I once met a bloke who taught me the only French phrase you need to know - which is “ça dépend.” That depends. Ask me any question in French - how old are you? What are your hopes and dreams? How long does it take to grow a beard?
My answer, mes amis?
Ça dépend.
However, here at Mission Beard, we know that’s not the answer you want to hear. We endeavor to find you all the reliable information you could ever ask for about beard styling, growing, grooming and more. So, if you’re asking yourself “how long does it take to grow a beard?”, then you’d probably expect more than a two word answer in French. And that’s exactly why this blog will tell you everything you need to know about the time needed for optimum facial hair growth.
How Long does it take to Grow a Beard? The Short Answer:
The average beard grows at between a quarter and a half an inch per month. If you’re lucky enough to experience speedy beard growth, you might hit six inches of growth in a year. On the slow end of the scale, you’re looking at maybe three inches per year. Either way, count yourself lucky - some dudes may never grow a beard at all!
There are a number of factors which affect how long it takes to grow. The genetics, testosterone levels, general health and diet of the individual can affect the speed at which your hair grows, as can using beard products (to speed it up) and smoking (which slows it down).
Finally, beard hair reaches a maximum length - which usually takes between two and six years - before it falls out. So (again, depending on the individual) growing the longest possible beard takes between two and six years.
The Answer for Dudes With No Beard
There’s a chance that you’re reading this article because you’ve been waiting patiently but despite all of your best efforts you don’t seem to have any beard hairs. Some of your pals have managed to grow a full beard - so why can’t you?
You’ve put down the razor. You’ve bought the expensive oils. And you’ve sat down, closed your eyes and braced yourself for a hairy explosion on your face.
But nothing happens.
A trickle of hair emerges from your top lip, but the beard is yet to be seen. Some of your pals have managed to grow solid beards, so why can’t you? What’s going on?
Don’t worry, we get you. And we’ve got the answers.
The Pace of Facial Hair Growth
In this case, what you’re really wondering is how long it takes for your beard to start growing. Generally, hair starts growing around the corners of the upper lip between the ages of 11-15. A mustache will commonly sprout between the ages of 16-17, and this will eventually spread to the chin and cheek lines to form a fuller beard between 17-21.
As is becoming a running theme in this article, the beauty of natural selection and diversity of life choices which make humanity great also contribute to a lot of variation in this department. It’s perfectly possible to clock up a full beard a lot earlier than 21 or to have to wait a lot later.
How Fast does a Beard Grow? Can Everyone Grow a Beard?
As you’ve no doubt realised, not all men have a beard by twenty-one. Some may never grow one at all - others will continue to find hair growing in new parts of their face until they are almost thirty. In fact, beard growth may continue to get thicker throughout your thirties as well, meaning it will seem like you are growing a full beard increasingly fast.
If you’re in the camp of dudes who can’t grow a beard for love nor money then look at the silver lining - the evidence suggests that you’re less likely to go bald!
Want to do everything you can to speed up your beard growth? Check out our article on how to grow your beard faster!
The Beard Circle of Life
When growing a beard, there’s one key point you need to remember - although not all beards are created equal, they all go through the same hair growth cycle.
At the beginning of the cycle, the root of a hair first pokes its little self out your hair follicle. By the end, a hair will be so long that it naturally malts. I know what you’re thinking.
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaants ingonyama - it’s the circle of life. There are three phases to the hair growth cycle, which are basically as follows: