectionStop shaving, see a doctor
Thin at 20 but filling slowlyAge and geneticsWait, trim lightly

Most men with a thin beard have nothing wrong. They are just waiting on genetics and age.

Skin problems are worth a visit too. Deep, painful bumps, pus or spreading redness under the beard can be an infection, and itchy scaly patches can be a skin condition. A doctor can treat those, and the beard often grows better once the skin is calm.

Keep notes. Write down when you started, how it looked at each month and any change in your health, medicines or sleep. If you do see a doctor, that record helps them. If you are only a few weeks in, the best advice is the least exciting: wait, keep the lines clean and let the hair do what it was always going to do.

Meanwhile, a barber can make a patchy beard look full. Ask for the cheeks to be tapered and the chin left a bit longer, so the thick areas draw the eye and the thin areas fade out. A short, clean beard beats a long, uneven one every time, and it keeps you comfortable while you decide how far to take it.

Get your beard trimmed at Lilacroix Barbers in Laurelton

Lilacroix Barbers is at 232-12 Merrick Blvd in Laurelton, Queens, and we serve Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans, Cambria Heights and Queens Village. A beard trim and sculpt keeps your lines sharp while you grow.

We are open Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 7 PM, Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM. Walk ins are welcome. Call (718) 749-5800 or see our contact page for directions.

Questions readers ask

Does shaving make a beard grow back thicker?

No. Shaving cuts the hair at the surface and does not change how thick it grows. It can feel coarser because the cut end is blunt.

How often should I trim a growing beard?

Clean the neckline weekly and trim the full beard every four to six weeks. Over trimming slows the length you see.

Does a patchy beard mean something is wrong?

Usually not. Patchiness is common and often improves with age. See a doctor if it comes with round bald spots or other symptoms.

What guard should I use for a short beard?

A number 2 or 3 is a common choice for a neat short beard. Start longer and go shorter if you want.

📞 Call Now 📍 Directions