How Long Does It Take To Grow A Beard?
Have you finally decided to grow a beard? This is certainly not a decision that is taken lightly.
Maybe you had a friend who talked you into the whole thing. Whatever the situation is, many virtues can come along with a well-maintained beard.
You will probably get more glances from the opposing sex and you might even look more gentlemanly.
Now that you have actually started the process, you’ve probably realized that there are more work and time involved than you first thought. In fact, you probably had no idea just how much work growing a beard is.
Not to mention the fact that it seems like it is taking forever for the beard to grow. By this point, you are probably wondering exactly how long it takes to grow a beard and if the process is even worth it anymore.
Understanding The Three Phases Of Hair Growth
If you really want to grow a beard it is going to take some work on your part. With the right grooming techniques, it might take anywhere from two to six months to grow a normal beard.
That being said, you also need to know that some men are just incapable of growing a beard, which leads them to seek our beard transplantations.
So, why does the process take so long? Well, it really comes down to the hair growth cycle. And, this is not just the facial hair growth cycle this is the cycle in which all hair on your entire body is produced.
Every single hair on your body has to go through three distinct growth phases.
The Anagen Phase
The anagen phase is without a doubt the most important of the three phases. And, this is because this is the phase when the facial hair will grow the most.
It can take two to months or longer to reach this phase, but the amount of hair growth that you experience during this stage really depends on your body and genetics.
If your hair grows faster and thicker than other men then you have that on your side, but if your growth is slower and thinner that doesn’t mean you are ineffectual.
Keep in mind that the anagen phase for head hair can last as long as two to six years. You really have to be patient and practice the right grooming techniques.
The Catagen Phase
The catagen phase is a kind of point to mention really because it is just the point where the hair stops growing.
During this stage, there isn’t a whole lot that the hair does. It is just simply embedded in your skin and just really sits there.
The Telogen Phase
The telogen phase should be thought of as the beginning of the cycle. This is the stage where the new hair is born.
The new hair pushes through the skin and pushes the old follicle out of the skin, which will eventually bring you back to the anagen phase.
At this point, the entire cycle will begin all over again. So, essentially during the telogen phase, you will have hair that falls out.
There is no cause for alarm and only a few will probably drop off when you are asleep. The rest will continue to grow and continue right through the cycles again.
How Long Of A Beard Can You Grow?
So, you want to grow an extremely long beard? Maybe you want one of those beards that touch the ground? Well, here is what you need to know.
You just learned from above that it is the anagen phase is where the actual growth of the hair takes place.
This pretty much means that your beard will not get longer than it is after six years.
If you manage to keep your beard and grow it out for six years, it will not ever grow any longer than it is at that point
Recent studies have shown that if the average male let his beard grow for six years it could reach a length of three feet.
This is because hairs fall out during the telogen phase, which is at the end of the growth cycle.
So, when you notice that your beard hairs are falling out when you aren’t brushing or pulling on the hairs it is safe that say that this is as long as your beard will ever get.
A Few Beard Growing Tips
If you have finally decided to grow your beard out there are a few things that you need to know.
It might be simple enough, but when you decide to start growing a beard, you need to immediately stop shaving.
Yes, that seems obvious, but you need to put the razor or shaver down for at least the first four weeks of growth.
This is where most men mess up. They just get tempted to start styling after one or two weeks.
You need to give it at least four weeks; otherwise, you might end up cutting off more than you want.
And, all this is going to lead to is starting over. You need to let your beard hairs really evolve, as they should during the growing phases.
Once you have reached the four-week period there are some other things that you need to be aware of.
Know The Neck Line
The neckline is the area right at the bottom of your beard around the neck. This is one of the trickiest areas to sculpt and is oftentimes’ best left to the professionals.
If you are going to sculpt this area on your own, you do not want to start with this area and when you do make your way here, you will want to start with a trimmer.
This will allow you to simply trim down the unwanted hair without removing too much at once.
Know The Cheek Line
The cheek line is pretty much just the top part of the beard up near the cheeks. In all honesty, you really should leave this area alone and let it grow naturally.
Sculpting this area into unusual shapes and making mistakes can turn the best-looking beard into an unsightly mess.