So, you want know how to grow a beard.

Great! You’ll be joining the grizzled ranks of some of mankind’s most respected leaders, thinkers, lovers, and badasses (rank and share your favorite historical beards in the comments below). Unfortunately, beard growth isn’t equal-opportunity. You might want to grow a chin curtain as epic as Travis Frederick or Hemingway, and you might want to know how to grow a beard FAST, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to. Here is the not-so-encouraging reason why:

Biology Affects Facial Hair Growth

We won’t bore you with the details but the gist of it is testosterone plays a HUGE role in how FAST you can grow your beard, how THICK your beard is, if you end up with a patchy beard, or if you’re ABLE to grow a beard at all. The fact of the matter is if you weren’t born with the right set of follicles on your face or if you have low T, you won’t be able to grow that epic beard naturally. Simply put, testosterone will make or break your beard growth. Biology has dealt the cards, and you’ve gotta play with what you’ve got whether or not it’s a winning hand.

"Natural" Beard Growth Creams are Bogus

1. Keep a Healthy Diet to Boost Beard Growth

Boost your testosterone by eating foods rich in the minerals needed to get T production started (remember, your follicles depend on it!). Certain foods can help this by removing the estrogens that reduce T levels (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage). Avoid low-cholesterol and low-fat fad diets. Research suggests healthy consumption of fat and cholesterol actually increases levels of testosterone in men.Bottom line: avoid crap food, it doesn’t have the nutrients you need to promote beard growth.  

2. Spur Beard Growth by Keeping it Clean

Encourage beard growth by keeping those hair follicles clean and your face moisturized. This will remove dead skin cells and anything else that might be holding back your scruff. You want to give those follicles a fighting chance at producing the best hairs possible. Anatural beard wash shampoo will keep you clean and a goodbeard oil will help you keep your skin moisturized and healthy (having trouble choosing one? Try ourFull Beard Oil Sampler Kit to find the right one for you).Bottom line: take some time to maintain the mane; you won’t regret it. Good luck and keep us posted on your bearded ventures! For more information about beard washes and beard oils, check out our tips oncaring for a winter beard.

1. Cultured dermal papilla cells from androgen-dependent human hair follicles (e.g. beard) contain more androgen receptors than those from non-balding areas of scalp, http://joe.endocrinology-journals.org/content/133/1/141.short 2. Effect of Testosterone Administration on the Beard Growth of Elderly Males, https://academic.oup.com/geronj/article-abstract/4/3/200/591484/Effect-of-Testosterone-Administration-on-the-Beard3. Alteration of character of male beard growth, https://www.google.com/patents/US4885289 4. Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise, http://jap.physiology.org/content/82/1/49.full