How to fix bald spots in beard

Every man goes through a patchy beard phase during the first 4 weeks of growth.

But, what happens if it’s not just a phase? What if you’re one of those guys whose beard stays with those weird, bald patches all over your face?

Finding beard patches and bald spots is one of the most demoralizing and disappointing feelings a man can have. It’s the no. 1 reason why most men give up, throw the glove in the ring and decide to just shave everything off.

Keep that razor away from your facial hair! We bring you 13 proven methods to fix patchy beard growth in no time and grow a thick, full mane you’ve always wanted.

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What Is a Patchy Beard

A patchy beard is simply a beard that tends to grow unevenly, especially on the cheeks and the chin. While everyone has some thinner areas in their beards, patchy beards are characterized by small or larger sections on the extreme that are completely devoid of facial hair. 

It can be annoying and may make you think that you can never grow a full beard even if you tried. For some men, without even realizing it, could have a patchy beard because their facial hair is still growing. 

Without giving it time to grow, therefore, your beard will never grow to its full potential. Other things cause a patchy beard and they range from genetics to growth hormones levels in an individual.

Identifying what is causing your beard to be patchy gets you one step closer to fixing your problem for good. 

Why It Happens

There are so many things that may cause a patchy beard, some that can be fixed and others that you just have to live with like genetics. Some men tend to have more hair follicles than others.

Because of that, such men can grow dense as well as full beards without relying on beard growth regimes. If you have finer, thinner hair on top of your head, for instance, your beard will likely take the same route.

This is what genetics does and there is nothing you can do to correct that. Testosterone comes into play when it comes to beard growth and hair follicles tend to be sensitive to both hormone fluctuations and levels. If you have noticed that you have a thin beard and one growing in patches, you need to check with your doctor to rule out any medical conditions. 

The most important thing you need to note however, is that just because your beard is thin, it doesn’t mean that you have low testosterone levels. Here are a few reasons why you may experience patchy facial hair growth;

Genetics

The common belief in the past was that beard and hair growth genes were passed down from the side of the mother, but scientific proof says otherwise in that you can inherit these genes from either side. 

If men from either your father or mother’s side can grow a thick beard, the chances are that you too can. If their beards grow in patches, then so will yours.

The thing about genetics is that it is very little you can do about it. If you have a beard that is light-colored or fine, patches on it will be more noticeable and in some cases, if the genes are that strong, those patches may never fill with hair. 

When it comes to genetics, you need to know that you are not alone. The sensitivity of your hair follicles to the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is what plays a role in the growth of facial hair. 

If your body produces so much DHT, it tends to build up in the hair follicles, which stops your facial hair from growing the right way, leading to patchy parts. 

Age

Age plays a significant role in determining how thick of a beard you are going to have. Most men start developing facial hair when they hit puberty.

During that time, the beard tends to grow in patches because it is continuing to grow. If you just started growing your beard, whether, in your 20s or younger, the chances are that the hair will not be full and thick.

Giving it time to grow is the only thing that can help it grow well and the patches to fill up. If you keep shaving your beard when it starts growing, you are never going to achieve the desired thickness that you want.

Alopecia Areata

In very rare cases, beard patchiness can be a result of underlying medical conditions like Alopecia Areata. 

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack its own cells, in this case, hair follicles. When that happens, hair falls out, creating round patches that can either be noticeable or unnoticeable.

The condition mainly affects hair on the head, but it can affect any other area where hair grows, including eyebrows and the face. The condition can develop slowly and continue to recur years later between instances. It can also result in total hair loss, a condition called alopecia Universalis, preventing hair from ever growing back again. 

If hair does grow back, it can fall out again, but this varies from one person to another. Currently, there is no cure for areata, but there are treatments that can help the hair to grow back and prevent future hair loss. 

It’s only a very small percentage of the population who suffer from this condition and in some people, the condition can clear on its own.  

Alopecia Areata is not a genetic condition and as such, it cannot be inherited or passed from one person to another through contact. The treatment involves the use of creams, oral medication, ointments, or a combination of either. 

Low Levels of Beard Growth Hormones 

Facial hair is called androgenic hair, which simply means that the hair grows in response to the male hormones dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone. 

If you have low levels of these hormones, then the chances are that you will not have a thick beard or it may grow in patches. On the other side, if the levels of testosterone and DHT are high, there is faster facial hair growth and not to mention, the beard tends to grow thicker. 

Poor Sensitivity to Androgen Receptors

Genetics plays a very big role in determining the presence of androgen receptors in the body. Androgens are usually a group of hormones that include testosterone that regulates sexual development as well as the male secondary characteristics that are related to sex. 

The popular belief has always been that testosterone alone is responsible for hair growth. Genetics is what determines how much testosterone you get to produce, but whether you grow any facial hair and how thick it is going to be is highly reliant on androgen receptors in the hair follicles. 

The more androgen receptors you have, therefore; the more testosterone is deposited in the hair follicles, which stimulates growth. 

With this in mind, you may have high levels of testosterone, but if there aren’t enough androgen receptors, all that testosterone is of no use, and facial hair growth becomes a problem. 

At the same time, you may have the right amount of androgen receptors in the body, but if you have poor sensitivity to them due to your genetic makeup, facial hair growth tends to be patchy. 

Poor Circulation in Your Cheeks

Blood circulation affects how much hair grows on your face. The area around the cheeks, for instance, has a weaker circulation than the areas around the chin and the mouth.

Because of that, it’s much easier to grow a goatee or a mustache than a beard. If you suffer from extreme circulation, therefore, beard growth tends to be patchy.   

Lifestyle (Stress, Poor Diet, Lack of Exercise or Sleep)

A deficiency in minerals and vitamins, low sleep duration, poor sleep quality, stress, and absence of a balanced diet can wreck your hormone production. 

In such a case, the endocrine system starts to shut down, and when that happens, the first things to go tend to be the two important reproductive hormones; DHT and testosterone, which happens to be the hormones that regulate beard growth as well as density. 

How to Deal With It

One of the most important things for men when they start growing a beard is instant gratification. Most men at this stage expect their beards to grow full and thick fast, but that is not always the case. 

A majority of men tend to grow patchy beards that can be noticeable or unnoticeable but either way annoying. No man can grow a thick Viking beard overnight. 

Beard growth takes time, dedication to the right grooming practices, and good genes. Fortunately, there are certain measures you can take to deal with a patchy beard.

Healthy Lifestyle

The absolute best way to help you beard hair fill in is by leading a healthy lifestyle.

Jim White, a registered dietician and spokesman for the American Dietetic Association, explains that “The condition of your facial hair directly corresponds to the health of your body.”

He went on to explain that “the same nutrients that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs also benefit our skin and hair.”

To keep your beard healthy, make sure you’re eating well and exercising daily. Maintaining your overall health helps increase your blood flow and testosterone.

Healthy levels of testosterone will encourage hair growth throughout your body, including your face, leading to a healthier beard. Ensure that you’re getting the right vitamins in your body to encourage healthy hair growth. Food that promotes beard growth is rich in:

Protein

Beards are made up of keratin, a kind of protein made up of amino acids. The human body cannot produce amino acids on its own and instead takes them from other animals and organisms rich in protein.

Without protein, your body doesn’t have the resources to make your beard at all. Eat fish, lean meats, poultry, and eggs.

Vitamin A and Beta A Carotene

These vitamins are for repairing skin tissue and allowing for better hair growth. These vitamins help men around the world grow beards faster. Eat egg yolks, carrots, kale, and spinach.

Vitamin C and E

They produce sebum, natural oil that moisturizes and lubricates hair to create a fuller thicker beard. Eat spinach, sunflower seeds, and citrus fruits.

Vitamins B6, B12 and Biotin Supplements

Promote new skin and hair growth and prevent hair loss from stress with these vitamins. Eat fish, eggs, poultry, and legumes.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These fatty acids promote overall hair growth and prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle. Eat walnuts, flaxseed oil, and fatty fish (like salmon). Regularly sleeping well and getting in your 8 hours of sleep will also encourage testosterone increases.

In fact, this article by the University of Chicago Medical Center found that sleeping less than 5 hours a night can lead to a 15% decrease in your testosterone levels.

Losing out as sleep can also increase a hormone that causes stress (cortisol) the next day, leading to damaged hair follicles.

There are a few more general lifestyle tips that can help you get your dream beard:

• Limit your alcohol intake. Sorry, gents, but getting drunk at the bar every night with coworkers is a quick way to stress out and dehydrate your entire body, including your facial hair.
• Drink lots of water every day. A hydrated body can send more moisture to help healthy and thick beard growth.
• Reduce stress. Stress can make your beard dry and thin. If you lead a stressful life, try to release your stress through exercising, yoga, or meditation.
• Be nice to your beard. Make sure you take care of the beard you do have. Keep your beard clean and moisturized with beard oil to support healthy hair that will appear lustrous and thick.

Keeping a healthy beard will prevent bald spots. If you find your beard itchy or full of beard dandruff, start taking these measures preventatively.

Beardoholic Premium Beard Oil has proven results in fighting all these beard problems effectively, in addition to making your facial hair healthier, stronger and fuller while fixing bald spots with ease.

Give It Time

Make sure you give your beard time to grow out. Not all of your hair grows at the same rate; your patchiness may be transient as parts of your beard may still be growing out.

Style Strategically

If you can grow out the rest of your hair long and brush it well, the voluminous look of an otherwise healthy and full beard can cover up the patchy spots.

If you keep your beard short, the unkempt stubble style can disguise your patchy spots. If your patchy spots are just short rather than completely barren of hair, you can try to even it all out to the length your patchy spots are stubbornly stuck at.

Supplement

If you can’t seem to get enough vitamins in your diet, you can explore the world of beard vitamins. These multivitamins combine many of the vitamins on the list we went over earlier to make sure your body has the tools to create a healthy beard.

When choosing which facial hair supplement to use, take into account all the benefits you will get with its use, plus how long it will last you.

Improved formula of Centrum Men Multivitamin Supplement with more vitamin D than ever contains 120 tablets that will last you for a long time and deliver excellent results.

Worst comes to worst; you can experiment with Rogaine and other hair supplements.

Minoxidil

Originally, Minoxidil was used in the treatment of high blood pressure. One of the side effects, however, of the drug was excessive hair growth in the early users. 

In 1988, the FDA approved Minoxidil to be used as a hair growth product and was marketed under the brand name Rogaine. With time, it started being used to stimulate even beard growth. But how does Minoxidil work? 

Simply put, the drug acts as a potassium channel opener that stimulates the circulation of blood in the hair follicles. This improved blood circulation is what causes hair to grow, which in turn enables nutrients and hormones to reach the roots of the hair. 

Additionally, Minoxidil has been shown to stimulate the production of an enzyme known as prostaglandin through the immune system. Research has it that hair loss is a result of malfunctioning of the immune system. Minoxidil has also been proven to prolong the anagen hair growth phase.

While the debate still lingers about the effectiveness of Minoxidil to stimulate hair growth, a majority of men swear by its effectiveness, so it’s worth trying if your beard grows in patches. 

Microneedle

Micro-needling is a technique that is commonly used to stimulate facial hair growth. It can also be used to remove fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks, and for facial rejuvenation in women.

Additionally, it is used to reduce acne scars, alopecia, Rosacea, and, most importantly, hair loss. How does the technique work?

Derma rolling therapy works through the use of a derma roller device, which is typically a handheld device that has a cylindrical shaped roller that has tiny needles. 

The device works by punching small micro scoping holes into the skin. This causes the body to think that there is an injury in that area and it sends hormones to repair the injury. 

This stimulates repair pathways that help induce growth factors that end up stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. The process also helps to improve circulation that makes it easy for collagen, keratin, and elastin to get to the damaged areas. 

Collagen and elastin are important components of facial hair. If the blood circulation is improved, there is natural beard growth. 

Men who have used derma rolling therapy report that the treatment helps improve scalp as well as facial hair growth and some have even reported that the process is much more effective if you combine it with Minoxidil.

The main concern when using derma rollers is knowing what size of needles works best. Generally, the recommended needle size is 0.5mm. It is also important that you get a titanium derma roller rather than the stainless steel ones because titanium is much more durable. 

Since the skin on the face is not as thick as in other areas of the body, a 0.5mm to 1mm microneedle will work. The length is enough to penetrate deep into your hair follicles, stimulating keratin and collagen production and improved blood circulation. 

3% Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil has so many benefits and one such benefit is the stimulation of facial hair growth. Generally, peppermint beard oil is used to moisturize the skin and prevent beard dandruff. 

It smells great hence the reason why it’s used in beard grooming. To understand how peppermint oil works, it’s important to understand the full process of facial hair growth and the role that peppermint oil plays in that. 

DHT is an androgen hormone that, for years, has been linked to male reproductive issues like baldness and prostate cancer. 

Studies, however, have shown that DHT has several benefits that include hair growth stimulation. Most hair growth solutions on the market work by blocking DHT and only relying on other ingredients that are present in the solution. 

Peppermint oil does not in any way block DHT and works to increase the flow of blood to the hair follicles. This makes it easy for nutrients to reach the follicles, which leads to healthy beard growth.

Additionally, peppermint oil stimulates IGF-1 very early in the growth process. IGF-1 is a hormone that causes hair to grow thicker. Men who use Minoxidil don’t get to see the results until about a month later, but with peppermint oil, you can see results much faster.

You need to dilute about 3% of the oil in which case you need a 30ml dropper bottle, jojoba oil, and 100 percent pure PEO. Fill the bottle with jojoba oil and then add about 18 drops of PEO, shake well and you are good to go. 

Better Sleep and Less Stress

Various studies have it that your quality of sleep may have positive or negative effects on the body, which includes testosterone levels. Reduced testosterone levels have a significant effect on how your beard grows and it’s the last thing you want if you have a patchy beard. 

A Journal of the American Medical Association study has shown that just a week of not enough sleep resulted in about 10 to 15 percent testosterone reduction.

The study also shows that a good night’s sleep can regenerate testosterone levels. As such, your patchy beard may be a result of sleep deprivation. Additionally, lack of sleep has been shown to increase stress levels, which doesn’t do you any good if you are trying to grow full facial hair.

Dyeing the Beard

Darker beards tend to look much thicker even when you have a patchy beard. If you have a light beard, a quick beard filling solution will dye your beard a shade or two darker.

One other benefit that you will reap from coloring the beard is that the non-pigmented vellus hairs will get the color as well, which will make your beard look denser even if it’s patchy. 

If you are considering dying your beard, go with a color that is as close to your natural hair color as possible and ensure that you experiment with temporary coloring first before moving on to future coloring to determine what works for you and what doesn’t. 

One brand that you can use to experiment is Blackbeard original since the colors tend to be temporary lasting for about 12 to 24 hours and they come in a brush-in tube that makes it easy to control the depth of the color. 

At the end of the day, dying your beard is a quick solution to getting rid of the patchy beard and making your facial hair look denser, but without proper research, before you do, it will only make you look ridiculous. 

Trimming the Beard Evenly

If you have a patchy beard, trimming, and sculpting, it can make it appear fuller. What you need to do is to trim down the patchy sections into an even length, which makes the beard look cleaner as well as denser. 

After that, follow that up by shaping the neckline into a sharp, clean angle, just a few inches below the jawline. This helps create a visual image of a less patchy beard since you will have more density on the neck. 

This type of trimming is something that you can do at home without needing to visit a barbershop, but if you are not sure about it, just have a professional do it for you. 

Any experienced barber will know how to make a patchy beard look fuller and when they are done, you can be trimming the edges to maintain the look. 

Avoiding Beard Growth Products

There are so many beard growth products being advertised and passed as miracle solutions to patchy beards but don’t fall for them.

A patchy beard will not just fill up just because you applied some essential oils to it. At best, you need to combine these solutions, most of which are just beard grooming products with other methods like micro-needling and Minoxidil.

Some popular beard care products that are passed as miracle solutions for those who can’t grow full beards include beard growth oils, beard growth sprays, and serums, beard growth vitamins as well as supplements and beard growth shampoos. 

To make it clear, these so-called beard growth products never work as they are advertised. 

Beard Implants

If nothing seems to work for you, then you might want to consider beard implants. Implants work for men who have struggled to grow full and healthy beards all their life which has led to a spike in beard implants in recent years. 

The most common method that is applied in beard implantation involves taking some hairs from the head – roots and everything and implanting them surgically on the bare patches. The procedure can take several hours but only requires local anesthesia. 

After the procedure, the implanted hair tends to fall out in a few weeks but grows back stronger since the roots are developing. 

The main advantage of a beard transplant is that you get to explain the kind of beard that you want, helping the surgeon implant it any way you want. On the downside, the procedure is very expensive and can cost you between $3,000 to $7,000.

Hormone Therapy

Studies have it that a patchy beard can result from hormone deficiency and because of that hormone therapy is recommended, which is done through hormonal creams, pills as well as injections. 

If it is determined that your hair roots are hormone-resistant, then your doctor can prescribe hormone treatments to enhance the effects that the hormones have on both the hair follicles and the roots. 

Generally, hormone therapy is not as effective as a beard transplant and poses certain health risks that you need to be aware of before you go for the treatment. 

Do’s and Don’ts

• Don’t start shaving your beard in the hope that it will grow back fuller. If you have a patchy beard, the only solution is to give it time to grow.
• Don’t buy into beard growth products like beard growth oil or shampoo because they don’t work as they are advertised and not to mention some of them contain harmful products that you don’t want to expose to your skin. 

FAQ 

Why do I have It?

First, if you have a patchy beard, you don’t have to beat yourself about it. There are a lot of factors that can lead to uneven beard growth. This could be something as simple as the food you are eating to hormonal imbalances and stress. There are fungal infections that have also been linked to hair loss, especially facial hair as well as autoimmune and dental conditions. 

If your beard has always grown in patches, then your genes are to blame and there is nothing you can do about that. However, if your beard has suddenly moved from a nice dense, full beard to having patchy spots, then you want to have that checked out by a professional to rule out any underlying medical conditions that could graduate to more serious conditions.

How long does it take for a patchy beard to fill in?

After filling in patchy spots, your beard should begin taking shape in about four to six weeks, but this depends on the method you used to fill patchy spots. Peppermint oil, for instance, works faster than Minoxidil, so that’s something to consider. 

However, at the end of the day, the patchy spots should become less noticeable and the beard will become softer as long as you continue conditioning it. In addition to proper care and maintenance routine, you can then incorporate basic grooming like brushing.

Also, clean the neckline, jawline, mustache, and the cheeks. If you are a beginner, you might want to have a professional do it considering that you have invested not only time but money to fill the patchy spots. 

A trained stylist will know what to do and they will also show you how you can put those finishing touches on the look that you are going for. Don’t forget to enquire from your barber on things you can do for the beard to continue growing in the right way seeing that such a person will be in a better position to help you overcome some of the beard-growing problems that you may be experiencing. 

Does shaving increase beard growth?

Shaving your beard does not, in any way, stimulate beard growth. Sometimes shaving can give that illusion that your hair is growing back at a faster rate since the new hair tends to be darker because it has not been exposed to the sun. The hair will also feel and appear sharper, making you think that that is a result of shaving. 

Generally, facial hair grows as you age. This is what makes younger men who have just developed a beard think that shaving helps and that the beard will grow thicker and denser in no time. Facial hair begins to develop in teenage life in your late twenties and may not fill up until you are in your 30s for some people.

If you are in this category, shaving ill not help your beard grow but will only delay its growth. Giving the beard time to grow is the best way to deal with those patchy spots considering that your patchy beard is not tied to your genes. 

As mentioned earlier, facial hair growth is affected by genetics and so is the beard shape and the areas that hair grows and doesn’t grow. Contrary to popular belief, you can inherit facial hair genes from either your father’s or mother’s side.

If men from either side of the family grow patchy beards, the chances are that you will grow a patchy beard too and there is very little that you can do to correct that situation. No amount of shaving will make your beard grow full if you have the wrong kind of genes.  

Consistently trimming the beard to an even length is one solution that can create an illusion of a thicker beard. This is because trimming makes it easy for the slow-growing hairs to catch up with the others, which gives you a uniform length. If you have a patchy beard, you are better off trimming the cheek hairs and leaving the chin and mustache hair intact so that your jawline is accentuated. 

Does Minoxidil really work for a patchy beard?

Yes. Minoxidil does help some people grow a thick beard and fill in a patchy beard. However, there are some people who have seen minimal results after using Minoxidil.

Minoxidil is an active ingredient of foam known as Rogaine. This foam is commonly used by men to help them re-grow hair when they go bald. It is not yet established how Minoxidil helps men re-grow their hair, but it has seen success when applied to baldness or a patchy beard.

However, when you are using Minoxidil for patchy beard, you should not expect to see instant results. Most people who have enjoyed success using Minoxidil have reportedly said they used this foam between 6 to 9 months.

The time it takes before you see results depends on the type of Minoxidil you use. There are two types of Minoxidil, 2% (for women) and 5% (for men) version.

If you want to grow a thick beard within a short time period, then you should use the 5% Minoxidil. It is important to note that Minoxidil only works where there are actual hair follicles.

Therefore, if you use this foam in patches where follicles don’t exist, it might not help you in growing the beard you want.

With Rogaine, you can never be 100% sure that it will work for you, but your chances are definitely bigger if you choose a quality product with lots of satisfied customers that gave it a positive review.

One of those types of products is Men’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam, so no wonder it’s a bestseller.

How to make the best of it?

If you have a patchy beard, it doesn’t mean that it has to stay like that forever. There are things you can do to improve the appearance of your patchy beard.

The first thing you can do is to let your beard grow freely. Most of us don’t give our beards the opportunity to flourish. After two weeks, when the patches become noticeable, we use the razor. If you don’t let your beard grow, you will always have a patchy beard.

The best thing to do is to let your beard grow freely for not less than a month. This will you’re your follicles the opportunity to spread.

From there, you can tidy things up and pay close attention to your jawline and neckline. If this doesn’t work, then it is time to move to the next point. Invest in a quality beard trimmer that comes with a setting for adjusting the length.

With a bargain deal price and 13 pieces for all your grooming needs, Philips Norelco Multi Groomer MG3750/60 has it all and beyond.

After a few days, use this machine to trim your beard as you shape your cheek and jawline. Keeping it short and clean will make the patches hard to notice. The other thing you can do is to brush your patchy beard.

While brushing, try and even your beard as you focus on filling the less dense areas with hair. At the same time, don’t forget to use a conditioner.

What should I do if my beard grows unevenly on both sides of my cheek?

If your beard grows uneven on both sides of your cheek, it could be as a result of genetic factors. However, you can do some things to enhance your patchy beard.

First, make sure you take good care of your beard and skin. This can be done by investing in good beard oil. Quality beard oil will improve the feel and appearance of your beard.

These natural oils will also reduce itchiness and provide the best possible environment for hair follicles to flourish. Don’t forget to take good care of yourself. By that, I mean eating and sleeping well.

Sleeping well will help promote hair growth and repair damaged cells in the skin. On the other hand, including specific minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin A, B, C, & E can help with beard growth. Proteins such as eggs, meat, and fish are good for beard growth as well.

Conclusion

Even a healthy and styled big beard can be ruined by a small patchy spot. Bald spots and patchiness in your beard are one of the ways your body tries to tell you to exercise more and cut back on the junk food.

Patchy areas can be a nuisance for anyone and you may want to shave the entire beard off in frustration. There are so many things that cause patchy beards from genetics, autoimmune conditions, not having a healthy diet, not getting enough rest, to hormonal imbalances.

If your patchiness is as a result of genes, then you are better off owning it and taking measures like trimming the beard because other solutions like micro-needling and the use of peppermint oil will not work. At the end of the day, if you have a patchy beard regardless of the cause, the best thing you can do is to accept yourself as you are and own it.