Six Common Beard Misconceptions

As anyone who has ever grown a beard will know, there are plenty of so-called ‘pearls of wisdom’ out there surrounding facial hair growth. Bushy-bearded friends may tell you that you must include a moustache with your facial fuzz or to shave first to allow the hair to grow back thicker.

We’re pleased to tell you, however, that many of these ‘facts’ are simply myths! To ensure you avoid falling for any common misconceptions, our trustworthy barbers have put together a few of their favourites below:

1. Beard hair grows back thicker if you shave first

This is probably the most commonly believed and widely-circulated myth. Sure, the hair feels thicker and looks darker, but that’s purely because the ends of your hair are blunted rather than tapered after shaving. They're also shorter (only having just started to grow), so they feel stronger & stiffer relative to hairs that have grown out. If you want to know what will work, read our article on 5 Simple Tips to Make your Beard Grow Faster.

2. Facial hair growth should be completed by your early twenties

For those seeking a big bushy beard, we've got good news. Although your height might stop growing in your late teens or early twenties, facial hair is different. Your beard is likely to keep improving as you age, and may even thicken up in your 40s or 50s! For this reason many guys end up going for the shaved head, big beard look as age makes their head balder but their face hairier. 

3. Beards should be full after about three weeks

If you’re growing a beard from scratch, it could take up to three months to fully emerge. After that point, the beard can of course continue to grow, with it's final length mostly determined by how healthy the hair is maintained before the ends split & break off.

For some men, the wait could be longer than 3 months. Typically for new beardsman we recommend growing the beard out for a full year so they can see exactly what they're dealing with. Think of it as a "Yeard" rather than a "Beard". At this point any patches or thin spots will have filled & and you have a lot of hair to work with so you can shape the beard in a way that suits your style.

4. Beards are too hot in the summer

Beards may look hot and uncomfortable to the smooth of face, but they can actually help cool you down during warmer months by providing shade and working as a kind of evaporative cooler when you start sweating. They're also excellent at protecting your face from the sun. Short beards have a UV protection factor (UPF) of between 2 and 9.5, whilst long beards ranged between a UPF of 2 to 21.  Given that a UPF rating of 15-24 blocks about 93-96% of UV radiation, anything that can achieve this level of protection is considered good.

5. Attractive beards must include plenty of moustache

This myth couldn’t be more wrong! Many men choose to style their facial hair sans moustache, and many pull it off very well. Shape your beard however you see fit and try to ensure that it reflects your personal style.

6. Your facial hair is determined by genes on your mother’s side

Wrong again! Like a lot of things in the body, your beard growth is influence by multiple genes, as well as environmental factors like diet, sleep & hormone levels. It is often thought that the density, growth speed and colour of facial hair comes from your mother’s gene pool. In reality, however, both your mother’s and father’s genes will play a role.

Do you know any beard misconceptions we missed? Why not comment down below and let us know. If you liked this article and want to read more, why not check out our BLOG ARCHIVE or click any of the links below:

1.  Get the Perfect Shave, with Shave Oil

2.  Myth Busted! Shaving doesn't make your Beard Thicker

3.  How to deal with beard itch

4.  How to trim sculpt and shape your beard

5.  How to Style the Stubble & Stache

6.  Shaving and Beard Maintenance for Sensitive Skin

7.  10 Beard Mistakes you Should Avoid

8.  Tips for Patchy Beards