In my experience, the vast majority of dude’s who think they can’t grow a full, thick beard are dead wrong. I’ve known countless guys who’ve actually grown a kick-ass beard for the very first time in their lives, just by following these 5 simple steps, which anyone can do.

1 - Don’t Shave Or Cut Your Beard

As obvious as this sounds, you’d be surprised how many guys screw up right here, out of the gate. There's an "Old Wives' Tale" that shaving will result in the hair growing back stronger and faster - and this could be true for adolescent teens who are shaving for the first time, eliminating the tapered end of the hair but after that - shaving or trimming your beard only slows down the process. Trust me Dudes! If you screw the pooch on this step, it’s pretty much game over.

Beards are not like magic beanstalks in a kid’s fairy tale. They benefit from certain things to grow properly, such as nutrition, hydration, specific high-quality beard growth products, and, yes, drumroll, T-I-M-E.  

If you were trying to grow out your hair, would you shave your head? Of course not. Like the hair on your head, beards need to grow past certain ‘transitional’ stages on their happy way to ‘MEGA BEARD’ status. So, get out of your own way. LET IT GROW!

Many guys give up and shave or cut their beards back because of itching or flaking. Itching and flaking are real problems (keep reading for ‘itch relief’), but shaving isn’t the solution.

2 - Hydrate Your Beard

Something else so simple, yet so often missed, and it’s a total beard killer. Drink water, dude. LOTS OF IT. Staying properly hydrated is a critical factor in every aspect of looking and performing your best.

The benefits of staying hydrated are staggering and well documented. So, when it comes to your beard and hydration, think of it like this: 2 neighbors each have lawns. 1 guy is constantly watering his lawn, keeping it hydrated and happy. He doesn’t just sprinkle a few drops on top of the blades of grass. He actually gives his lawn a good soaking, constantly.

That’s because he knows the key to a lush, green, soft lawn is watering it enough, so the soil beneath the actual grass stays super hydrated. When you hydrate below the surface of your lawn, your lawn says ‘Thanks, DUDE’ by growing long, green, soft blades of happy grass. Your beard is the same concept.

Which brings us back to our other neighbor whose lawn is not so green. In fact, it’s got patchy bald spots. And his lawn has more of a brown, burnt, dry look versus lush and green like his neighbor’s lawn. And everybody wears shoes on this guy’s lawn because the grass is rough, prickly and uncomfortable. The guy with the hydrated lush green lawn? Yeah, his lawn is also super-soft, so everyone runs around barefoot, having an incredible time.

The simple lesson? Drink water to help grow your mega beard, dude. Here’s a simple guide for how much water to drink.

3 - Feed And Nourish Your Beard

Ever see an MVP Superbowl champion give thanks to Big Macs and Taco Bell for helping him achieve all of his athletic goals? Of course not.

If you’re old enough to actually grow a beard, you're also old enough to realize that what you do and do not put into your body has a huge impact on the outward appearance of your body. And that includes your nails, skin tone, hair health, and yep, your beard.

But remember, some people have genetics that also lends to better beards naturally. If you’re reading this right now, chances are you are looking for help to improve the magic carpet on your face, so these are smart, simple steps that can only help you meet your quest for mega beard growth.

When it comes to foods for your beard, try eating good fats like avocado, foods cooked with olive oil versus normal butter, and yes, mom was right when she harped on us about eating our fruits and veggies. Eating foods that contain high B vitamins, like Biotin, are a natural choice for faster beard growth.

In fact, Biotin is scientifically proven to accelerate hair and nail growth in as little as 90 days with a dose of 10,000mcg per day. This vitamin can be found naturally in egg yolks and legumes. If you prefer you could eat just one beard growth gummy per day to spare those closest to you from smelling boiled eggs and beans cooking ever time they visit - the choice is yours.

Eating foods that naturally boost testosterone levels will also have a huge impact on beard growth. After all, facial hair is technically pubic hair and therefore is strongly influenced by hormones, namely testosterone.

4 - Ditch The Itch! (Along With Your Hair Shampoo!)

One of the reasons guys throw in the towel and shave off their beards before they even come close to mega beard growth status is because of itching and flaking. And these are real issues. They’re uncomfortable, a bit gross, and they very much suck - no matter how you look at it. So ditch the itch without ditching your beard. Take steps to eliminate beard dandruff before it get the bes of you and your beard growth progression.

Some of the best ways to fight back against beard itching and flaking are things we already covered, such as hydration, nutrition and not shaving. But there are also very high quality products these days that can help promote mega beard growth and help ditch the itch (and flakes) along the way.

When people see me, they assume I’ve had a solid mega beard most of my adult life. False. The reality is, I struggled with a patchy, itchy, weak attempt at a mega beard for years, even decades.

Then I met a master barber who was stunned when I told him I was using my normal hair shampoo to wash my beard. He explained to me that most normal hair shampoos for your head actually strip your beard of your face's natural oils, drying out your beard and the skin under it, which also causes itching and flaking.

These days I use our Derm Dude 2-1 Beard shampoo and conditioner which is specially formulated for beards, and NOT the scalp on top of your head. It makes perfect sense. Here’s a simple test. Touch your scalp right now. Run your fingers over it. Then touch your face and the skin under your beard. Notice how extremely different your scalp and face feel?

Of course, we shouldn’t use the same products for both of them. But I was doing just that. And itching and flaking and wondering why I couldn’t grow a fuller, thicker beard. And millions of dudes are still using hair shampoo or their body wash on their beards, wondering why they struggle to grow a beard.

Derm Dude’s 2-1 beard shampoo and conditioner uses specific, natural ingredients like sunflower oil, sweet orange and soothing aloe vera because these are beard-friendly ingredients that moisturize and hydrate our beards. Which also helps with itching and flaking while promoting beard growth at the same time.

I’m also a believer in using both a moisturizing beard balm and a quality beard oil. I prefer natural ingredients like Shea Butter, beeswax and aragan oil as well as peppermint and Himilayan oils. I’ve tested and tried enough different beard products over the years (good, bad and outright horrible) to finally find formulations and products that work for me, and it makes perfect sense.

Let’s be clear here…A rockin’ beard doesn’t sprout out of your face like a chia pet overnight. There’s no single magic pill or trick to go from no beard to Viking status overnight. But with some very basic information, common sense, and quality products that actually do what they promise, most guys can grow a beard they will feel great about.

***Actual Derm Dude Beards***

5 - Invest In Your Beard

Everybody always wants to sell you something. So beware of gimmicks and anything that sounds too good to be true. But also know, that there are quality tools and supplements that can help give you a badass boost on your journey to full fledge mega beard. Start with spending a few bucks on a good beard comb or beard brush.

Hey, if you’re not willing to groom your beard, do yourself any anyone remotely close to you (at any time) a big favor and don’t grow a beard. (Not combing or brushing your beard is like clipping your toenails in public. There’s just nothing good about either of these things.)

If you prefer a beard brush to a beard comb, consider a boars bristle beard brush. Some nicer options come with bamboo handles. Plus, it looks good on your bathroom counter. For beard combs, I prefer a solid sturdy wood comb that I keep in my shower.

That way, when I use my beard shampoo and conditioner and lather up my beard, I run my beard comb through it, which has an amazing exfoliating benefit and helps make sure the product I’m applying penetrates beyond my thick beard hairs and really soaks down onto my skin beneath my beard. That’s how I get the maximum benefit from great beard products.

A very common mistake I see all the time - is guys who just ‘splash’ beard products on the surface of their beard, pat, and done. Beard products are not like your cologne. You don’t want a light ‘splash’ on the surface. We want to really work our products through our beard hairs thoroughly and let them soak into our skin for the best results possible. That’s why I’m also a fan of using a beard roller, especially when using beard oil products.

A good beard roller helps prep the skin under your beard to better receive the beard oil application. The concept is new to us guys with beards, but in fact, women have been using a similar tool called micro-needling for years to help reduce the appearance of crow’s feet and wrinkles around their eyes.

Also, keep in mind that good, high-quality beard products packed with super ingredients that actually work, will never be the cheapest options you find on Amazon or in the grocery store next to the $4/gallon of body wash. All beard products are not even close to being created equally. Neither are their results.

That’s the 5 fast and simple steps to help grow your beard faster and thicker. Remember to take before and after pictures and email me along the way showing your progress at CDO@dermdude.com

Rock n roll, Dude's!!!

-Drew (Chief Dude Officer)

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