A lot of men feel that growing a full beard makes them more attractive, and boosts their confidence. However, not all men can grow a full beard, so some resort to using products like beard growth oil to help stimulate hair growth. But are these products really effective, and are they safe to use? Read on to learn more.
What Is Beard Growth Oil?
Beard growth oil is a product that claims to stimulate the growth of facial hair in men. According to proponents of these products, beard growth oil contains essential nutrients that keep the skin and hair follicles healthy, and also helps trigger the growth of thicker and fuller hair.
Typically, these products contain not just one single type of oil, but a combination. One popular oil used in the products is castor oil, which some people believe can help trigger hair growth. Aside from this, it’s also rich in Vitamin E, which can help moisturize skin.
Other oils used can include almond oil and argan oil, which reportedly have anti-inflammatory properties, and also helps nourish and moisturize hair and skin.
However, the question still remains on whether or not beard growth oils are effective in terms of hair growth. In order to find out, we first need to understand how hair growth works in the first place.
What Triggers Hair Growth?
Did you know that aside from your lips, the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, most of your body is covered in hair?
Some places, such as the arms, legs, and some parts of the face, contain thin and short hairs called vellus hairs. In contrast, the hair on our head, eyebrows, facial hair, and pubic hair is longer and thicker, and is called terminal hairs.
It’s also possible for vellus hairs to turn into terminal hairs over time. One example of this is when men start growing thick facial hair, and women don’t. However, it’s also possible for some men to not grow facial hair, or it grows in uneven patches on their face.
There are a number of reasons for this, but the most common reason is that it is dependent on genetics and ethnicity. In the case of genetics, if the men in your family typically don’t have thick facial hair, then chances are, you might find it hard to grow thick facial hair yourself.
Ethnicity also plays a role when it comes to beard growth. For example, men in Mediterranean countries usually grow thick and longer beards compared to Asian men. Though, this isn’t always the case as some Asian men do grow thick and long beards.
Age can also be a factor, as some men don’t start growing facial hair until they’re close to their 30s. In rare cases, low testosterone levels can also be responsible for a lack of facial hair.
All of these things can play a role in whether or not a person can grow a full beard. Not all men can grow a full beard, and it’s primarily dependent on a person’s genetics and ethnicity.
How Effective is Beard Growth Oil?
Now that we know how facial hair grows, and what factors influence it, we can take a look at whether or not beard growth oil is effective.
The short answer is that for the most part, beard growth oil won’t suddenly make you grow a thick beard, especially if it’s not in your genetics or your ethnicity. Though, there have been some studies conducted on peppermint oil that show some potential for its use in hair growth.
But generally speaking, you shouldn’t depend on beard oils to help grow a fuller beard. They can, however, help nourish hair, and make a person’s beard stronger, thicker and lusher if used regularly. It can also help moisturize the skin, and keep it and the hair follicles healthy.
What Are Other Alternatives?
There are some other things that you can do to help you grow a beard, such as:
- Have a healthy diet. Your health also plays a role when it comes to hair growth, so be sure to have a healthy diet.
- Visit a doctor and ask for their recommendations when it comes to growing more hair on your face.
- Some hair growth products reportedly work, such as minoxidil, though the evidence is still inconclusive.
Learn more about Hair and Scalp Care here.
