It is quite common for men to struggle with patchy facial hair growth on the cheeks. Usually, facial hair grows thicker on the mouth area. However, if you wish to grow a fuller beard, you must be looking for ways to cover up the sparser areas. There are a few things you can do to stimulate facial hair growth. Read on to learn how to grow a beard on the cheek.
What Controls the Beard Growth on the Cheeks
Your genetics largely determines the way your hair grows. Some believe that low levels of testosterone contribute to thinner and sparser hair. However, unless your testosterone levels are clinically low, it probably isn’t your hormones causing patchy growth.
Our bodies convert testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. DHT is responsible for binding with receptors on facial hair follicles, which then stimulate hair growth. Increasing your DHT levels or testosterone levels is not enough to guarantee a thick beard. It depends on your hair’s DHT sensitivity, which largely depends on your genetics.
So then, how to grow a beard on the cheek faster?
6 Best Ways to Grow Beard on Cheeks
There may be limited things you can do to promote a full and thick beard. However, it’s not hopeless. We will give you a variety of tips on how to get a beard on your cheeks. The following methods are your best bet in achieving a fuller beard.
1. Grow Out Your Beard
Sometimes the best thing you could do is let your beard grow out. This hair growth might be enough to hide spots where the hair growth is sparser.
2. Use Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an over-the-counter medication that comes in gel or cream varieties. Many people use it on their scalp to treat hair loss. However, it can also be used on the face to get a fuller beard.
3. Change Beard Styles
If you can’t manage to grow a full beard, you can consider growing a different type of beard. Maybe you can try a moustache or goatee.
4. Try Micro-needling
Micro-needling refers to a medical procedure whereby tiny needles are used to prick your face to increase blood flow.
5. Beard Transplant
If natural methods and over-the-counter medication do not work, you can opt for a beard transplant. This procedure would entail a surgeon harvesting hair follicles from the back of your head and transplanting them on your face.
6. Use Supplements or Serums
There are tons of great hair care and hair growth products out there, such as beard growth serums and beard growth tonics, that could help you out.
How to Grow Beard on Cheeks Naturally
If you want to take a more natural route, you can learn how to grow a beard on your cheeks naturally. Home remedies and DIY solutions are often the best natural solutions to many of life’s problems. These are some easy ways how to grow beard on cheeks home remedies:
1. Drink Water
You must hydrate yourself by drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily. You could also drink electrolytes such as coconut water and ORS (Oral Rehydration Therapy).
2. Take Care of Your Health
This includes eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, and exercising regularly. All of these lifestyle factors play a huge role in your skin and hair quality.
3. Clean Your Skin
Wash your face daily. Dead skin cells, oil, and dirt form a barricade on your skin. This makes it harder for hair follicles to break through the skin. Use warm water and a mild cleanser to wash your face. Clean and healthy skin helps hair growth.
4. Diet
It helps to add protein and saturated fats to your diet. Since hair follicles are mostly composed of protein, adding more protein to your diet helps to strengthen your hair. Testosterone is made from fat; hence eating saturated fats helps encourage testosterone for hair growth.
5. Use Coconut Oil
Coconut oil isn’t as greasy as other oils. It contains lauric acid, which helps penetrate the skin easily. It will also moisturise your beard and make the roots softer and healthier.
6. Use Amla Oil
Amla’s vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients help increase blood circulation, which is required for hair growth.
7. Reduce Stress
Stress impacts our bodies in various ways. You can reduce your stress levels by exercising or engaging in hobbies that make you happy. You can even do yoga or facial exercises to improve blood circulation and oxygen intake.
What Makes Growing A Beard Difficult?
Genetics plays a huge role in your facial hair growth. However, you can use certain products or the above-mentioned tips to learn how to grow a beard on your cheeks faster. The following factors may influence facial hair growth:
1. Alopecia Areata
This autoimmune disorder makes your body attack hair follicles, leading to hair loss on your head or beard. There may not be a cure, but you can treat it with topical medicines such as Minoxidil, dithranol, or corticosteroid creams.
2. Clinically Low Testosterone
If you have clinically low testosterone levels, you might struggle with beard growth. Low testosterone levels also contribute to other symptoms such as irritability, erectile dysfunction, and low sex drive.
3. Age
Many men state that their beard growth becomes thicker in their 30s. If you are still in your teens or 20s, you might notice your beard getting thicker as you age.
4. Nutrient Deficiencies
Deficiency in vitamins and minerals can result in limited beard growth. Low levels of protein can affect how your body makes testosterone, thereby impacting your facial hair growth.
5. Race
This is yet another genetic factor affecting beard growth. For example, East Asian men often have sparser facial hair growth compared to Caucasian men.
What Is The Average Growth Time Of A Full Beard?
Your genetics will determine how fast your beard grows. This rate of growth can vary wildly between different people. While there is no research about it, anecdotally, many people say that their beard grows about ½ an inch in a month. It takes about a month to grow a short beard and 2-4 months for a full beard.
Myths Related to Beard Growth
We hear many myths about growing beards on the internet. Misinformation plays a huge role in helping people sell products that may not actually give you a thicker beard. Many of these products aren’t backed up by sufficient research. If a product seems too good to be true, it is. You might have heard the following myths:
Myth 1: Shaving makes your beard thicker
Many people say that shaving hair makes it come back thicker. However, shaving your beard will do nothing for improving beard growth. What really happens is that the shaved hair has blunt tips which are coarse, making them noticeable. Your hair grows from the root of the skin. Shaving the ends of your hair does nothing to improve its growth.
Myth 2: More testosterone leads to a thicker beard
Low levels of testosterone may inhibit beard growth. However, that is not necessarily true. Studies show that only if your testosterone levels are clinically low will it affect your beard growth. It is actually the sensitivity of your hair follicles to DHT which will affect your facial hair growth.
Myth 3: Beard oils can make your beard thicker
There is a misconception that beard oils make beards grow thicker. But what they actually do is moisturise your hair and skin. This helps you to avoid dryness and make your hair look shinier, giving it a fuller appearance.
Myth 4: Supplements increase beard growth
While there are supplements that can help you with beard growth, it would be better to make dietary changes. Your facial hair growth problems may be due to a deficiency. Changing your diet to include all micronutrients could easily fix that problem.
Summing Up On How To Grow Beard On Cheeks
While your beard growth depends on your genetics, you might still have growth potential. Many men prefer a full beard look. However, if you are not able to grow a beard, it does not mean something is wrong with you. Most likely, you are not at risk for developing any health conditions, especially if you are already healthy. You may not be able to grow facial hair on your cheeks, but you can switch up your beard style to something easier to maintain.
FAQs
How Long Does It Take for Cheek Beard to Grow?
It usually takes 2-4 months to grow a full beard. This is because facial hair grows about 0.3-.0.5 mm every day. This means it grows to 1/3 or ½ an inch in a month.
How Can I Grow a Beard on My Cheeks From Nothing?
There are a few methods you could try to grow a fuller beard. They are as follows:
- Use minoxidil
- Use derma rollers
- Get your testosterone and DHT levels checked
- Use supplements
- Check for deficiencies
- Allow your beard to grow out
Does Coconut Oil Grow Beards?
Yes, Coconut oil can be quite helpful in your beard hair care. This is because coconut oil contains lauric acid, which helps stimulate hair growth. It is easily absorbed into your hair follicles and skin thanks to its low weight and molecular structure. It also contains Vitamin E and K, which help to make your beard softer and encourage it to grow. Coconut oil also prevents oxidative stress, increasing testosterone levels, which is required for hair growth.
References
- Xianyan Chen, January 2020; Dihydrotestosterone Regulates Hair Growth Through the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in C57BL/6 Mice and In Vitro Organ Culture - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6989660/
- R M Fertig, April 2018; Microneedling for the treatment of hair loss? - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29194786
