5 Beard Myths Debunked

In today's day and age, deciphering truth from fiction can be a serious challenge. The rise of the internet and the growing reach of social media allows misinformation to spread like wildfire. That’s why we're going to do our small part to push back against these hoaxes and falsehoods by stopping the spread of false facial hair facts!

We're sure you've heard a few of these tidbits over the years, and you'll probably be surprised to learn the truth behind them. It’s time for us to set the record straight and make sure our Beard Club brothers are feeding their beard nothing but facts. Consider us the Snopes of ’staches and stubble!

MYTH: Shaving makes your beard grow back darker/thicker

Is any beard myth more prevalent than this one? You’ve probably heard it yourself from someone you know, be it friend or family. Can it be true? Does shaving your beard actually cause it to grow back better than ever? Sadly, no. We're here to squash the long-standing myth and let you know it's flat-out false.

There's a pretty understandable reason why so many people are willing to take this myth at, shall we say, face value. After you shave, your new hair growth will initially reappear with a blunt tip. This makes your facial hair stand out more in the beginning, which can give the false impression of it having become thicker or darker. In truth, though, the only thing going on here is being bamboozled by an optical illusion.

MYTH: Patchy beards will never fill in

It can be tough to grow a perfectly even beard. Getting full, thick growth takes time and patience, which makes it easy to become discouraged when things don’t move along as quickly as you’d like. It's only natural to be disheartened by the areas that seem sparse or patchy when you’re first starting out. If those rough spots aren't filling in now, they'll never even out—right?

Once again, the truth is the complete opposite of initial impressions. While some spots certainly can take longer to grow in, it’s pretty rare for a sparse area on someone’s face to remain empty forever. Sometimes, all you really need is a bit of time for everything to hit its stride. Of course, if you’re not content to let nature take its own course, you can always try to help things along with some of beard growth vitamins, which is both a multivitamin and beard accelerator in one!

MYTH: Beards will make you feel hotter in the summer

The idea that wearing a beard could make you feel hotter during the balmy months of summer makes sense, right? How could covering your face with all that facial hair not have you sweating bullets? While it seems like an open-and-shut case, growing out your whiskers won’t necessarily turn every trip to the beach into sweltering misery.

There's a lot of science going on here that can help explain why that is. Now, wearing an absolutely massive beard can certainly make warm weather feel even warmer. For the those who wear a beard of a more traditional length, however, having a beard can actually keep you cooler in the summer! First off, beards help shade your face, which can keep you from feeling the burn of direct sunlight. Secondly, a well-groomed beard can foster an evaporative cooling effect when the heat gets you sweating. Just like a hut with a straw roof breathes and stay cooler in hot weather than a building covered with hard tiles, a beard works like a sort of natural air-conditioner during a heat wave.

MYTH: Facial hair genes come from your mother’s side

For centuries, men around the world have blamed their mothers for their lack of follicle-fostering abilities. It's a scientific fact that a man who can't grow a beard gets his troubles from mom's side of the family, right? But no: This is yet another example of a myth that has somehow thrived throughout the years.

Your natural facial hair growth capabilities can't be blamed on (or credited to!) a single person on the family tree. As with the rest of your genetic makeup, beard growth comes down to a combination of numerous genetic factors taken from both your mother and father—and your entire family history, too. In other words, next time you're feeling angry with your beard, blame everyone you're related to and go easy on Mom.

MYTH: Beards are messy and dirty

If there's one beard myth that gets our blood boiling, it's this one. While we're not sure how it came about, some people out there are convinced beards are specifically engineered for collecting dirt and grime. If you ask us, it’s vile propaganda spread by all the evil beard-haters out there.

Well, we're ready to stamp out this untruth once and for all. There's absolutely nothing inherent to beards that makes them gross. If you spot a dirty or disheveled beard, that’s entirely a result of that person's overall hygiene. A beard demands the same type of grooming care the rest of your body does. As long as you wash your whiskers frequently and dry them thoroughly, you'll be good to go.

If you're looking for a wonderful way to take care of all your showering necessities, why not hop in on the one-two combo of our beard shampoo and body wash? Follow this up with a quick touch of Beard Oil or Beard Spray to keep your whiskers moisturized and healthy and you’ve got yourself a healthy, clean beard for the ages.

Got any other beard myths you'd like us to bust? Tell us about the worst tall tales via the comments below or through our social channels. We're more than ready to get the truth out there!