As long as you do not have a testosterone deficiency, you should be able to grow facial hair. Facial hair growth --- like scalp hair growth, intelligence and body composition --- can be very much dependent on your genetics. Many men can grow significant amounts of facial hair after they hit puberty while other men cannot. Still, like many of your genetic characteristics, there are many things you can do to maximize and accelerate facial hair growth.
Step 1
Eat protein as part of a balanced diet. Hair is made of keratin protein; scalp hair is no different. Your body needs protein to make hair. At least 10 percent of your calories should come from protein, according to MayoClinic.com. Ideally, they suggest, closer to 35 percent of your calories should come from protein.
Step 2
Take a multivitamin. Malnutrition will slow your facial hair growth. Even though a balanced diet high in protein should not create any nutritional deficiencies, a multivitamin will supplement for any vitamin and minerals you may lack.
Step 3
Don't shave your facial hair. Shaving your facial hair will not make it grow any faster, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio. You shouldn't consider shaving or trimming your facial hair for at least four weeks.
Step 4
Ask your doctor about taking a biotin supplement. Dr. Benabio recommends you take 2.5 mg of biotin each day. Biotin is directly linked to healthy hair growth, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Step 5
Shampoo your facial hair two or three times a week. This will stimulate your facial hair follicles and improve circulation. Dr. Benabio suggests using a dandruff shampoo on your facial hair to reduce itching.
Tips and Warnings
- Hudson's Guide claims it will take at least four weeks to grow a beard.
- Don't use minoxidil to try and accelerate your facial hair growth. Minoxidil is FDA-approved to grow scalp hair --- not facial hair.
Things You'll Need
- Biotin
- Multivitamin
References
- The Dermatology Blog; Dr. Jeffery Benabio, MD, FAAD.: How to Grow a Beard in 10 Easy Steps
- Hudson's Guide: Facial Hair, Growth and Grooming
- Beards.org: All About Beards: Growing a Beard
- Mayo Clinic: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork with These Nutrition Guidelines
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin H (Biotin)
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