When is the Best Time to Start Growing a Beard

Embarking on growing a beard is a lot like going on a voyage: you know where you're heading, but anything can happen along the way. There are risks, pitfalls, and problems you never imagined. More complicated, all-manner life events affect your beard growth, from stress to health issues. Like any oceanic voyage, you also need to consider your age and seasonal factors.

In short, growing a beard is no simple matter.

It begs the question, when is the best time to start growing a beard?

In this guide, we'll be answering just that – considering all the relevant factors, from the season to your age to lifestyle factors. If you're planning on growing a beard, we'll tell you everything you need to know about getting the best beard your genes allow.

• When is the best time to start growing a beard?
• How long does it take to grow a beard?
• At what age does a beard grow fully?
• What lifestyle factors affect your beard growth?
• How does the season affect beard growth?

When is the best time to start growing a beard?

Perhaps the better question is, what kind of beard do you want? Your desired beard's style and length wholly dictate when you should start growing.

If you're after a short stubble beard: grow it now. After all, it'll only take a few days or weeks for most men to achieve the desired look.

If your final aim is something closer to Gandalf: you'll need to put several months aside. Such monumental facial fuzz is the cathedral of the beard-growing world. They're not suitable for most men in their teens (and sometimes even their early twenties). 

Establish what you're aiming for first, but be realistic. Pick a character or classic beard shape – something suitable to your face. Of course, you find your beard is patchy or sparser than you imagined once you start growing, requiring a slight course correction.

How long does it take to grow a beard?

When you begin a journey, it helps to know how long it will take. Facial hair tends to grow between 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters every day. That's around one-third to one-half an inch per month. 

Based on this glacial growth, you can grow a full beard within two to four months. However, this timeframe can be changed considerably by diet, testosterone levels, grooming habits, season, age, and other factors. Ultimately, judging how fast your facial hair grows means testing it out. 

If you see a five o'clock shadow within a couple of days, you should experience significant beard growth within a few months – with some cropped beard styles being possible within a month or so. 

However, to compete with the longest beard ever grown – a colossal 17 feet and 6 inches – you'll need to set aside roughly 35 years! That's commitment!

At what age does a beard grow fully?

Beards are a sign of manhood; growing our first whiskers is a major period in our life, as boyhood grows ever smaller in the proverbial rear-view mirror. But what most men don't realize is that their beards continue to evolve over much of their life.

In fact, most men's beards do not stop growing until age 25 – roughly 6% of men still see additional beard growth thickening in their 50s and 60s. As a rule, your golden years of beard growth are in your 30s and 40s. By this point, the majority of men will experience the thickest beard possible. However, as men continue to age, their testosterone dips; this results in slower beard growth. 

That's not to say you can't grow a beard later in life; it'll just take you a little longer than in your youth.

What lifestyle factors affect your beard growth?

Growing a beard can often feel like closing the chapter on a part of your life. After all, as style choices go, it's a pretty bold decision. Some men grow beards because of religious beliefs; others, due to the friends and culture they inhabit. 

Yet, growing a beard at these pivotal life points may not always result in the best growth. Various lifestyle factors, including stress, can affect your rate of growth. 

Here are some of the main factors to consider:

• Hormones. Testosterone is one of the primary drivers of beard growth. Yet, too many men are unknowingly suffering from critically low testosterone. According to the American Urological Association, around 40% of men aged 45 and older have low testosterone – and testosterone deficiency has been steadily increasing among young men. Weight loss, exercise, competitive sports, sleeping well, and eating healthily can all boost testosterone and, by extension, increase beard growth.
• Diet. Eating a diet filled with processed foods or lacking in essential nutrients will impact your beard growth. You'll need to ensure you have a balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The key nutrients for hair growth are vitamin A, B vitamins, and vitamin C. 
• Stress. Being stressed diverts the body's energy resources away from non-essential tasks – that includes beard growth. To calm your nerves, try meditating or taking part in stress-relieving activities. So, it isn't the right time to grow a beard if you're moving house, getting married, or have just been made unemployed.
• Sleep. You need to secure 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep per night to ensure maximum growth. That means your beard-growing efforts will likely suffer if you've just had a baby.

How does the season affect beard growth?

Some beard growth factors are entirely out of our hands. From genetics to age, we have to play the hand nature has dealt us. Except, some cards aren't even specific to our bodies. Did you know the season can affect beard growth? Sounds weird, but it's true.

According to research by the Center of Skin Sciences in the UK, beard growth rates dramatically increase during the summer months – peaking in July. Conversely, winter sees the most lackluster growth rates. Growth rates, on average, were 60% above their winter level during the July peak; and August/September saw the most hairs shed. 

That means if you're planning on growing a beard for winter, you're best to start sometime between July and September. Doing so maximizes your growth potential – ready for the winter slowdown.

To grow or not to grow

Deciding when is the best time to start growing a beard is unique to each man. It depends on what's going on in his life and why he wants to grow the beard in the first place. But, if you want the peak time to start growing, here's the breakdown:

• The peak age to start growing a beard is between 25 to 40 years old.
• Optimizing your exercise, diet (add vitamins A, B, and C), sleep, and stress will ensure you gain maximum growth. Stress will severely impact beard growth.
• The peak month to start growing a beard is July – with the worst beard growth seen during the winter.

Let us know how your beard growth journey goes – and remember to keep your beard groomed and oiled as it progresses.