Show us your beard!

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

This is my understanding.  Each hair--no matter where located--has a cycle, domancy, growth, stable, then over again.  So at the end of the cycle it drops out and starts all over again--it's the length of the growth cycle that establishes the "terminal" or maximum capable length of any one hair, and together the length of the beard.  Everyone's cycles have different lengths--and on one person there can be a variety of cycle lengths. 

So, a beard can be as long as the growth cycle permits--that's all the growing it's going to do, then it stays around for a while, drops out and the follicle goes dormant for a period and starts all over again. 

That's how I understand the ability of anyone to grow a beard of a certain length.  If the hair is extraordinarily dry it can break off of course at the tip and shorten its maximum potential too.

[Mr Jules]

Ok, so I finally caved in and visited the barber's. Had the chin v-shaped and the sideburns trimmed.

I think there's scarcely any visible difference.

[slymyke]

Looks good, Mr. Jules!  I'm sure you were nervous to go to the barber after what happened last time, but this one did great. 

[baldjoeg]

Looks good Mr. Jules.

[slyjoe]

I wish I could grow a beard. Once my facial hair fully forms I'm going to grow a nice thin goatee.

[Gary~]

Terminal beards keep growing but at terminal length the ends become fragile and break off.

I read somewhere that what happens is that the longer the hair gets the greater the mechanical stress placed upon the follicle until the stress becomes so great that it falls out unless the hair reaches the natural end of life.

[Mr Jules]

Looks good, Mr. Jules!  I'm sure you were nervous to go to the barber after what happened last time, but this one did great. 

Thanks Slymyke. I was nervous ! Passed by the the barbers three times before I saw the regular barber I wanted for my trim. He knew what I wanted. Pleased with results, too.

[Gary~]

Thanks Slymyke. I was nervous ! Passed by the the barbers three times before I saw the regular barber I wanted for my trim. He knew what I wanted. Pleased with results, too.

Ok, the barber did a good job -- looks good. But why didn't you just do it yourself? I really want to know. And how much did he charge for a beard trim?

I can't imaging paying someone else to do something so simple.

[Bald Hobbit]

I wish I could grow a beard. Once my facial hair fully forms I'm going to grow a nice thin goatee.

Heh, when I was 14-15, I wanted a circle beard. After that, I got into steampunk and really wanted victorian era mutton chops. My sideburns developed around 16, but you need full cheeks for chops. Then I developed a circle beard when I stopped shaving after a play when I was 17, grew it at 18. Now I have no sideburns(doesn't work with the hairstyle), waiting for the cheeks to come in, and letting my circle beard grow out long at 19. I've always wanted a beard, and it's really only within the last half-year that I realized that I am, in fact, bearded.
So after that, I suppose the moral of the story is, "beard journeys" are slightly more interesting than you think they're going to be.

[Mr Jules]

Ok, the barber did a good jog -- looks good. But why didn't you just do it yourself? I really want to know. And how much did he charge for a beard trim?

I can't imaging paying someone else to do something so simple.

Good question, Gary.

Really don't have the confidence to trim the beard. Think he'll do a better job than me. I always pay £5.00. (about $7.00 US).

[TheSlyBear]

Ok, the barber did a good jog -- looks good. But why didn't you just do it yourself? ...
I can't imaging paying someone else to do something so simple.

While I customarily trim my own beard, I don't agree that it's an easy thing to do. Unless you have a 360 mirror, it's hard to get it all correct. If I let mine get any longer than it is now, I'll likely try to find someone to do it for me.

It's extra challenging for me though because I have little sight in my right eye.

[Gary~]

Really don't have the confidence to trim the beard. Think he'll do a better job than me. I always pay £5.00. (about $7.00 US).

Come on mate. You can't be going to the barber for the next 30 or so years just for that. I'm sure that you could do just as well with a small pair of scissors. It would probably be quite acceptable the first time you did it and from then on it will only get better and better.

[Beardman]

Ok, the barber did a good jog -- looks good. But why didn't you just do it yourself? ...
I can't imaging paying someone else to do something so simple.

While I customarily trim my own beard, I don't agree that it's an easy thing to do. Unless you have a 360 mirror, it's hard to get it all correct. If I let mine get any longer than it is now, I'll likely try to find someone to do it for me.

It's extra challenging for me though because I have little sight in my right eye.

I agree, especially when you are starting out, it is a pretty daunting task. You don't want to ruin months of growing out your beard. I only trim my mo' at the moment and I sometimes find it frustrating as heck, trying to position the scissors right (I'm not the most coordinated person at times, especially while standing in from of a mirror). I have no doubt though with practice and probably doing it more then once a month or so, I'll get the hang of it though. I'm in no rush to trim my beard at the moment anyway haha.

[Cysly]

  I grew tired of the same old circle beard aka doorknocker that most guys grow around here and decided to pare it down to a Van Dyke. So far I like it better but shaving up under the mustache in the corners has been causing a bit of skin irritation. I guess I will see if that goes away. I do have a Bump Patrol razor-I might try that but at the rate my facial hair grows the notice might be noticeable quickly. What do you guys think?

[Gary~]

It looks good. Keep doing what you're doing.