Many young men are — rightfully — excited to grow their first beard. Though some teens as young as 13 can grow a beard, you might not be among those lucky few. You may, however, have heard many of the myths and misconceptions regarding beard growth. You may even believe some of them. Does shaving help beard growth? Not really. So why do so many men swear that it does? Well, there are a few good reasons.
Does Shaving Help Beard Growth at All?
Many purport that shaving helps to stimulate hair follicles, causing them to grow more rapidly. Unfortunately, this is not how hair follicles work. Follicles cause hair to grow through a cycle of growth, transition, and rest or regeneration. This is regulated primarily by genetics and hormones, and none of the stages in the process can be hastened or initiated by cutting the ends of hairs. If you can already grow a beard, shaving it will simply make it shorter.
Why Does This Beard Superstition Persist?
As with any topic surrounding manhood and development, it is easy to fall victim to superstitious thinking when it comes to growing your beard. When your stubble is only just beginning to show after a couple of days without shaving, it can be hard to imagine that the same face could ever host a glorious beard. In some cases, however, even patchy, thin-looking stubble can grow into a surprisingly thick beard. In others, a little help is necessary to thicken malnourished strands of hair.
Why Does Shaving Help Beard Growth Seem Like It Goes Faster?
There is one thing that shaving your beard does do — it passes time. If your facial hair is still in the process of thickening, shaving frequently can delay the amount of time before you check your beard growth again. You may be surprised how much thicker your beard has become in only a few months. Because shaving shortens all of the hairs on your face to the same length, this can make it seem like there is more hair to begin with.
How Can You Make Your Beard Grow Faster?
If you want to make your beard grow faster, the keys are nutrition and conditioning. By giving your body the right materials to create new hairs, you can grow your beard thicker and faster than you would otherwise. Although hormones are difficult to modify safely on your own, it is possible to naturally increase your testosterone through diet and lifestyle changes, and this can also encourage growth.
For a dietary supplement targeted specifically at beard growth, we recommend our beard growth gummies. Because beard growth can be accelerated from both the inside and outside, a combination of supplements and moisturizing beard health formulas can help you make the most of both approaches.
If you have questions like "Does shaving help beard growth?" or "How can I make my beard grow thicker?", and are eager to learn more, Wild Willies' blogs and product descriptions can help you sort fact from fiction.