when did your beard start growing?

[AJB1015]

Hey guys, this post may sound stupid, but I was wondering when most of the bald by genes guys started getting their beards. I'm 21 and my baldness isn't too advanced yet, but its definitely there, and I can't grow any decent facial except for some mangy stubble. did anyone get there beards later than 21? I just think that a beard or goatee would greatly add to my bald look. thanks.

[Sir Harry]

I started growing a Van Dyke/Goatee between weekend drills in 2003 (I was 31) I started trying the full-grown beard in 2009 (at age 37) after I got injured at work and had no choice but to grow facial fur while I had stitches on my jaw. I've grown beards when I have an extended period between weekend drills (five or more weeks)..I can grow a chinstrap in about three weeks but for a wider version I need six to eight weeks...it varies with all of us.

[Lynchy]

Patchy or light beards are totally in you should grow it out while you can!!!!!!

Sorry to say but for me there is no correlation between the loss of hair on my head and beard growth? I've had facial hair since I was like 12

I've read on the beard forum (someone posted a link on here somewhere) that  if you have a lighter beard that it takes 3+ months of growing to fill out!

[IllinoisBaldy]

Started shaving my face when I was 13...full beard by 16/17.  I first noticed my hairloss at age 16.

[Natedawg]

I started having noticeable facial hair when I was about 15/16. My beard didn't start growing with the fullness it does now up until a few years ago (when I was about 28-29). I didn't start noticeably balding until a few months ago (thankfully, I was sly long before that happened!). You may be able to grow more facial hair later...
Have you tried the 30 day rule for shaving? Don't shave your face at all for 30 days, no matter what it looks like. Try and shape a beard at that point and see what you think.
One thing is for sure: Good beards take lots of time and patience to grow. Gotta get through the awkward-looking stages. 

[Mr Jules]

I started growing my first ever beard 2 week ago. So far, I like. Want to go further.

Natedawg - got a barber to shape my beard. But pressing on as best I can with your 30 day rule. 

[Natedawg]

Natedawg - got a barber to shape my beard. But pressing on as best I can with your 30 day rule. 

Glad to hear it! Keep up the good work! Your growth so far looks like it will become an excellent beard. Keep us updated. 

[Mr Jules]

Natedawg,

Will you all updated. Think you'll need to give further tips and shaping and trimming.

It's clear that there's little or no beard growth where any sideburns should be. But beard is growing well along the jaw line and the goatee area.

You have a great beard, so think this will give me something to aim for.

Shaving sly was straight forward enough. Been bald for 3.5 months. Growing a beard is whole different bal(d) game !

[andyarmstrong]

I started getting stubble in my junior year of highschool. I couldn't grow a decent beard until a year or two ago (now a senior in college). I was a late bloomer and early shedder haha.

[Mr Jules]

Been growing my beard for nearly 3 weeks. There's little growth where the sideburns should be. So I guess I may be heading towards a goatee.

[Harleyman]

Started growing a beard when I was 17,had a full beard in the Navy when I was 19 back in the day when you could wear a beard in the service,didn't start loosing my hair til my late 40's.

[TheSlyBear]

I could only grow a "jawline beard" when I was in my 20's. I didn't start getting a decent full beard until well into my 30's.

In my mid-50s, it's obviously no longer an issue.

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[mrzed]

I don't seem to have bald genes, but it was later than earlier when a beard was easy to grow.  My first beard was in the summer of 1977.  Took two months before it looked reasonable enough to take out in public. I was in Alaska that summer. A guy could grow a beard and it did not matter what it looked like. Almost every guy had facial hair, whether it looked good or not. So it was a safe bet.

But it did take a long time back then.  Now at almost 60 I think I could grow a beard rather quickly. Of course, I never shave my beard off. Only trim it, but I really need to trim it weekly now. Whereas when I was younger, could go quite a while and not need to trim.

I guess beard hairs are like ear and nose hairs. The older you get, the faster they grow.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

I don't seem to have bald genes,

Have to disagree--your shadow indicates you have mpb, not profound, but mpb none the less.  Many guys dont' go to "skin" all the way, but like you they have mpb at some degree or another.  It's not a problem of course and you've dealth with your receding hairline in a reasonable manner, but, IMO, you are not BBC at all, you're just mpb and dealing with it--correctly of course.

[marshd1000]

I started to shave at age 13.  Got a hairy chest at age 16.  I didn't grow my first mustache until I was 18.  When I did that, there was still a bare spot in the middle of my lip, so the two sides of the mustache did not fully connect together.  But I grew my first full beard at 20 while away at college.  It was about that time I also got a hairy back.  At age 29 I saw the first signs of MPB.  Now at age 51 I would be considered bald if I grew hair back.  Pretty hairy from the face on down.  But I would say that the growth rate of facial hair and body hair and Male Pattern Baldness varies greatly between each individual.  Mother Nature seems to like variety.  So even if the beard does not fully come in, just enjoy being the person that you were designed to be!