There are few things quite so bothersome as baldness. On your head, it can hurt your pride and hit your ego — but there are ways to overcome the issue and embrace the loss of your locks. Bald patches in your beard, however, can be a little trickier to make peace with.
There’s no tactical, tactful combing or slapping on of styling products to be had when it comes to your whiskers. Instead, in lieu of an easy fix or magic potion, we’ve mustered a list of five ways to fix your facial hair problems…
Grow it out, at least once
The full-face, bushy beard may have had its day — but there are still benefits to growing your beard out to its fullest length (even if it does look a little patchy). Firstly, there’s more hair to hide any patches of uneven growth. But, secondly, letting your beard bloom for a couple of weeks or months will stretch out those follicles and promote thicker, stronger hair.
So, before you reach for your razor, take some time to be patient and boost your beard’s volume. Yes, it may be slightly itchy and uncomfortable, but if you invest in some of the best men’s grooming products, the pros will handsomely outweigh the cons. Keep your beard hydrated with some find beard oil, and brush it daily to keep your skin healthy.
Shorter is better
If you’ve grown your beard out, but can still spot hairless patches, your best bet is to go for a shorter style. Somewhere between a light beard and stubble is the perfect middle ground; retaining that action hero edge, but not thick or heavy enough to draw attention to your less-densely bristled bits of your face.
Your key concern now is maintenance. A shorter beard may be a smart way to disguise your patchy hair-growing prowess, but you’ll need to keep it at this limited length to ensure no-one catches on to your ruse. Find a great beard trimmer, with all the bells, whistles and blade guards, to guarantee a swift morning grooming routine.
Try going for a moustache
Most men share the same strong areas of beard growth; top lip, bottom of the chin and near the ears. The first of these patches may be your uneven beard salvation — as you should find it relatively easy to grow out a full moustache.
It’s a strong look, but an elegant option if you keep a little light stubble underneath those main lip-topping bristles. But ensure you keep everything else well-trimmed (especially around the jawline, where your hair is likely at its patchiest). Beard scissors are a good bet here, as well as a durable, dependable moustache comb.
Or, just stay clean shaven
It’s probably not the solution you were hoping for, but sometimes the simplest fix is the most effective. If you’re struggling to grow the plush, bushy beard of your dreams, then perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be — and you should simply make peace with being clean shaven.
There’s a certain ceremony in the wet shaving experience, too — so you’ll likely fall in love with the routine and many cream, balm, foam and razor options that come along with the smooth-chinned life. If you are going down this route, remember to always exfoliate before shaving, and moisturise after.
Pop to the barbers
Or, if you really want to grow the best beard you can, it always pays to get a little professional advice. Head to your local barber — we’ve got a list of London’s best here — and a trained stylist will take a close-up look at your follicles, growth patterns and the quality of your hair.
Other than this, we’d avoid other recourses (beard transplants still look a little odd, and some supplements are scientifically sketchy). Instead, maintain a well-balanced, healthy diet and eat eggs, carrots and milk — which contain biotin, a vitamin that helps to stimulate hair growth. You’ll be full-bearded in no time.
Want more grooming tips? We asked a leading cosmetic doctor for his top anti-ageing tips…
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