How to Fix a Patchy Beard

Posted by Otis Skincare on October 06, 2023

If your beard is looking patchy you’re not alone.

Both Keanu Reeves and Matthew McConaughey are among the famous faces that have struggled with beard patches.

Because growing a full beard is not as easy as it looks.

And we want your beard to look magnificent.

So we’ve done the research – and discounted the latest TikTok trends - to bring you the best way to fix a patchy beard.

No painful needles required!

How to fix a patchy beard. Handsome man with beard

An awesome beard is not something that comes naturally for a lot of guys.
But like most things in life, taking the time to get it right is well worth the effort.

Why Beard Patches Happen

There are no guarantees when it comes to growing a beard.

And both age and genetics can effect whether you can grow a patch-free beard.

Along with rarer forms of hormone imbalance and alopecia areata which can leave you with dime-sized bald spots in your beard.

But it is possible to develop the staying power to keep your beard growing and fill out the patches yourself.

A Healthy Beard Begins with Healthy Follicles

When developing your beard it’s not primarily about the hair – it’s about the follicles.

So whilst beard oils will soften the hair of your beard it’s really about taking care of the skin below the hair when you’re trying to encourage patch-free growth.

So it follows that the best way to fix a patchy beard is by taking good care of your skin.

How To Encourage Patch-Free Beard Growth

The good news is that the best way of filling in a patchy beard is all about looking after yourself, adopting straightforward skincare and good beard maintenance.

Start with the Skincare Basics – Clean, Exfoliate, Moisturize
Care for the skin underneath, so you keep the hair follicles healthy, hydrated and set for long-term growth.

Trim your Beard for Fullness and Style your Beardline to make it Look Fuller
Work with patches and use them to your advantage.

Eat a Healthy Diet
Improve your diet to prioritize the vitamins and minerals that encourage hair growth.

And finally

Give it Time to Grow
Stay strong and give your beard at least three months to grow out evenly.

Let’s expand on that…

Action Plan: How to Fix a Patchy Beard

#1: SKINCARE BASICS – CLEAN, EXFOLIATE, MOISTURIZE

CLEAN

Keeping your beard clean will keep dryness and beard dandruff at bay (as well as any unpleasant odours!) And washing your beard promotes strong, healthy growth as well.

EXFOLIATE

Exfoliating away the dead skin cells is one of the best ways to keep your hair follicles healthy.

(It also gives your complexion a healthy glow, and keeps your skin looking younger too)

How does exfoliation encourage beard growth?

When you exfoliate your face you get rid of dead skin cells.

This keeps your hair follicles clear and healthy - making it easier for hair to grow in that area - and encouraging patches to fill in.

So the first step is to exfoliate your skin - but not with just any old exfoliator!

You don’t want to be using gritty facial scrubs – the kind that leave bits in your beard and make your skin red and irritated … and itchy!

No, we’re talking about gently exfoliating using a natural Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (an AHA) that will stimulate your hair follicles and encourage a luxurious and healthy beard to grow.

The answer?

Our exfoliating Daily Face Wash - which includes the AHA, Lactic Acid.

It will keep your face (and your beard) looking clean and fresh – as well as gently exfoliating away the dead skin cells.

The result? Smooth, clean skin - and hair follicles that are clear and healthy.

And it’ll keep your beard clean and smelling great at the same time!

Best Exfoliating Face Wash for Healthy Beard Growth

DAILY FACE WASH
$31.00

LEARN MORE

MOISTURIZE

Moisturizing reduces any dryness and itchiness - as well as rehydrating and protecting your skin. So your hair follicles stay healthy and hydrated and functioning properly.

And using a good moisturizer has the added benefit of making your skin firmer - smoothing and reducing wrinkles and fine lines.

Depending on how thick your hair is it can sometimes stop the moisturiser reaching your skin, so make sure to use your fingers to dig deep and rub through your beard.

Our Hydrating Daily Moisturiser has been designed to be the best for you bearded guys. It’s super lightweight, so it absorbs easily – leaving your skin and your beard feeling soft and smooth.

And it’s incredibly hydrating! Packed with the finest anti-aging ingredients, including Hyaluronic Acid, the gold standard for moisturising.

Best Moisturizer for an Awesome Beard

HYDRATING DAILY MOISTURIZER
$62.00

LEARN MORE

And this cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing routine will stop any dryness which can leave you with new-beard itch.

We've got more on growing your beard here:

#2: TRIM AND STYLE YOUR BEARD FOR FULLNESS

An expertly trimmed beard can visibly reduce any unevenness, increase fullness and hide bald patches. As well as strengthening your jawline.

It’s worth getting some expert guidance from your barber to start with.

Every beard is personal and requires a different way of keeping it trimmed and groomed, especially when you’re trying to minimize patches. So learn from a pro and follow his advice at home.

That being said there are some common rules for maintaining any beard in really good shape.

Starting with where to trim the hair on your cheeks and your neck.

How to trim a beard cheek line:

To find out where to remove the hair on your cheeks, a simple technique is to ... smile. Then shave everything above the imaginary natural line of your smile, near the cheekbones.

This will give you a clean, smooth line, and highlight your eyes too.

How to trim your beard neckline:

Whatever beard style you adopt, there is only ONE rule for trimming a beard along your neckline.

Imagine a point that is just above your Adam’s apple. If you think of placing two fingers just above the knob, then this is the base of your beard line. Now imagine a curved line from this point which goes behind your jawbone to a point just behind each ear. This is your beard line… and everything below this line needs to be shaved.

BUT…

Don’t shave above this point! As this can make your face look too round.

The delicate neck area can be one of the trickiest areas to shave, so check out "H ow to Smoothly Shave the Sensitive Neck Area" for some extra guidance.

And there’s more here:

#3: EAT A HEALTHY DIET

Your hair (like your skin) is a reflection of your diet - and your facial hair is no exception.

If you want to grow a full, patch-free beard then one of the best ways is to improve your diet.

Because a healthy diet that prioritizes protein, vitamins (especially the B vitamins), minerals and omega-3 fatty acids is going to encourage healthy beard growth.

And it’s worth prioritizing magnesium and zinc, as these minerals play an important part in keeping your skin and hair follicles healthy and hydrated.

Rich sources of magnesium include:

Nuts, seeds and whole grains
Dark chocolate
Almonds

While zinc can be found in:

Shellfish – Crab, Oysters, Lobster
Meat - Beef, Chicken, Pork
Legumes (Lentils and Chickpeas)
Nuts, Seeds and Wholegrains
Eggs

To be honest growing a beard isn't the only advantage of eating a healthy diet, but if it's going to get you to adopt a good one, then go for it!

We've got more on the best foods to include in your diet here:

And finally…

#4: HAVE PATIENCE

Hair grows at different rates on different parts of your face, and it takes time for all of it to catch up.

It’s normal to have an awkward stage when initially growing in a beard. And it’s best not to compare yourself to other guys who have been growing out their beards for a lot longer.

Have faith! Those patchy areas will grow in on their own time.

Just stay strong and give your beard at least three months. Adopt the skincare routine above, keep up regular beard maintenance and eat a healthily diet. And after three months if it still doesn’t look right, then at least you’ve given it a good chance.

Other Options to Fix a Patchy Beard

And if the beard patches are not filling in after three months some of these could be worth a try.

✅ Filling in patches with colour

Using a little colour to fill in small beard patches sounds like an easy solution.

Choose a product that’s been designed for this though – and only use it to fill in small spots. If you use it on your whole beard area it can end up looking fake. The best products to look for are water- and sweat-resistant so they won’t rub off during the day. Then simply wash it off before you go to bed.

❌ But beware of using hair dye!

Whilst it can make your overall beard look more polished, it’s not good for patches with no hair.

Essentially you’ll be painting your facial skin with the product when it was meant for use on the scalp. This can severely damage your skin - causing a bad reaction, dryness and irritation.

❌ Using a Derma Roller

A derma roller looks like a facial roller – but with added spikes!

The idea is that these tiny needles puncture your skin as you roll it over your face. And the minor injuries it causes will activate dormant hair follicles and stimulate your skin to produce facial hair growth.

While in theory this should work, it is even more painful than it sounds – and can tear at your skin leaving it looking red and irritated. There’s also a big risk that you will infect the hair follicles – and actually stunt any hair growth.

However…

✅ Microneedling at a dermatologist can have good results

You will get much better results going to a certified dermatologist for a procedure called microneedling. It’s the same principal as a derma roller but is carried out in a more controlled and sterile way by a dermatologist.

The results for this are promising.

Studies have found that men with mild hereditary hair loss who were treated with minoxidil in combination with microneedling saw better results than those who were treated with minoxidil alone.

FAQs

Why is my facial hair patchy?

There are four things that can leave you with small bald spots in your beard.

Age and genetics play a big part, along with the rarer forms of hormone imbalance and alopecia areata.

Age
Facial hair generally starts growing around puberty but it’s unlikely that you can grow a full beard at this point.
Most men start to grow a full beard when they’re slightly older – around the age of 25. Younger than that and you may not be able to develop your facial hair fully, which can result in patches in your beard.

Genetics
There are no guarantees when it comes to how easy it is to grow a full beard. And genetics plays a big part.
If the men in your family all have wonderful beards that are patch-free then you have a good chance of growing one yourself.

Hormone imbalance
A patchy beard can also be caused by a hormone imbalance. A lack of testosterone, for example, can affect how your beard develops.

Alopecia Areata
This is not a common condition, but it can result in spot baldness. It can affect anywhere on your body but when it’s in your beard area it can leave small, circular, bald patches in your beard.
It could be worth checking with your doctor if you suddenly experience bald patches in your beard.

What helps facial hair grow?

An awesome beard is all about healthy follicles.

So to encourage strong facial hair growth you need to take care of the skin below the hair.

That means a healthy skincare routine to keep hair follicles hydrated and free of dead skin cells. Along with a healthy diet that prioritizes the vitamins and nutrients needed to make hair grow. Plenty of exercise and sleep, adequate rest and reducing stress levels will also help stimulate healthy hair growth.

The Takeaway

A healthy patch-free beard starts with healthy hair follicles.

So to encourage strong facial hair growth you need to take care of the skin below the hair:

Start with the skincare basics – Clean, Exfoliate, Moisturize
A healthy skincare routine to keep hair follicles hydrated and free of dead skin cells.
Trim and style your beard for fullness
Start with expert guidance from your barber on how to trim and style your beard to minimize the patches and increase fullness.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Adopt a diet that prioritizes the vitamins and nutrients needed to make hair grow.
Patience
Stay strong and don’t be tempted to give up. You need to give your beard at least three months to grow.

Plenty of exercise and sleep, adequate rest and reducing stress levels will also help stimulate healthy hair growth.

SHOP THE ROUTINE.
All you need to stay looking handsome.

PRESTIGE SKINCARE FOR MEN.
MADE IN FRANCE.

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