How to grow facial hair: Tips from a dermatologist

Hair can be frustrating. 

Too curly. Too straight. Too thin. Too thick. Too dry. Too oily. 

The worst is when hair grows where you don’t want it to grow – or when it doesn’t grow where you do want it to grow. For this story, we will focus on the latter. You may be frustrated about your facial hair being patchy or even non-existent. How do you grow more hair on your face? Dr. Mary Alice Mina, a double-board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon practicing at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, and host of THE SKIN REAL podcast to learn more about the steps you can take to help grow facial hair. 

How do you grow facial hair?

Being unable to grow facial hair could be due to a medical reason. Mina says, “For those looking to grow facial hair, a thorough look through their medical history is important and sometimes labs may need to be drawn.” 

The Cleveland Clinic says that genetics, a condition called alopecia areata, birthmarks and hormones could lead to differences in the ability to grow a beard or facial hair. 

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, leading to patches of baldness. If you are concerned you may have this condition, talk to your doctor. 

What stimulates hair growth?

Mina says there are several treatment options for hair growth stimulation that a dermatologist might consider. “Topical minoxidil 5% can be helpful in regrowing facial hair while procedures like platelet rich plasma (PRP) can also help stimulate facial hair when injected.” She adds, “Tretinoin plus topical minoxidil in combination can be useful as has microneedling shown some benefit presumably due to increased oxygen to the hair follicles.” 

How do you grow facial hair naturally?

“Natural” hair growth remedies are popular because they are considered gentler than other methods. However, the evidence of safety and efficacy behind some of these remedies is limited. Some of the methods that aren’t likely to cause harm include: 

• Scalp massage
• Essential oils 
• Coconut oil 
• Rice water
• Supplements. However, if you are contemplating using a supplement, you should consult your physician because supplements are not regulated by the FDA and they may interact with certain medical conditions or prescription medications. 

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