Be honest, you’ve thought about it — finally growing out that grizzly dad beard of your dreams. Maybe you’ve tried but your beard turned out sparse and spotty (then your wife summoned the clippers).
Some of us just weren’t blessed with the spry facial hair follicles that make a full and luscious beard possible. But, perhaps, Rogaine (AKA minoxidil) can help you get there?
Studies show that minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine, may be a safe and cost-effective way to enhance beard growth. However, this is an off-label use of Minoxidil, so be sure to talk to your doctor first before treatment, even if you can find it over-the-counter.
10/10 dad beard here we come.
How minoxidil helps beard growth
The popular hair loss treatment minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to hair follicles. That increased blood flow kicks resting hair follicles into a high-gear growth phase.
The entire mechanism of how Minoxidil helps with hair growth is not fully known, but Minoxidil is a vasodilator which means the medication helps to dilate blood vessels, allowing for increased blood flow to the hair follicles sitting just below your skin.
Hair follicles are nourished by proper blood flow and follicles require adequate blood flow to grow and sustain hair.
This product is great for increasing hair thickness and encouraging new growth in balding or receding areas.
This product is safe and effective for hair growth — it’s been an FDA-approved hair loss treatment for both men and women since 1997.
This product is applied directly to the skin where you’d like to enhance hair growth. When using this product for beard enhancement, precise application is recommended because wherever minoxidil ends up — hair will be encouraged to grow.
Results may be seen after 4-6 weeks of regular use.
Not all minoxidil is Rogaine
Rogaine contains minoxidil, but not all minoxidil treatments are formulated like Rogaine.
Many hair growth formulations use minoxidil. Some may even combine prescription medications like tretinoin or spironolactone with minoxidil. This might enhance hair growth outcomes.
How much is minoxidil treatment?
You can buy over-the-counter treatments in drugstores and online retailers. If you find these aren’t cutting it, there are affordable online telemedicine companies that are making hair loss treatment very accessible.
For minoxidil for beard growth, this can run you anywhere from $20-$30.
This product is not an overnight fix, so you’d have to commit to using it for a while. So, realistically, it’s not a one-off purchase.
Why some men can grow beards and others can’t
It’s true that not all men can grow a beard. Many factors go into growing a thick beard like diet, exercise, genetics, sleep, and facial skincare.
As with your hairline, a lot of the time, this is determined by genetics. However, if you tried growing out a beard in college and your efforts failed — you might want to try again.
A man’s beard can continue to fill out and thicken well into their 30’s. So, as you mature, growing a thick beard might become easier.
Are hair growth effects permanent?
Sustaining results vary from person to person. But, you may have to continue to use minoxidil to keep your facial hair follicles happy and stimulated with good blood flow.
After 4 weeks of use, you should notice an increase in beard thickness or sparse areas beginning filling in. The longer you use this product, the thicker your beard may grow.
Some people who use minoxidil, grow a thicker beard, or improve their hairline do not see a decrease in hair after stopping use. But, most people will lose the hair they regrew after stopping the medication. Sustaining results vary from person to person.
If you don’t naturally grow a thick full beard, using minoxidil may be able to get you there, but you’ll likely need that help to sustain the beard.
Shaving while using minoxidil for beard growth?
Sure, you can shave while using minoxidil for beard growth. Shaving will not affect the hair follicle action going on below the skin’s surface. While you are increasing hair growth on your face, you can still shave until you’ve reached a good point for growing it out.
Article summary
Minoxidil (aka the active ingredient in Rogaine) might help you achieve the grizzly dad beard you’ve always wanted. Minoxidil increases blood flow to the hair follicles which stimulates hair growth. It may be used to thicken hair, or, it can sometimes be used to fill in areas of sparseness.
This is a cost-effective hair treatment that is easily accessible to all. You may consider buying formulas that are specifically designed or compounded for this purpose, or pick some up over-the-counter.
