Once considered lame and out of fashion, the beard has officially made a comeback in the past couple of years. Having a beard is no longer considered a part of the 70’s disco look (think Bee Gees), but a well-groomed beard is deemed to be manly and attractive. In fact, the “urban guy with a well-groomed beard” has become such a thing that the word “lumbersexual” actually made the Oxford dictionary. This craze has left many men asking themselves “Why can’t I grow a beard?”
Hormone Levels
As it turns out, we can add hair (and facial hair) growth to the long list of things testosterone is responsible for in the male organism. More precisely, DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a male sex hormone synthesized from testosterone which regulates our hair growth by affecting the hair follicles. Research shows that this hormone affects even facial hair growth.
Although hair growth on the head is possible without DHT, pubic hair, armpit hair, and beard hair need this androgen to keep growing.
What Can You Do?
The first question men ask right after “why can’t I grow a beard?” is “can I do something about it?” The answer to this question seems to be – very little. Shaving your beard constantly, so it keeps growing thicker is a myth, and taking testosterone supplements may be going a bit overboard just to grow a beard.
However, if your patchy beard bothers you that much, you can try to regulate your hormone levels naturally by exercising, eating more healthy fats, and reducing alcohol intake.
Final Word
If your question is “why can’t I grow a beard?” we hope this article answers it. The combination of hormonal and hereditary factors affects our ability to grow a beard, both of which are hard to overcome without supplements.
