Dos and Don’ts of Having Thin Beards

Photo: ©️ a.dl via canva.com

For a very long time, having a beard that was both full and thick was considered to be the pinnacle of manliness. But fashions change over time, and thin beards are making a big comeback. So, if you have a thin, patchy beard, you're lucky! It can be made to look good in many ways.

Well-known men today have shown that thin beards don't have to be covered up or shaved off. You could either learn how to style it right or try to let it grow out.

Everything you need to know about maintaining and styling a thin beard to be a stylish bearded man worthy of compliments is here.

• Is Your Beard Thin?
• Thin-Beard Solutions
• Best Thin Beard Styles
• Mistakes Thin-Bearded Men Make
• Reasons Why You May Have Thin Beards
• Thin Beard Styling Essentials

Is Your Beard Thin?

A thin beard can mean that your facial hair is getting thinner or that your beard never seems to grow fully, and it is not exactly a short beard. You might have a thin beard if your facial hair never gets long enough or if it keeps getting longer but doesn't get thicker.

Managing sparse facial hair can be difficult because you don't have much to work with, but it's possible. There is a wide variety of facial hair styling products available to help improve its appearance.

Thin-Beard Solutions

According to Modern Gentlemen, only “55% of men all over the world have facial hair." So, it's not strange at all to have little or no facial hair.¹

Refrain from letting the fact that you can't grow a full beard despite your best efforts to avoid shaving weigh you down. There's a good chance that your friends and other men also have problems with their facial hairs.

Many men need more self-assurance because they are unsure how to maintain sparse or patchy beards aside from settling for a clean shave or a five o'clock shadow. However, every man deserves to look good, regardless of whether he has a full beard or not. After all, women are attracted to various kinds of beards, thick or not.

These are some solutions² that may help men who have thin beards:

Observe how your beard grows

If you've ever tried to grow a beard and failed, you know how irritating it can be. So, you get rid of it all by shaving. But that's not right.

Observe where your facial hair grows and where it does not as it passes through the beard growth phases or becomes stubble.³ By doing so, you may identify the bald spots and focus your trimming and styling efforts there.

Trim your facial hair often

The most common places for beard patches are near your cheek and jawline. Don't just leave it and endure the discomfort of the unevenness; get a pair of trimming scissors and fix it.

Trim the beard to match the patch hairs to hide it. Use a shavette or straight razor to carve out a defined chin strap and sharply outline your cheek hair. Now that the patch is gone, the rest of the beard looks neater.

Here's a simple guide to trimming beards:

1. Start clean by washing your beard and face to remove dirt.
2. Comb or brush your beard downwards to put the strands in one direction and see where to trim and make your beard line.
3. Even out your beard hair length with an electric shaver. Start with the thinnest hairs and work your way to the thicker ones.
4. Start shaving your right cheek by pulling the skin up with your finger and lightly shaving down with your straight-edge razor. Repeat on your left cheek.
5. Shave your neck by pulling the skin down and shaving upwards. Avoid cuts and nicks by not pressing hard on your blade.
6. Get a pair of trimming scissors and position them so the cutting edge is facing up. Then, start cutting your beard's ends slowly.
7. Use a hot towel to clean the excess lather and hair debris.
8. Apply an aftershave to reduce shaving irritation, razor burn, pimples, and seal pores to keep dirt and bacteria out.

To keep a neat beard style, ensure all the hairs are the same length, draw an outline, and use a straight-edge razor to shape it.

Examine possible root causes of thinning beards

If you are worried about beard and hair thinning, you could do a self-check and see what may be the cause.

1. Check your hormone levels. If you have low testosterone, the speed and thickness of your beard may be affected. Low testosterone can make your beard grow slower and thinner.⁴ Talk to your doctor about testosterone levels, especially if you have low libido.
2. Examine your eating habits. Your diet and hormones affect how fast your beard grows. To have a healthy beard, you need to eat right by having a proper nutrition diet.
3. Pay attention to how often you are working out. A lack of facial hair may indicate an inactive lifestyle.
4. Thinning facial hair can also be due to inadequate sleep.⁵ When you don't sleep enough, there is a reduction in growth hormones, which slows beard hair growth.

Thin beards may fill out or increase in volume if you get enough sleep, observe an active lifestyle, and maintain a healthy diet. Some cosmetic products and procedures can also help encourage beard growth.

Exfoliate before shaving

Exfoliation has always been a priority for women. Men, though? It's another dimension. If you didn't already know, exfoliating before shaving is essential. It eliminates the grime behind your beard and the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, resulting in a more pleasant shaving experience. Exfoliation reduces beard dandruff and stimulates facial hair growth.

Style your beard

Shape your beard with products and comb it to achieve a particular beard style. Consider using a beard dye if your hair is thin or light in color. Using beard dyes regularly might damage your facial hair, so use them sparingly.⁶

Best Thin Beard Styles

Men have always struggled with the fashion dilemma of choosing the right beard styles. Beard styles vary widely, so even men with thin facial hair can discover one that works for them. Try these complementary beard styles:

Complete Goatee

Men with patchy beards and less facial hair often opt for the goatee. There is no harm in getting rid of the patches around your cheeks and jawline if there is too much of it. Rather than having it hanging down both sides of your face, keep it centered.

If your thin beard is still manageable, you can choose an extended goatee, which joins your beard and mustache with a thin line of beard around your chin and sides of your lips.

Van Dyke

If you don't have trouble growing a mustache, a classic van dyke beard style can help you look better. If you have a patchy or thin beard, you can make up for it by complementing your full-volume mustache with a goatee underneath and cutting off all your cheek hairs.

Anchor

A stylish take on the van dyke beard is the anchor. Its shape and association with pirates explain the name. An anchor beard is similar to a long goatee without the beard on the jawline or the part where the mustache and goatee meet. If this style is done too much, it can look like a chin strap. You don't want to style it too thin, but shape only the hair along your jaw and chin. This beard style is ideal for patchy or thin beards around the lips.

Balbo

The balbo is the ideal thin beard style for people looking for versatility, and it will look great on you no matter if you have a thick beard or not or if you have a short-length beard. Balbo wearers detach their mustaches from their beards like an anchor.⁷ But unlike an anchor, your beard will grow along your jaw like a longer, fuller goatee.

Stubble

The stubble is a thin beard style that is the most familiar to men.

It's a classic, very short style, and almost anyone can look good in it. For a stubble beard, grow your beard for a week or 1-3 cm and make a sharp beard line on your cheeks. This will avoid the rugged look of this beard style.

Box Beard

A short boxed-style beard requires careful attention to the natural dividing line between your mustache and beard. This means you'll have to trim or shave areas that have grown out of control.

Thin beards can look good with proper styling and care. The key is to minimize the appearance of patches by trimming the hair to one length. Style your thin beard to suit short styles. For a stylish bearded look, avoid taking inspiration from men with thicker beards.

Mistakes Thin-Bearded Men Make

Shaving everyday can restart and slow down the beard growth process.
Photo: ©️ Müge Ayma via canva.com

If there is one big thing men with thin beards shouldn't do is to leave their facial hair alone. Considering how easy it is to control and improve its appearance, there is no excuse for not at least keeping it neatly trimmed.

Here are some examples of things men with thin beards should avoid:

Daily shaving

It is tempting to shave every day, yes. You can get away with it if you know where and how your beard grows and where it doesn't. If not, just let it grow for a few days and watch it carefully. Shaving every day also makes it difficult for your beard to grow because it continually causes the hair to go back to the first level of beard growth.

Neglecting beard care

"Okay, first, do not shave every day. So, that means I should just let it be."

Wrong. It is necessary to check the patches and the areas where it grows while it is growing out for the first day or two. After that, look through the styling advice that was provided earlier to determine what will work best for you.

You should also use skin and beard products, such as oils, to help nourish the skin and promote thicker beards. This is an additional step that you need to take if you want a thick, healthy beard.

Keeping the patch

If done correctly, the rugged beard can be sexy and trendy. You shouldn't leave your whiskers alone just because you want that look.

Avoid keeping the patch, especially when going to important places. An ungroomed short beard can make you look unprofessional at work and in meetings. Comb your beard with a beard comb. Choose a beard style above and shave patches.

No pre-shave prep

The majority of the patches appear on the cheek and jaw area. The best thing to do is to shave these areas often to keep the patches from coming back.

When shaving, avoid skipping the pre-shave step. It is necessary to begin by preparing your skin. Exfoliating and using a pre-shave oil will change how you shave and will undoubtedly result in a razor-burn-free shave.

Shave and go

Shaving can easily irritate the skin underneath, which is a sensitive surface. Be sure to remember your essential aftershave products when you are attempting to maintain a particular style for a thin beard. Aftershaves can help your face heal and clear out any clogged pores that might be slowing down your beard growth progress.

Using heat for styling

Styling thin beards can either be a hit or a miss. Your facial hair might not get fuller because you use hot styling tools on thin hair that do more damage to it. The warmth of the machine eventually causes damage to the cuticle of the hair, which results in the hair becoming more brittle.

Wrong styling and products

Do not comb your beard hair carelessly and apply a product. Shape your beard hair so that the patches are less visible. Try a beard balm with waxes to shape the hair and hide patches and a matte hair pomade on hair that won't stay put. Cover patchy areas with neighboring beard hairs by combing them over the bald area to prevent the skin underneath from showing.

Shaving can be too much of a hassle, so sometimes you just want to skip it, especially if you don't have much hair to work with. But just because you have a thin beard doesn't mean you don't have to care about it. Even the thinnest beards can look great with the right care.

Reasons Why You May Have A Thin Beard

Age, genetics, race and health problems can cause beard thinning.
Photo: ©️ Koldunov via canva.com

Beards aren't a genetic gift every man possesses. If you haven't already noticed, some people are naturally more likely to sport Viking-style beards, while others can't seem to grow one. So, it's understandable if you'd like to know why.

Old age, race, and health problems?

There are three reasons why your beard may be thin: genes, age, and race. "Men have hairs on their face that are programmed to respond to testosterone, and when they get that signal around puberty, they transition from fine hair to thicker hair," said Dr. Anthony in an interview with Cleveland Clinic.⁸

So, if you are between 18 and 30 years old and are worried about your beard thinning, all you need to do is give it time. Dr. Anthony adds that your ethnicity may affect beard growth as race depicts variations in skin color, hair volume, and looks. Because of this, Mediterranean men may tend to have thicker hair than their Asian counterparts who have thinner beards.

If race and age are not factors in your hair loss, you may have a hair condition. Alopecia areata is a condition in which your immune system attacks and destroys hair follicles.⁹ Those with strange patches and bald spots on their beards or sudden changes in how their beards grow should see a dermatologist to see if they are at risk for the disease.

Thin Beard Styling Essentials

Keeping a thin beard neat is easy with a complete grooming set, like our Grizzly Beard Kit.

Thin beards require special care, and you shouldn't settle for whatever is convenient regarding your products. Remember that the skin beneath your beard is extremely delicate and can be easily irritated by using the wrong product.

Here are the styling tools that you will need to maintain a thin beard style:

Shavette

Shavettes have a thin blade that cuts hairs easily and precisely, and the light handle prevents you from over-trimming your beard. You can keep the blade in great shape by throwing away the blade after five shaves and loading a new one.

Organic Shave Soap

Use soap that is made especially for beard hair. A regular bar of soap doesn't condition or soften the hair, and it may dry out the hair follicles because of its ingredients. Choose natural shaving soaps or beard shampoos with good ingredients for your beard to keep it healthy and help it grow.

Pre-shave Oil

Shaving dry to make your beard line stand out will hurt your skin. Use a pre-shave oil to protect your skin from drying out and to make your razor more effective.

Aftershave

Using an aftershave product after trimming your beard does more than just make you smell good. It helps your beard to grow thicker by keeping the skin clean and healthy, as well as treating irritations.

Barber's Shears

A pair of barber scissors with a straight blade can cut hair, beards, and mustaches. The curved handle makes it easy to cut around the ears or the bangs.¹⁰ On thin hair, use serrations or a pair of shears to make the cut look even and complete when you're done.

Beard Oil

Beard oil is a conditioner that keeps beard hair soft and moist. It also works well to hydrate the skin underneath your beard, making the beard look fuller, softer, and easier to manage.

Styling Template

Beards that are too thin often grow unevenly, which is the primary challenge faced by such men. The best way to avoid an unbalanced beard style or shape is to use a styling template.

Choose a reliable shavette straight razor from Naked Armor, such as our Lucan Shavette Straight Razor. You can pair it with organic shaving soap, pre-shave oil, and aftershave from Solomon Men's Grooming Kit to get a velvety smooth finish without razor bumps and burns when shaving to achieve a specific beard style.

The Grizzly Beard Kit, on the other hand, is a complete beard kit that includes everything you need to care for and style your beard, including barber's shears, beard balm, a beard styling template, beard oil, and more. Check out your beard essentials below and Add to Cart.

More Naked Armor Reads:

Beard Growth Stages and Hair Cycle
Castor Oil For Beard Growth: Does It Work?
How To Create A Designer Stubble Beard Using A Straight Razor

References:

1. L. Cvetkovska. 26 Beard Statistics and Facts You Probably Didn’t Know Modern Gentlemen. https://moderngentlemen.net/beard-statistics/. January 1, 2022
2. Escape Wispy Peach Fuzz: Know How To Style A Thin Beard. Dapper Confidential. https://www.dapperconfidential.com/thin-beards/
3. Urban Beardsman. All Stages Of Bead Growth Clarified: The Ultimate Guide https://www.beardbrand.com/blogs/urbanbeardsman/beard-growth-stages. November 21, 2019
4. 8 Tips For Patchy Beards. Milk Man Australia. https://www.milkmanaustralia.com/blogs/news/tips-for-patchy-beards. July 29, 2014
5. Gottesmann C, Hamon JF. Sleep deprivation decreases the beard-hair growth in man. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars). 1987;47(4):183-6. PMID: 3442272. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3442272/
6. S. Coelho. Yes, You Can Color Your Beard — What to Know Before You Grab the Dye. Health Line. https://www.healthline.com/health/beard-dye. April 6, 2022
7. HC Editors. 10 Handsome Balbo Beard Styles To Add Class to Your Look. Hairstyle Camp. https://hairstylecamp.com/balbo-beard-styles/. January 3, 2021
8. Can’t Grow a Full Beard? There’s an Explanation for That. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/cant-grow-a-full-beard-theres-an-explanation-for-that/. October 15, 2019
9. Hair loss types: Alopecia Areata Overview. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/types/alopecia
10. 5 Essential Barber Tools. Salon Success Academy. https://www.salonsuccessacademy.com/blog/5-essential-barbering-tools/. March 25, 2015