Don’t be misinformed during years of growing your beard under false assumptions based on popular myths around beards – or even avoid growing a beard altogether because you think they’re not for you based on untrue popular culture sayings.
Here, we debunk some of the biggest beard myths and replace them with the pure, unaltered truth.
Myth #1: Hair grows back thicker after shaving it
This is one of the biggest myths when it comes to facial hair–or even simply hair growth in general – is that hair grows back thicker after you shave it.
The hair looks darker and feels thicker, so how couldn’t it be, right? False. As it happens, hair grows back with a dull end after you shave it, and this may feel stubbly or coarse.
While it appears and possibly even feels darker or thicker, it’s not.
Myth #2: All girls find facial hair sexy
It’s a popular myth that women all are looking for a man with a sexy beard, but this isn’t always the case.
Regardless of the beard styles you try, some girls just don’t find facial hair attractive, while for others, it’s practically a necessity in a partner.
Still, some girls prefer the cleanly shaven look or don’t like to kiss rough and itchy facial hair.
However, with the right beard grooming products and techniques – and by keeping your facial hair moisturized with a premium beard oil, you can give your beard that sexy, touchable softness that so many women love.
Myth #3: A beard should look complete in 2-3 weeks
While it would be a wonderful world indeed we live in if this were true, alas, a beard is not completely grown in as little as two to three weeks.
In fact, quite to the contrary, your beard may take as much as two to three months to grow out and form a complete beard, and may take even longer in some cases.
Myth #4: Your beard should be filled in by age 20
By age 20, many men feel like their beard is as good as it is going to get – and, fortunately, this is not the case.
Or many of us would be walking around with some pretty patchy beards (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
The truth is, your beard will keep improving throughout your 20s and 30s, and often into your 40s and 50s. Many men are well into their 20s before their beard fills in all the way.
Myth #5: You should shave your beard for a job interview
For many, it is common practice to shave a beard before a job interview – so much effort and hard work right down the drain (literally).
It’s simply devastating for many of these men to hear that this practice was all for naught, but in most cases – unless the company is strictly anti-beard – you will not be discriminated against for having a beard, as long as it is nice and well-groomed.
Myth #6: Beards are hot in the summer
This is a common myth, possibly because beards can look like the must keep you pretty warm.
The truth is, though, that beards can actually help to cool you down in the summer by shading your face and acting as an evaporative cooler when you sweat by giving you a bit of a breeze.
Myth #7: Your beard makes you look homeless or creepy
If your wife or girlfriend says this to you shortly after you start growing a beard for the first time, do not be alarmed.
In all likelihood, she is simply shocked by the change and is not used to seeing you with a beard. With time, she will likely come around to the look and it will begin g to grow on her as much as it has grown on you.
However, if you are truly concerned that your beard makes you look homeless or creepy, you might want to consider a more cleanly-groomed beard style to see if that helps the situation.
Myth #8: A good beard must have the mustache and beard connectors filled in
If you pay attention to the bearded men you see on a daily basis, you will notice that an overwhelming number of them are sporting missing connectors.
And you’ve probably never thought to yourself that someone’s beard looked pretty nice, but if only they had those connectors filled in.
You probably only notice the lack of connectors in yourself because you are your own biggest critic – make an effort to see your beard as a whole, and how it complements the rest of your style.
Myth #9: Only dark beards look good
When many people think of beards, the image that this immediately conjures into their minds tends to be one of a smoldering, dark-haired man with a full beard.
However, fair-haired men are just as capable of growing excellent beards – especially once they have gained some length to show off.
Once their beard has grown long enough to catch the sun’s rays and reflect its light, you’ll see the difference it can make to have a lighter-colored beard a bit longer.
Myth #10: Facial hair genes come from the mother’s side
It’s a commonly held belief that beard inheritance, including growth, density, pattern, and color, come from the mother’s side.
However, in reality, these genes come both the mother and father. The basis for this myth stems from the fact that many believe the “baldness gene” comes from the mother, and this belief has been extended to cover beard genes.
Myth #11: You should get your beard trimmed at the barber
Many people have more confidence in having their beard trimmed by a professional, but in truth, there is no better professional at knowing your personal preferences than yourself.
More often than not, a barber will over-trim your beard, especially if you are not very clear about your desires.
The best method is generally to get your own beard trimmer and take off a bit at a time until you are happy with the results.
While doing this, however, exercise caution and choose your style beforehand to avoid beard grooming mistakes.
Myth #12: Beards make you an outcast because most people don’t have them
Many men considering growing a beard feel as if they will not be accepted for the change.
However, you are who you are, and as long as you respect others’ choices, then your choices are your own.
People will accept your new look because it reflects your personality and nothing more.
Myth #13: Multi-hued beards are weird and ugly
Many people naturally have more than one color in their facial hair, and this often results in a fear that it doesn’t look quite “right.”
However, having multiple colors in your beard will help to make it look unique and distinguished in the eyes of all beard lovers.
Again, this is another classic case of you being your own biggest critic – no one else probably notices this or views it as a flaw if they do!
Myth #14: Some products will permanently increase the density or coverage of your beard
Products such as Minoxidil and others on the market that claim to make your beard gain permanent improvements in density, coverage, or to help kick-start the budding process in teenagers.
However, few products have been able to demonstrate any improvement in such areas, and Minoxidil has shown some success, but the gains are lost after participants stop using the product, meaning the results are not permanent.
Myth #15: Growing a beard will present problems with passport or other photo IDs
Some people shy away from growing a beard for fear it will make travelling and other processes that require a photo ID difficult because their photo ID shows them as clean-shaven.
However, officials see hundreds of these IDs a day and have been trained to see past something as superficial as a new hairstyle or a beard.
Myth #16: You can’t grow a full beard with a bald area on your cheek(s)
Many men feel as if the bald areas on their cheeks won’t grow in and, therefore, forego trying to grow a beard altogether.
In truth, after 2-4 months of dedicated beard growth, these bald, light, or weak spots fill over completely in the majority of cases.
Myth #17: Wiry beards look unattractive
If your facial hair looks wiry, you may think that growing a bead is not for you.
However, when wiry beards are fully grown in, they typically take on a distinctive look and shape that can be very sophisticated and distinguished.
Once it’s fully grown in, if your wiry beard still needs taming, products such as beard balm can help.
Myth #18: All parts of your beard should grow at the same rate
This commonly held belief is simply not true. Cheeks often tend to grow in flower than your facial hair covering your chin – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Your cheeks will catch up eventually and, after a little trimming and shaping your beard should look fully grown out with 2-3 months of growth.
Myth #19: Beards are scratchy and uncomfortable
If your beard is itchy and scratchy, then this is a sign that the skin under your facial hair is dried out and is in need of some moisture.
By using a good beard oil, you can help to nourish your hair follicles and the skin beneath to alleviate some of that itching.
In many cases, however, beard oil isn’t even necessary and the itching will pass after a week or two of growing out your beard.
Myth #20: Beards are dirty and gross
For some people, when they look at a full and luxurious beard, all they can think about are the dirt and germs that must lie within.
And it’s true that if you don’t clean your beard, it’s going to be dirty – but that’s true for the hair on your head, too. So long as you clean your beard on a regular basis, it will stay perfectly clean.
To help with this, you can find the best beard trimmer for your needs to keep your beard neat and clean at all times!
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