# Facial Hair Growth Purely Genetic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079 "2005-06-06T02:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![goBigRick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@goBigRick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goBigRick)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/1 "2005-06-06T02:32:13Z")
I am curious as to whether anything can be done to help facial hair growth. I am 21 and can’t even really grow sideburns. Can you use Rogaine on your face? (seriously :)) Or is it just one of those things where you either have it or you don’t? Currently I have to shave about every 1.5 weeks and probably really don’t even need it then. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/2 "2005-06-06T03:02:51Z")
I’ve read accounts of varying amounts of success using Rogaine on one’s face. Ranging from gorilla-like body hair growth to slight improvement of facial hair to no improvement at all. Be warned that if you do try it, you’ll most likely have to wait several weeks to notice any difference. ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/3 "2005-06-06T05:19:47Z")
> [@goBigRick](#): > > I am curious as to whether anything can be done to help facial hair growth. I am 21 and can’t even really grow sideburns. Can you use Rogaine on your face? (seriously :)) Or is it just one of those things where you either have it or you don’t? Currently I have to shave about every 1.5 weeks and probably really don’t even need it then. Thanks. Um, do you have any Asian or Native American ancestry? Another possibility is that some African groups also have sparse to almost no facial hair. At your age, you should be producing sufficient testosterone, which is the other factor besides genes. I think you should talk to a doctor before using Rogaine for anything, at your age. But that’s entirely up to you. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/4 "2005-06-06T05:41:28Z")
> [@tygerbryght](#): > > At your age, you should be producing sufficient testosterone, which is the other factor besides genes. > > I think you should talk to a doctor before using Rogaine for anything, at your age. But that’s entirely up to you. As far as I know, I have perfectly normal testosterone levels, and I didn’t grow a ceditable beard until I was nearly 30. I am of pure Dutch and Irish ancestry, with amp;y bearded men in my family; some folks just don’t sprout for awhile (I still have patches on my face where nothing grows (I keep my beard trimmed to avoid these). ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/5 "2005-06-06T07:16:33Z")
My husband’s beard didn’t really get full until he was in his thirties. They’re still one little round patch that doesn’t grow any hair. I’ve got a gaggle of twentysomething guy friends, and of the six if them, one has full facial hair, three can grow a respectible goatee, but not a full beard, and two are just simply laughable when they attempt the facial hair thing. Which they do attempt, every six months or so. Poor things look like hamsters dipped in Nair. Don’t fret, it’ll happen eventually. If you’re concerned, see a doctor and he can check your hormone levels for you. But at 21, I wouldn’t be worried yet. Lots of men don’t even reach their full \*height \*for a couple of years yet. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/6 "2005-06-06T12:53:04Z")
At 21 I couldn’t have grown a full beard like I have now. The hollows of my cheeks looked really sad. Give it a few years. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/7 "2005-06-06T12:55:29Z")
Quit complaining! 😉 I have to shave at least once a day – after soaking my damned face in hot, soapy water for at least five minutes – unless I want to look like a bum, and believe me, it’s a pain in the tush. ---
**Author:** ![goBigRick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@goBigRick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goBigRick)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-hair-growth-purely-genetic/307079/8 "2005-06-06T14:08:45Z")
Thanks for the advice guys. Two of my brothers can grow pretty decent facial hair and they are both younger than me. My father can grow it quite easily also. I am just kind of out there by myself. I don’t know of any Asian ancestry (mostly German to my knowledge). It has gotten better though. A little less than three years ago I would seriously only have to shave once every month or so. I was kind of late to hit puberty and my growth spurts so maybe I am just a late bloomer.