Growing a Beard?

[BUTLER REDSFAN]

I am 43 and have never seriously tried to grow one. I am now thinking about it(It may just be a mid-life crisis thing, I'm not sure). I have heard you are supposed to shave every day for so long to "toughen" your face up then just let it go for as long as it takes. Does this sound right or do you just let it go as is?

[Falls City Beer]

I am 43 and have never seriously tried to grow one. I am now thinking about it(It may just be a mid-life crisis thing, I'm not sure). I have heard you are supposed to shave every day for so long to "toughen" your face up then just let it go for as long as it takes. Does this sound right or do you just let it go as is?

Nah, it doesn't toughen your face up. Just let it go. Depending on the thickness of your facial hair it may take a while for it to fill in and look good.

[marcshoe]

My first beard came because of a sunburnt face. No time to toughen it up. These days I grow and shave it once or twice a year.

[Blimpie]

I had a full beard for about 8 years (just sporting the goatee currently). You can get by with an occasional neck-shave every 2-3 days and let everything else go.

[Johnny Footstool]

It looks best if you buy a beard trimmer. Let it grow for 3 days, and then trim it so that it's all a uniform length. Then let it go for 4-5 days, and trim it again at a higher setting.

Otherwise, you might end up looking like a slow-changing wolfman.

[macro]

I have always meant to grow a beard but can never find the time.

[dougdirt]

Otherwise, you might end up looking like a slow-changing wolfman.

Time lapse photo this look. It will be fantastic.

[cincyinco]

I grow a beard, often.. Mainly because I'm too lazy to shave.. Much easier to trim.

Thankfully, I look good with a beard.

But I also sport a goatee.

I haven't been clean shaven in about 8 years. Wife doesn't like me without a beard of some kind.

[SunDeck]

I've had a beard on and off over the years, but had not heard this thing about toughening up.
If it doesn't come in real thick then you should probably get a trimmer to keep it looking good. And I'll second the goatee; it's the best and fastest solution every morning, you can quickly shave around it then trim it once a week.

[MrCinatit]

I consistently roll a D1 when trying to grow a beard - I am simply horrible at it.
Even at 40, I can go for four weeks without a shave and look like some unshaven high school kid. I do have a somewhat presentable mustache and goatee, though.

[Chip R]

I grew one once and one of the reasons why was because I was tired of shaving. Turned out trimming the beard was just as much work as shaving.

[smoke6]

I can't get past the "itchy" stage. Drives me nuts!

[redsbuckeye]

To all you guys who can grow beards: I hate you. My facial hair is of such a pathetic quality that after a week it looks like someone with an IQ of less than 12 tried to glue hair to my face. But it grows fast, and I have to shave at least every other day else look like an idiot.

[Razor Shines]

Last year when I was doing slate and tile roofing and it was winter in Indy, I grew a nice full beard. It was sweet, if I do say so myself. I have light brown hair, but for whatever reason my facial hair has a little hint of red in it. Yeah my nickname was Chuck Norris for the rest of the year.

[klw]

I have always meant to grow a beard but can never find the time.

I believe there is a Castro quote along the lines that having a beard gave him annother 15 minutes a day to dedicate to the revolution.

[RedsFan75]

I've heard guys say that during the itchy part rub baby oil into your skin, I never tried it myself.

[Dom Heffner]

Is there any way I could talk you out of this?

[SunDeck]

To all you guys who can grow beards: I hate you. My facial hair is of such a pathetic quality that after a week it looks like someone with an IQ of less than 12 tried to glue hair to my face. But it grows fast, and I have to shave at least every other day else look like an idiot.

It's a two way street; if I shave in the morning and am going out in the evening I need to shave again. That's a drag.

[Dom Heffner]

My facial hair is of such a pathetic quality that after a week it looks like someone with an IQ of less than 12 tried to glue hair to my face.

Personally, I think this is a blessing. :)

[RedsFan75]

It's a two way street; if I shave in the morning and am going out in the evening I need to shave again. That's a drag.

Had the same problem when I was in OCS. Had to shave twice a day, but it was odd, just on my chin area, cheeks were more patchy, and didn't get as thick, so now I just sport a goatee and don't have to worry about it.

[WebScorpion]

I've grown a beard every year since I left the Army...the first year I just quit cutting any hair and looked pretty grungy for a while. Every year I do something a little different just to change things up...I've worn the Fu Manchu, the Goatee, Mutton chops, etc...this year it's kind of an Abe Lincoln with a mustache. Every spring I shave it all off and start again in the fall. One year I kept shaving most of the winter and I thought the wind was going to freeze my face off. Brrrr... Yes, you need a beard trimmer or your mustache keeps getting in your mouth. Ugh! ...and I always shave my neck, it's just waaay too itchy if I don't shave it every 3 or 4 days. The hardest part is waiting until the 'itchy' stage wears off around a month into it. I use a stiff hairbrush to groom it during that time and it tends to 'scratch the itch' for me. Good Luck! :thumbup:

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-char124.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[Falls City Beer]

I haven't had a full beard in years. It would be salt n pepper if I did, and I ain't using Grecian 5.

[Red in Chicago]

I can't get past the "itchy" stage. Drives me nuts!

Me too, especially on the cheeks and neck.


I haven't had a full beard in years. It would be salt n pepper if I did, and I ain't using Grecian 5.

I have gone back and forth with a goatee for years. Lately though, the gray hair seems to be getting the best of me, and I get tired of trying to cut them individually, so just a mustache for now.

[redsfanmia]

Last year when I was doing slate and tile roofing and it was winter in Indy, I grew a nice full beard. It was sweet, if I do say so myself. I have light brown hair, but for whatever reason my facial hair has a little hint of red in it. Yeah my nickname was Chuck Norris for the rest of the year.

I too have light brown hair and get a red beard, I get called Elliot from thirtysomething.

[camisadelgolf]

My facial hair is really patchy. I can grow hair on my chin, under my lips, above my lips, on my neck, and near the sideburns, but that space between the sideburns and lips is nearly bald. I sometimes wonder if I could pull off a beard anyway, but I don't have the courage to try.

[westofyou]

I too have light brown hair and get a red beard, I get called Elliot from thirtysomething.

Now you're dating yourself.

I hate shaving and have vacillated back and forth for 10 years now... currently I'm shaved.

[Matt700wlw]

Goatee. Haven't tried to full beard thing.

Of course, I'll not shave for 3 or 4 days sometimes, and I'm a bit on the scuffy side

[redsmetz]

I haven't been without a beard in over 30 years. My wife's never seen me without it and her sister told her she didn't want to see it.

Now I just look like Santa Claus.

http://bp2.blogger.com/_actWhXlo6uo/RyIqrx-ftnI/AAAAAAAAAA0/B6hfRmx6EZE/S224/me.jpg

[Roy Tucker]

My beard is pretty full. I think I've had about every facial hair configuration you can think of. Beard, goatee, fu manchu, lip beard, mustache, and mutton chops. probably something else too.

I got a whole lot of salt and not much pepper any more. Where I work has a no facial hair policy so if I get hired (I'm currently on a contract-to-hire gig), the goatee goes down the drain to the unhappines of the spousal unit.

[Ltlabner]

I have tried several times to grow a beard to no avail.

Some days it looks like the fur on a feral cat, other days my face just looks dirty. It never looks like an actual beard.

Oddly, however, my chin area grows in nicely. So I've been rocking the goatee for about 10 years now. If I could get the rest of my facial hair to grow like that I'd wear a beard every day because I hate shaving.

And yes, I've got some serious salt and pepper creeping into my chin whiskers.

[nate]

I go between the chin strap and goat. Currently the goat is a bit lengthy much to my wife's chagrin.

Of course, once you put the "top down" (shave yer pate) you get more shaving than you had previously hoped for.

[Redlegs82]

I've been growing a beard for about a week now. This is my third or fourth go at it. usually doesn't stay around long.

This is me with a few days of growth. It's a bit longer now.

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v57/78/83/7722015/n7722015_32496506_5037.jpg

[Strikes Out Looking]

I've grown them over the years, and the last time I had one my kids urged me to shave it off. I'd grow one now but now there is too much "salt" so I'm clean shaven--it makes me look years younger.

[919191]

I have a full head of dark hair, and a salt and pepper beard- more salt lately- not too far from 50 and AARP. SO what do I do? Shave my head and grow a goatee. I figure I'm the same age either way on the inside.

[ochre]

The real question here is: What would Joaquin Phoenix do?

[Johnny Footstool]

The real question here is: What would Joaquin Phoenix do?

Mumble, scratch, look down, and mumble some more.