Humans love pushing our limits. There is a reason why the Olympics are celebrated and broadcast around the world every four years. Something about human nature calls us to constantly test just how far we can jump, how fast we can run, how skillfully we can dive, and much more.
For the same reason, we also love world records. The Guinness Book of World Records is able to sell a new edition every single year because people are naturally curious about the kinds of extremes our bodies, minds, world, and universe can achieve.
As a beard aficionado, you have probably wondered what exactly are the limits on human facial hair? Who has had the interest, patience, and luck to see just what beards can really do?
The answer is, in fact, a Guinness World Record holder. Today we will be telling the story of a man with the ambition to do what no man has done before or since: grow the longest beard in the world.
The Story of the World’s Longest Beard
So just how crazy was the longest beard in the world? The answer is, pretty crazy.
Hans Langseth, a Norwegian immigrant to the United States, began growing his beard out when he was only 19 years old, in 1865, and never cut it until the day he died in 1927.
Over those 62 years, his beard grew to an incredible length. As the hair grew past a length of 5 feet, it began to die, and in order to preserve it Hans started to coil it up. Most of the time when he left the house, he would keep his beard wrapped around a corncob to prevent it from getting in his way or becoming damaged. However, the long coils came out from time to time for photographs, and, for a brief period, as part of a carnival sideshow.
Now for the part we know you are dying to hear. Exactly how long did Langseth’s beard ultimately grow? The answer is a shocking 17 feet and 6 inches! This is even more remarkable once you realize that the second longest beard measured in Langseth’s time reached a maximum length of only 12 feet. Langseth’s record not only blew all contemporary competitors out of the water, but has not been challenged to this day. For nearly a hundred years, Langseth has held the unbroken record of the world's longest beard.
Today, Hans Langseth’s beard resides in the Smithsonian Museum. Although it has not been a regular exhibit since the 1990s, it still goes up on display from time to time when Langseth’s living relatives come to marvel at their ancestor’s masterpiece of a beard.
Growing Your Long Beard
Feeling inspired yet? Even if you don’t plan on challenging Langseth’s record, growing out an extra long beard can be a fun and exciting experience.
But how exactly are the world’s record holders able to get their beards to grow so long and stay healthy throughout the process? Long beard growth can be challenging without the proper guidance. Here are a few of our tips on growing the best long beard you possibly can.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Like any other part of your body, your beard is connected to the system as a whole. Growing a healthy beard means keeping up with all of the basics that keep you running at 100%. Nutrition is one huge factor that influences the rate and thickness of beard growth. Making sure that you are getting enough protein, vitamins, and healthy oils is critical. In addition, regular exercise can boost testosterone, a hormone that correlates with thicker beard growth. Finally, getting enough sleep every night allows your body to rest and replenish for maximum beard vitality.
Clean and moisturize regularly
Keeping your beard clean is all about striking a healthy balance. Washing every day can cause it to start to dry out, but washing too infrequently can cause your beard to become overly greasy and full of beardruff. Experts recommend washing your beard with a high quality beard shampoo around twice a week to keep it clean without dehydrating it.
Another way to keep your beard from drying up and developing split ends is to moisturize regularly. Beard conditioner and beard oil are both useful products that help your beard keep a healthy shine.
Fill in patches and gaps
One obstacle that prevents a lot of men from going for a long beard is patchiness. While patchiness can be discouraging, you have a lot of options when dealing with it.
First off, return to our first tip and make sure that you are eating, exercising, and sleeping in healthy ways. Patchiness in beards can sometimes be the result of general poor health, so it behooves you to make sure that you are doing all you can to stay healthy.
Secondly, consider using products that help to boost your beard’s growth with all natural ingredients. Along with grooming and moisturizing, this can transform your beard over a relatively short amount of time.
Finally, remember that small patches and gaps will become less noticeable the longer your beard grows. The first couple of months tend to be the hardest when growing out a beard, so wait and see how patchy spots look as your facial hair develops.
Train your beard to keep its shape
As your beard starts to grow out, you might notice it developing a mind of its own. Depending on your hair’s natural texture, there is a good chance that you will see flyaways, cowlicks, or just general craziness that causes your beard to look untidy. The key to solving this problem is to start brushing your beard early on, and train it to flow in a certain direction. The most useful tool in this situation is an all natural boar bristle brush, which can tame your beard. An added bonus is that the shafts of boar bristles pick up your hair’s natural oils and spread them around, helping to keep your beard moisturized.
Keep your beard safe
This may seem intuitive, but for those new to long beards it is a vital thing to remember. Hazards like food, fire, zippers, dirt, and more can do serious damage to your beard if you don’t keep an eye out for them. You probably don’t need to wrap your beard around a corncob like Hans Langseth, but as the saying goes, better safe than sorry!
Be patient!
On average, your beard grows about a half an inch every month. This means that growing a long beard can take months or years to accomplish. Heck, Hans Langseth was patient enough to keep his beard growing for 62 years. With enough patience and dedication, you can grow the large beard of your dreams.
Build your Beard with the Help of Wild Willies!
Growing a long beard is a big project. Luckily, you don’t have to do it all alone! Let the experts at Wild Willies help you by providing high quality beard care products at an affordable price. Check out our online store and place an order today!
