How Come I Can't Grow A Beard Or Even Stubble?

39

39 Answers

Lia Louis Profile
Lia Louis answered
Unfortunately this is a problem that you might not be able to change. Hair growth is a normal function of physiology that is necessary for survival among creatures in the animal kingdom, particularly mammals. The genetic disposition for this function is somewhat dormant in the human animal because of our reliance on technology like electric heat and even clothing to keep us warm.

However, the growth of facial hair is triggered by the introduction of new or more abundant male hormones like testosterone, which starts during the developmental period known as puberty. Typically, males begin puberty between the ages of 9 and 12. This is when the hormones start to become active which then translates into many physical changes. Most boys continue to experience these changes until their mid to late teens. Unfortunately for some young men, puberty can continue even later.

Because facial hair is pretty reliant on hormonal factors, there are several things you can do to try to promote the production of more male hormones:

Increasing your muscle mass informs the body that you plan to participate in strenuous physical activity, which is largely the reason for hormones like testosterone. Therefore a weight-gaining, muscle-building exercise program will probably help.

Similarly, reducing your body fat can decrease the presence of hormones like estrogen, which is primarily a hormone found in the female body. Of course, a healthy diet helps the body to repair imbalances, which might be the cause of this particular issue.

You can also take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement that promotes strong hair growth

Avoid things that promote estrogen stimulation. There are many plant sources that contain phytoestrogens, which are plant chemicals that stimulate estrogen production, and are often recommended to women who may have severe PMS or Menopausal symptoms.

Avoid alcohol, which raises estrogen levels in the bloodstream.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Actually some girls Love beards. And I can't grow a full beard I can grow a moustache and a little stubble on my chin but thats it. But I always wanted the Wolverine look but can't get it I feel like crying
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 21 and only get hair on my top lip and chin..not very thick either...how can I encourage growth? If its possible at all?
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 37 and every year I get a little more facial hair, it only started growing when I was 25 and last year for the first time I finally managed to grow a passable moustache.

I am also very young looking for my age, most people put me in my mid 20's.I have a full head of brown hair but would you believe it  ... My moustache is mostly grey!I guess its not so bad, but hell do I have beard envy.

I read somewhere once that 75% of your hair comes directly from your mother.If your a bloke and you want to know how hairy or bold you will be when your older, look at your mothers brother (if she has one) the other 25% of your hair will follow your dads
Julii Brainard Profile
Julii Brainard answered
I'm assuming you're a bloke, at least 16 years old. Sorry if that sounds like a given. I have to point out the obvious, sometimes.

As for blokes over 15 who wonder why no facial hair:

Sometimes the facial hair will grow more as you get older. But otherwise...

I have a blonde-haired mate (age 30+) who can't grow a beard, either... because his great-grandmother was Chinese. Certain ethnic groups -- including some of the Chinese, their men just don't grow facial hair. In fact, hardly any body hair at all.

My friend has a cousin who has black hair but never shaves her legs. She doesn't have to; her legs just don't grow hair on them.

So it could just be that somewhere back in your genetics are people with a low amount of body hair, and you've inherited that propensity.

This isn't a bad thing; beards are out of fashion and hard to keep hygienic. Meanwhile, most men consider daily shaving a complete pain, and no partner is going to like the rough feel of your stubble on their skin.

Lack of facial hair does not necessarily mean you'll go bald later in life (different genes involved) you'll be glad to hear.

If you have other health or puberty issues then do see a doctor; unlikely you have anything to worry about, otherwise.
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
OK, so I'm now 42 & while I get some facial growth it's restricted to maybe 2 doz hair follicles under my bottom lip, & maybe 30-40 either side of my chin NOT enough to grow a goatie or anything but enough to warrant shaving so i get all the hassles and NONE of the benefits!! My top lip doesn't fair much better I can only grow a thread bare tasche..I always wondered if hormone therapy was an answer??? Any ideas??
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
45 here - I get facial hair but never enough to grow a full beard - a goatee yes, but never a full beard. I have always associated it with the acne scars I have from puberty some 30+years back. It's normal - don't let it worry you about masculinity - I was in the military for 18 years (active and reserve) and a police officer for 20 - so I'm as tough as they come :o)
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
Not really, now if you would have said u were in the marines, we might believe you..
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 16 and have been shaving since I was 12 and can grow a full beard!! Crazy! But trust me, annoying as hell. It hurts to shave and I can't shave everyday otherwise I get skin irritation! Be happy with what you have :)
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Just turned 18 and before that I never had any noticable facial hair, but you could feel the stubble after a shave. When I turned 18, started leaving my face for about a week or until you can see some hairs then shave   and its starting to get more hair and thicker on chin, upper lip, lower lip and side burns. Ages, 12 pubic hair, 13 1/2 underarm hair, 15 1/2 hairy legs, 16 3/4 hairy belly, I'm starting to get that hairy line going up from the belly to my chest after I shave it once a month, aslo getting chest hair. Just waiting for arm hair and facial, arm hair is normally last.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Its expensive and based in Miami, USA but I believe its one of the only places that offers such a answer to this ongoing problem which many men face, me included. Its called foundhair.com they can transplant your hair to facial hair, which stimulates growth forever. I'm currently very close to going down this road as no treatments work, believe don't help on the matter and other than messing around with dangerous steroids this is all I can see that will work.

Hope this helps some people out there as I've been searching on this topic for ages with no sign of an answer till I found this solution.
Paul morgan Profile
Paul morgan answered
I'm 33 can't get a grow on... Just moody side burns and my neck very little tash,   can't go a day without shavin as looks silly,   its black but my hair was light brown now turning grey.  Id say since turning 30 my facial hair has trebled but still not enough!  Lots of people say I don't look my age (bonus)  my dad grows full beards and so does my younger half brother 27,  my full brother 37 has much more than me and can pull of a passible goaty.  For years its bugged me when I was about 23 I asked my doctor and they did blood tests all come back ok as did my testostmone levels.  Now getting onto the point above my mothers brother is like me can't grow a full face of hair.....  So there has to be a concection,  I just hope one day it is enough to show as it does burn my head out
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 30 and can't grow nothing... So weird... So annoying. I totally understand the frustration. I feel like a little boy!
Linda Rose Profile
Linda Rose answered
Can someone pls tell if no facial hair is related to sterility in men?
Has anyone of you (age 30+ ) facing this problem has fathered a child?
Please be sincere in your answers. This is so important to me.
Thanks.
thanked the writer.
neil bromilow
neil bromilow commented
Am 33 i have two kids i have a little bit off facial hair they are no problems with having no facial hair hope this is ok for you
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 17 almost 18 and I get side burns a moustache and like most of the beard exept close to the soul patch area everyday!! And I shave against the grain too, so I go to bed baby smooth..
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Maybe you're too cool to grow one. Because evolution takes place everyday, you may be the next kind of person. You don't need as much hair to stay warm.
Maggie Dee Profile
Maggie Dee answered
I'm going to assume you're a guy. ;-) Some possible reasons: #1....you're young and your testosterone level hasn't yet risen to "beard strength." #2...some men, regardless of their testosterone level, don't get beards until their mid-20's; #3...you shave it off.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 24 years old and African American.  I can grow a mustache, chin hair, and hair right beneath the lower lip.  I also get these hairs scattered throughout my cheeks and neck, but not enough to grow a beard.  I don't know what to make of it.  I think it will grow into a full beard eventually because new hairs keep popping up.  My father grows a thick beard and my maternal grandfather could grow a full beard.  My paternal great grandmother was a Cherokee Native American, but it didn't stop my father from growing a full beard.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm currently 15 and ongoing 16 very soon, I'm lucky enough to be able to grow a moustache after a week of not shaving, all I have done is shave every day, even when I don't need to, or don't see anything, then gradually you get stubble, soon after thickening that up, your sorted ;)
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Pffft I'm 100 % mexican 18 years old and I barely grow a mustache I do see some hair but no full mustache I also want the wolverine look T_T and my grandpa resembles big foot due to hir freakishly big beard ive seen him without a shirt and believe me hes one step away from a caveman but my dad has no body hair and no full beard hes believed to be half spaniard  I'm worried,and about to loose a bet WHYYYY GOD WHYYYYY!
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Well I'm 18 and all I got is a little peach fuzz mustache and not much body hair I like not having a lot of body-hair but hate the lack of beard I really hope itl come some day one way or another
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm just 16, and shave regularly. I have stubble, but it's fairly light in colour atm, so not all too visible. Mebeh will darken in the future :)
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 24 white and 100% English , I grow a mustache thats not thick enough to keep , I get hair growth on my upper lip ,under my lip n chin in the middle and under my chin but its at a slow rate and not thick enough to keep again . And I get some long hairs on my chin ha ha
, I can't get growth on the sides its strange,, I look younger as it is but I'm 6"2
sometimes I think that it might be a disease ha ha
Its not its first hand human evolution , heritage culture and ethnicity of course plays a part, different ethnicity's grow at different rates ,id like to predict in the future that less facial hair will be grown on humans , white people leading in the evolution < its not racist its just how the progression has already started  < do you disagree??
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I believe cold water stimulates hair growth - hair grows most during the late stages of the night - perhaps cutting or pruning, rather than shaving might allow shorter hair to grow and another pigment

I'm ginger but it doesnt stop me growing a beard
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 15, nearly 16, been shaving since I turned 14, I can get a stubble, but my hair colour is blonde, but my facial hair looks more ginger than blonde, haha... Just keep shaving daily
Rachel Sharp Profile
Rachel Sharp answered
Every person has unique hair growth patterns. That means that, depending on your genes, you may have more or less facial hair than other men. Facial hair can be influenced by ethnic background also. Your dad's hair patterns may be an indicator of how your hair will grow. In addition to simply having different levels of facial hair, men begin to develop it at varying ages. Some men may begin to grow facial hair at around 12; others may be 21. Still, others may never get much facial hair. Whatever category you fall into, the best attitude is to appreciate the way you are, a skill that all people can benefit from! After all, not having a lot of facial hair means that you don't have to bother with shaving constantly. A lot of people think that no facial hair is a clean and classy look on men.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 16, and I can more or less grow a full beard, started shaving when I was 13... Its annoying though; having to shave almost everyday, and thats just the beginning of it, since I have hair on my face I have hair in other places... Covered in it.. Like another answerer said, be happy with what you have!
:)
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 18 and will be 19 in a few days. I feel a little stubble on my chin. Not noticeable from a distance but I can still feel it. I feel this hair on my side burns but don't know what to think of it cause its really soft  but I have a lot. I can grow a faint mustache that is a little noticable. I shave prolly once every 2 or 3 weeks so the hairs on my chin don't look like whiskers lol! But.. Mabey when I'm 20 these hairs will get thicker as I mature into a MAN
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 14 and I get very noticeable stubble after 1 day and can grow a full beard in about a month. 100% English background and light brown hair. I'm also about 6'2" haha you could say I'm an early bloomer.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 18 n tryna get bare stubble to look like a mean bastard but I can't grow can't only mustache hehe, I had a m8 tht had full beard n mustache at the age of 14 lool n my best m8 now whos 18 looks like wolverine
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 20, been shaving since I was 13, able to grow a very thick beard, and I don't have any issues when I have to shave everyday bahahha
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm 20 and have a full thick beard.  Started shaving my upper lip in sixth grade.  Everyones different; genetics, hormones, coolness, etc.
One of my favorite quotes though is: There are two types of people that don't have facial hair-- Women and Boys

Answer Question

Anonymous