do beards get thicker with age?

Many guys notice their beards getting fuller as they get older and wonder if it's just their imagination. The short answer? It's real. Your beard can actually get thicker with age, but not for the reasons most people think. Let's break down what's actually happening.

Left Side: a man in his 20s with a noticeably patchy beard labelled “20s: Patchy Beard.” Right Side: a man in his 40s with a fuller, well-defined beard labelled “40s: Fuller Beard.” Connecting Element: an arrow between the two images with a caption “Hormones at Work”

Your Beard in Your 20s vs. Your 40s

That patchy beard you struggled with in your early 20s often fills in over time. This isn't because you suddenly grow more follicles – you're born with all you'll ever have.

What happens is your body has been pumping out testosterone year after year, and over time, some of those sleeping follicles finally get the message and start growing visible hair.

a split-screen design on a plain background with two magnified close-up images of beard hairs: Top Side: A close-up of an older man's beard, showing thicker, wiry, and coarser strands. Labelled “Older: Thicker Hairs. Bottom Side: a younger man's beard, where the hairs appear fine and soft. Labelled “Younger: Thinner Hairs.

Beard Hairs Actually Get Thicker Too

Beyond just more active follicles, the individual hairs themselves often change with age.

Many men in their 40s report their beard becoming more wiry, with each strand physically thicker than before.

This explains why your beard might feel coarser and appear fuller even in areas that were already growing hair when you were younger.

a side-by-side close-up comparison: right Side:a single beard hair with a freshly shaved, blunt tip. Labelled “Freshly Shaved.” left Side: a natural beard hair with a tapered, softer tip. Labelled “Natural Hair.”

The Shaving Myth

That old advice about shaving daily to get a thicker beard is mostly wrong. Shaving doesn't increase follicle count or permanently thicken your hair.

But here's where the myth comes from: a freshly shaved hair has a blunt tip instead of the natural taper of an uncut hair, making it feel stiffer when it grows back. This creates the temporary illusion of thickness, nothing more.

split comparison: well maintained beard versus beard with split ends

What Thickens Beards, Trimming or Shaving?

Shaving won't make your beard thicker, But trimming is a different story. Your beard hair gets beat up just like the hair on your head - it splits at the ends and gets damaged.

When you trim regularly, you're cutting off those weak, frayed parts before they can split further up the hair shaft. Your beard looks fuller because you're keeping each hair at its strongest point instead of letting it thin out and break.

a man with a full, healthy beard. Between the two, place a simple arrow to indicate transformation. Four overlaid four icons around the fuller beard: A plate with healthy food (nutrition) A dumbbell (exercise), A meditating man (stress reduction), A broken chain icon(dropping bad habits) Includes a caption “Better lifestyle, better beard.”

How Lifestyle Changes Your Beard

There's another reason your beard might get better with age that has nothing to do with birthdays. Many men clean up their act as they get older - better food, less booze, more sleep, regular exercise.
These changes improve blood flow and boost the nutrients delivered to your face and beard follicles. That guy who grew a great beard in his 40s probably quit smoking, and finally learned how to cook something besides spagetti and meatballs.

Left Side: a plate filled with processed foods (pizza, pasta, soda), overlay text says Empty Calories, Underwhelming Beard. Right Side: a plate with healthy foods (e.g., lean protein, vegetables, nuts, fruits) labeled Real Food Fuels a Powerful Beard

How Diet Affects Beard Thickness

Beard hair is mostly protein, so eating real, nutrient-packed foods can help it grow fuller.

Swap pizza and ramen for duck eggs, pilchards and mackrel, almonds, and lean meats - these give your body the building blocks for stronger strands. Don’t forget veggies: they provide B vitamins and zinc that let your body turn protein into healthy beard hair. A balanced diet makes a noticeable difference over time.

a jigsaw puzzle with four pieces arranged to form a complete picture. Each puzzle piece is labeled: one “Diet,” one “Sleep,” one “Stress & Health,” and one “Genetics.” a brief caption says Eating well boosts your beard, but your genes call the shots

What Diet Can and Can't Do

Food matters for your beard, but let's be honest about its limits. Your genetics set the stage for what's possible - if your family tree doesn't have thick beards, nutrition alone won't transform you into a lumberjack.

Hormones are the real directors of the show, particularly testosterone and DHT. These determine how your follicles respond regardless of what you eat.

a balanced scale. On one side of the scale is a plate filled with healthy foods (like lean protein, vegetables, etc.) to represent a good diet. On the other side, is a DNA double helix icon to represent genetics. the scale is slightly tipped toward the DNA side

When Good Diet Meets Bad Genetics

That's why some guys with terrible diets still grow magnificent beards while others who eat perfectly struggle to grow more than patches.

Diet is just one piece of a bigger puzzle that includes sleep quality, stress levels, and overall health. Better nutrition helps you reach your beard's potential, but it can't rewrite your genetic code.

Get the Most from Your Beard as You Age

Most men see thicker growth over time as follicles wake up and hair matures.

You can’t change your genetics, but you can boost what you’ve got with simple habits: trim regularly, eat a balanced diet, sleep well, and keep stress low.

Want to give your beard a head start?

Pick one habit - like adding an extra serving of good protein or setting a bedtime - and stick with it for a month. You’ll be surprised how much difference good care and healthy choices can make. For more on how your facial hair changes over time, check out What Age Does Beard Hair Stop Growing.