So, you have decided to grow a beard, and there are a few questions you have about how to go about it. Among them, the most important one of them all: how long it will take. 

We have devised this guide to give you greater insight into the world of beards, how long they take to grow, and how you can help them along.

We are going to put you out of your misery here and answer this one straight off the bat. 

While each man is different and the length of time it takes to grow a beard differs, the average growth you can expect is around 1/2 an inch per month. However, in some cases, you may experience up to an inch of growth in a month. To grow a full beard will take between two to four months.

Various factors play a role in how quickly your beard grows, from genetics to stress. These same factors will also affect how thick your hair is and how full your beard will look.

The Stages of Beard Growth

When it grows, your beard will go through three phases in a growth cycle. If your beard goes through each of these stages, you can be sure to end up with a full beard. 

Let’s take a closer look at the stages of beard growth:

• Anagen Phase

The Anagen phase is that period when the hair is still growing. During this time, the cells in the roots of your hair follicles divide at a rapid rate. 

This phase is not something that happens in a matter of weeks or months. Instead, the Anagen phase usually takes between two to six years. During this time in the cycle, you can expect your hair strands to grow by at least a half-inch each month. 

• Catagen Phase

The Catagen phase is the shortest beard growth period. It is during this growth phase that the growth of facial hair ceases. This transitional phase sees the hair strands separating from the follicles and attaching to your skin. 

In this stage, the blood circulation to your facial hair is cut off as the hair attaches to the skin. The Catagen phase lasts between two to three weeks. 

• Telogen Phase

The Telogen phase is where you can expect to shed old hair. Here new hairs growing from the follicle push out the older hairs, leading to hair falling out. 

This phase lasts between two to four months. After the Telogen phase, the follicle returns to the Anagen phase for the cycle to begin again.

It wouldn’t be remiss for you to think that head hair and facial hair were the same, but they’re not. The two have many similarities, but there are two significant differences, which is why we tend to manage them differently.

Both head hair and facial hair go through a growth pattern that includes an Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen phase; facial hair grows through these cycles in a matter of weeks or months, while head hair takes years to complete these phases. 

Another difference between the two is texture. Facial hair is wirier and thicker and grows in a curly fashion. In comparison, head hair strands are thinner, grow straighter, and are more unruly.

Facial hair is also better moisturized than head hair, which is oilier but requires less frequent washing and treatment with conditioner.

Your Beard Length

As a man, chances are you have considered just how long it would grow if you just left it and never gave it a trim. 

While genetics will have a prominent role in how long your beard actually grows, the rule of thumb for the average beard is around three feet.

If you want to calculate for yourself how long your beard can grow, you need to watch for the Telogen phase, which is when your hair starts shedding. This is the final phase in your hair growth cycle before it begins again. 

Here the new hairs push out the old ones to make space for new growth. It is important to remember that you will shed not all of the hairs during this phase and that some will continue to grow. Therefore, measuring how long your strands grow from one shedding stage to the next will indicate how long your beard will grow in each cycle.

Elements That Affect Beard Length

If you are tired of shaving daily and have decided to explore the world of beard growing, chances are you’re excited to try different beard styles. However, if you’re anxious to know how long it takes to grow a beard before you can get to crafting your different beard looks, you need to know that there are factors that affect how quickly your beard grows and how well it grows. 

Some of these elements are well within your control, and by using good practice, you can help stimulate the growth of your beard. On the other hand, other factors are beyond your control.

Let’s look at some of these unique elements that affect the length of your beard:

• Testosterone

Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in men and helps with the development of reproductive organs, bone and muscle mass, and the growth of body hair. 

Men with higher testosterone levels are more easily able to grow a longer and thicker beard. 

Men with low testosterone may not be able to grow a full beard and may experience patchiness. 

• Skincare

Taking care of the skin beneath your beard and using the correct skincare products will help promote beard growth. 

Keeping your skin clean and your pores and follicles free from dirt, oil, and debris will encourage new hair growth. 

Using products that contain Biotin, a supplement that stimulates hair growth, or Keratin that strengthens hair, will also help you grow a long beard.   

• Smoking

Smoking comes with an array of adverse effects on your health. Besides the obvious health hazards, we hear about with smoking, one you may not know of is that it can cause hair loss, not just on your head but on your face. So if you want to avoid baldness and grow a majestic beard, you may want to consider giving up smoking. 

• Stress

Stress has a significant bearing on your hair growth. It can lead to Alopecia or severe hair loss, not just on your hair but with body hair too. Your immune system is also adversely affected by stress and will also lead to thinning hair. 

By keeping your stress levels down, you can help your beard hair growth to improve. 

• Age

Teenagers going through puberty, usually between the ages of 12 and 16, will see the first smatterings of facial hair. Usually, pubescent teens will grow more of a mustache and a patchy beard as testosterone levels rise. 

Although these hormone levels increase, it won’t be until the ages of 18 to 25 that he has the ability to grow a full, thick beard that no longer looks patchy. Your beard will also grow at a faster rate during this period, as this is when men experience their highest testosterone levels. 

It is only between the ages of 25 and 35 that your beard will reach its full potential. It will grow thicker, faster, and more lengthy. 

• Genetics

While most of us wish in some way or another that we could change up our genetics, this factor is, unfortunately, one that won’t ever change. 

If the men in your family had thick beards that grew quickly, chances are, you will end up with a beard that does something similar. Although it is important to bear in mind that this won’t always be the case. 

Some men may be stuck for life with the ability only to grow a thin or patchy beard, while others may not be able to grow any beard at all.

A fact you may find interesting is that men who suffer from thinning head hair often will grow a lush beard, and men with a patchy beard often have thicker head hair. 

A way to combat this imbalance is using a facial hair removal cream for men so that you can remove the patchy beard.

Beard growth and how long it takes you to grow a beard will also depend on your genetics. If you find your beard takes an age to grow, the best thing you can do is have patience. It may take a little longer, but it will get there.

Now that we have discussed the factors that have a bearing on beard growth, it is time to look at ways to grow your beard faster. These methods are by no means foolproof, but they do help considerably.

• Changing Your Diet

Improving your diet will help boost your health and ultimately boost your beard growth. Fried foods or those heavy in fats won’t do much for your beard, but those rich in vitamins and minerals found in a balanced diet are your best bet.

Foods rich in Vitamins A, B, C, and E will all help your beard grow faster, thicker, and shinier. In addition, mineral-dense foods containing selenium, zinc, magnesium, and iron will also help promote beard growth. 

Foods rich in proteins such as fish, egg yolk, red meat, cheese, and yogurt, will also boost hair growth as hair is made up predominantly of protein. Fruits and veg promoting hair growth include apricots, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, avocado, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers. 

• Regular Exercise

Frequent exercise has numerous health benefits. 

Exercise increases heart rate, which in turn improves circulation. The greater the blood flow through your blood vessels that supply your follicles, the more oxygen is transported to these hairs. More oxygen means faster growth and thicker hair strands. 

Exercise also increases testosterone levels which in turn promote the growth of thicker, more robust beards. 

And lastly, exercise improves your immune system and lowers stress levels. 

• Get a Good Nights’ Sleep

Getting a good sleep each night, between seven and eight hours each night, will help your beard grow better.

When we sleep, our body temperature drops, our circulation improves, and it drives more oxygen to our cells. Increased oxygen leads to faster growth and thicker, more healthy strands. Keeping tabs on your overall health will promote excellent beard growth.

• Have a Trim

While trimming your beard may seem contradictory to growing it, it promotes growth. 

The first six weeks of growing your beard are when you let it grow. After the six-week mark, it is time to start shaping your beard by trimming it just a little. Doing this will remove split-ends, neaten your beard, and thicken it up. 

The best way to trim your beard is with a detail trimmer. You can buy some pretty great trimmers from Amazon. 

First, shape your neckline. Placing two fingers above the Adam’s Apple will help give you a starting point that is not too high. After making this line, neaten your neckline up with a manual razor for a smooth and defined finish. 

• Use Beard Care Products for Beard Growth

If you want to help your beard hair along with a little more, using some good beard care products is a great avenue to follow. You can find a lot of the products we look at below in stores or online on Amazon. 

Keeping your beard tangle-free with a beard comb is an excellent way to keep your beard looking sleek. Combing your beard daily will also help remove excess skin cells and prevent your pores from clogging. It will also stimulate circulation and blood flow to the follicles. 

A great moisturizer to prevent your beard from drying out and becoming brittle and breaking is beard balm. Also, use beard oil as another way to nourish your beard hair. 

Some beard balms are also designed to alleviate beard itch that is often experienced at the start of growing your beard for the first time, or you start growing new hair. 

Whether you have a goatee, a short beard, or a longer beard, keeping it moisturized will also prevent the skin beneath from drying out and forming beard flakes that could block follicles and prevent growth. 

There are a few tips to follow to help you get the facial hair growth you desire when growing a beard. 

• Step One – Research, Research, Research

Understanding your beard and what promotes facial hair growth, and what hinders it will help you get on the right track to growing the beard you have always wanted. It also helps you to see the different beard styles out there and how you can go about shaping your beard.

• Step Two – Watch Your Beard Grow

Start the growth process. Do not trim your bar for the first six weeks until it has had a chance to complete the growth cycle. Implement a good beard care routine and keep your facial hair clean. 

• Step Three – Be Patient While You Wait for Your Facial Hair Growth

When your beard takes off and starts to grow, you may experience beard itch. While it may drive you round the bend and leave you feeling as though you want to give up, don’t! Use beard balms and moisturizers to soothe the itch and the skin along your jawline. 

• Step Four  – Implement the Best Beard Care Routines 

Once you have achieved a full beard, keep it well maintained by using the right products for your hair type and skin type. Combing it regularly is also best practice.

• Let Your Facial Hair Grow Naturally

Let your body hair grow at its own pace. Genetics will be the deciding factor as to how quickly your beard grows. Have patience with your facial hair and let it grow at its own rate, and you will end up with a phenomenal beard. 

• Wash Your Face

Wash your face twice a day with warm water and a gentle cleanser or beard shampoo. Doing this will unblock your pores and allow for faster growth of the hair. Follow this up with a beard balm or beard oil to moisturize your hair and the skin beneath. 

• Exfoliate

Once a week, exfoliate your face and beard to clear away dead skin cells. In addition, exfoliation clears your pores and follicles, which in turn promotes faster and more vigorous growth of hairs.

Before using a new exfoliator, you should always do a test on a small area of skin to ensure it does not cause irritation to the sensitive skin on your face. 

• Massage Your Face

Massaging your face will promote circulation, and it will stimulate the hair follicles to increase growth. The pressure of this massage should be light and yet firm. Pressing too hard can cause more harm than good. Massage your face for around ten minutes twice a day.

Growing a beard takes a little more effort than you would think. 

While aspects such as age and genetics will significantly impact the type and length of beard you grow, good overall health choices and proper grooming will help your beard grow longer and thicker at a faster rate. 

Have patience with your body and practice good self-care, and you will find your beard grows out faster and fuller than before.