We’ve all heard the old wives’ tale that shaving makes your hair grow back faster and thicker. But can taking a razor to your beard really influence hair growth? We’ll look at the facts and share our top tips to get your beard looking its best.

Does Shaving Affect Beard Growth?

No - shaving your beard will not make it grow back fuller or faster. Your hair grows from follicles beneath the skin so shaving has no impact on the rate of growth at all. 

When you shave, your hair is cut above the skin’s surface, usually at the widest point of the hair shaft. 

Hair strands are thicker and darker in the middle compared to the thinner and lighter ends. So while your hair may look thicker and when it grows back after shaving, it actually isn’t.

So, What Does Affect Beard Growth?

Men typically have thousands of beard hair follicles which can produce long and luscious hair, but some simply have more than others. This is largely due to genetics, but lifestyle can play a part as well. The main factors influencing hair growth are:

Your Genes

By and large, your hair growth rate is determined by genetics. Genes passed down from your parents will influence how fast, full, and healthy your beard grows. So, if your dad struggles to grow a full man mane, unfortunately you might too.

Ethnicity

Some ethnicities typically have fewer hair follicles than others. East Asian men (Chinese and Japanese) tend to have less facial hair and slower growth compared to individuals with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern backgrounds.

Testosterone

Testosterone is the main hormone responsible for your hair growth. Testosterone levels naturally change throughout a man’s life, but higher testosterone is the fuel to get you a full and enviable  beard.

Age 

Following on from the above, teenagers may have thinner beard hair because they have less testosterone. It will peak in your 20s but start to taper off again after you reach age 30.

Lifestyle 

Factors like lack of sleep, unbalanced diet, stress, smoking, and not taking care of your beard will influence growth rates and cause more breakage.

Should I Stop Shaving If I Want My Beard To Grow?

Yes and no. Shaving has no impact on the thickness and speed of your hair growth. So, letting it grow naturally is the only way to get more length.

However, regularly trimming your beard is beneficial for hair growth. Trimming gets rid of split ends and helps minimise breakage, promoting strong hair and making your beard look neater and more luscious in the long run.

We recommend trimming it roughly every 4 weeks and maintaining beard care with oils and balms to prevent it going dry and prickly. This step is especially important for coarse or curly hair which needs more moisture to grow thicker and healthier.

Our Tips for Trimming Your Beard

• Keep your beard clean with shampoo and skincare

• Use barber scissors, clippers, or a straight razor to get a precise trim without splitting the ends

• Use a beard comb or brush to get rid of knots in your beard and reduce tension on the skin

• Finish with beard oils or balms to nourish the hair and stop it feeling prickly

How Can I Grow a Thicker Beard?

While beard thickness and length is (mostly) down to genetics and testosterone levels, there are a few ways that you can promote hair growth and keep your mane looking full and healthy.

Diet

Eating a balanced diet with enough protein and vitamins will help maintain the health of your hair and support growth. 

Foods like eggs, lean meats, fish, fruit, and veggies contain collagen and biotin which are crucial for beard hair production. If you struggle to get them into your diet you could add collagen or biotin supplements to your daily routine.

Staying Active

Exercising can elevate testosterone levels - the main hormone that contributes to beard growth.

It also helps to reduce stress, and stress is the biggest killer of testosterone.

Stopping Smoking

Smoking is linked to hair loss because nicotine reduces blood flow to the follicles, it also reduces the amount of collagen you produce, and heavy smokers can be left with a yellowy tinge to their facial hair. So, if you’ve been toying with quitting, now’s the time. Your beard needs it!

Keeping It Clean

Just like the hair on your head, a build up of product, oil, and dead skin can clog beard follicles and affect hair growth. Using our beard shampoo and conditioner 2-3 times a week will keep your beard squeaky clean and hydrated.

Use Beard Oils

Your skin and facial hair needs to be hydrated for your beard to grow full and smooth. 

Using beard oils or balms as part of your daily routine will rehydrate your skin so that your hair follicles can produce strong and healthy hair. It also stops your beard from going dry and wiry and then irritating your skin.

At Jericho, our locally famous beard oils are formulated using natural oil blends which work to moisturise beard hair and promote healthy hair growth. With over 14,000 five-star reviews, we are the leading provider of beard care products in Australia - shop our collection of beard oils today.