What Causes Thin Beards: How to Grow, Cut, Style & More

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Barber and men’s grooming expert Michael DiGregorio shares how to groom a thin or patchy beard

Co-authored by Michael DiGregorio and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: May 15, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Making a Thin Beard Look Fuller
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• Styles
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• Trimming
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• Growth Tips
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• Causes
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• Maintenance
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• Embracing a Thin Beard
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

If you’re struggling with a thin, sparse beard, you aren't alone. In this article, we work with various professional barbers and men’s grooming specialists to explain how you can make your thin beard look fuller, what makes beards thin in the first place, what styles go best with a thin beard, and more. Read on to learn everything you need to know about thin beards (including how to embrace them).

How to Make a Thin Beard Look Fuller

Barber and men’s grooming expert Michael DiGregorio says men’s beards often get thicker over time, so be patient. But if you want a full-looking beard now, work in some beard balm, then pull the thin sections toward the center. You can also fill in the thin parts with a beard pencil or dye the beard a darker color.

Steps

Section 1 of 7:

How to Make Your Thin Beard Look Fuller

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   For a longer beard, use beard balm to style. Professional barber Jacob Joseph says that beard balm is a styling product that’s used when your beard has gotten a bit longer. After about a month to three months of growth, start applying beard balm to your beard to help bring the thin hairs together and style them for a denser look.

   • Run your fingers through your beard as you apply the balm for a fuller look that lasts longer.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Michael DiGregorio is a Barber & Men’s Grooming Expert who has over 18 years of experience barbering.

   Marlon Rivas is a facial hair specialist with over 15 years of experience in managing and providing barber services.

   Timmy Yanchun is a professional barber and the co-founder of Svelte Barbershop + Essentials. He’s been featured in GQ and many more.

   Mark LoBiondo is a licensed cosmetologist and the owner of Markdaniel Barbershop. He has over nine years of experience in the industry.

   Jacob Joseph a professional barber and owner of The Barber Lounge barbershop. He also educates men on how to maintain their look at home.
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   Use a beard pencil to fill in patchy areas. If you have a thin beard but you still want it to seem fuller, fill in the patchy and thin areas with a beard pencil matching the color of your beard. Simply comb the hairs down, grab your beard pencil, and make quick, hairlike strokes that resemble beard hairs. After you’ve filled the area, brush the beard and filler marks to blend them together.
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   Dye the thin areas so they appear denser. When you’ve got a thin beard that isn’t responding to standard growth methods, grab some beard dye that’s darker than your natural hair color and dye your beard. By dyeing it a darker color, it’ll give the illusion of thickness and density, as there’s more contrast between the beard color and your skin color.
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   Cut your beard in sections and at different times. Since your facial hair is thin and grows at different rates, you’ll need to take trimmers to different parts of it at different times if you want it to be fuller than normal. For example, you may not need to touch your sides for a few weeks, but you may need to trim your chin daily due to its quick growth pattern.
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Section 2 of 7:

Thin Beard Styles

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   5 O’Clock Shadow Also known as stubble, the 5 O’Clock Shadow is a great style to go with if your hair naturally grows slow and low. That way, instead of having to worry about having spots or see through parts of your beard when it’s grown out, you’ll only have to worry about keeping it down to a stubble, which will make the thin hairs much less noticeable.
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   Goatee Depending on where your facial hair is growing and where it is thin, a goatee may be a great option to go with. If you have hair that grows quickly on the chin, grow the chin and mustache out for a handlebar goatee. If it’s harder for you to grow hair in between your mustache and chin, opt for a detached goatee.

   • There are plenty of different types of goatees to choose from. Experiment with different styles and see which one works best for you and your face shape.
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   Chin Strap A chin strap is as it sounds, a strip of hair that grows down the chin like a strap, starting from the sideburns. It’s a great option to go with if you have thin or patchy hair, as it keeps things thin and close to the skin so that you don’t have to grow your hair out too much. You will have to frequently trim, though, as the straps may grow out fast.
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   Pencil mustache If you’re tired of trying to bring the beard to life, trim down your facial hair until there’s nothing but a pencil-thin mustache left on your upper lip. The pencil mustache is a classic style that requires little maintenance and works great for those who don’t grow a lot of facial hair, so consider it if the thin beard is too much for you.
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Section 3 of 7:

How to Trim a Thin Beard

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   Start by softly trimming the edges and defining the borders. If you’ve grown your beard out and are noticing that the edges are see-through, comb it out, then take a beard trimmer and softly trim away at them until you get your desired shape. Then, neatly tame the boundaries around the cheeks, sideburns, and neckline by cutting away any stray hairs.

   • DiGregorio recommends regular trims when you’re growing out your beard. He says that this can prevent split ends, so your beard will grow in strong and full instead of wiry.
   • On the other hand, licensed cosmetologist Mark LoBiondo says, “Don’t get [your beard] trimmed or shaped until it grows longer than you want it.”
   • When you’re taming your borders, comb the hair out and clip any hair that stands out naturally.
   • Keep a delicate touch as you cut at the edges, as the hair is thinner than standard beards.
   • When you’re cutting the bottom of the beard, comb it out as you cut to make sure you’re getting all the hair out.
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   Cut your preferred style and tame the mustache. Depending on the style you choose, you may need to trim away different parts of your beard. For example, if you’re going with a circle beard, you’ll need to trim away the hair on the sides of your jawline and cheek while maintaining a circular goatee shape around your mouth and chin.

   • If you just want to keep the shape you already have, move onto the next step, which is all about styling.
   • DiGregorio says that if he has a client with a patchy beard, he’ll leave the thin sections longer and trim the thicker areas a little shorter to create a more balanced look. He says you can try this at home too, by using a slightly shorter guard on the areas of your beard that are darker than the rest.
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   Use beard balm to style your beard. Run beard balm through your beard and bring the hairs together for a more styled, dense look. While your hair may be thin, styling it with beard balm can interlock the hairs and make them look fuller. Just make sure you run your fingers through your beard and get the balm deep into it, or else the style will wear down within minutes or hours.
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Section 4 of 7:

How to Grow a Thin Beard

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   Give your facial hair time to mature. DiGregorio says that sometimes mens’ beards are thinner when they’re younger, but they fill in more over time. Many men don’t see full beard growth until their late 20s and 30s. So when you see that thin, patchy beard coming in, you may reflexively go for the razor, ready to shave it off. If you’re nearing those maturity years, wait! Instead, be patient and give your hair time to grow, as it may need a bit more time to mature.

   • Your facial hair may be patchy because it grows at different rates. Let those patchy spots develop before cutting them off.
   • Clinically low levels of testosterone can affect hair growth, but if you had enough to go through puberty, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
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   Avoid shaving for three to six weeks. DiGregorio says to grow your beard quicker, don’t touch it for three to six weeks. “Even if you have patches in your beard, you can actually get really great coverage if you just grow it out,” he adds.

   • Facial hair specialist Marlon Rivas says not to get discouraged when growing out your beard, as it grows in various stages and “The last phase of growth occurs in about four weeks into the growth cycle.”
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   Focus on eating a healthy diet. A healthy diet can help the beard grow, as hair growth is affected by nutrition needs. Eat lean protein like beef, chicken, fish, beans and nuts, and avoid participating in fad diets (diets that are popular because of their perceived benefits, not their real benefits), as they may not provide the nutrients needed for healthy hair growth.
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   Avoid smoking. Smoking has a host of harmful, negative effects, including thin, dry skin and hair. If you’re a smoker, try to quit or cut back and give your hair time to breathe as you grow out your thin beard.
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   Try minoxidil, but proceed with caution. Hair growth supplements typically aren’t effective, but minoxidil has been proven to have success in younger folks who are dealing with thinning hairs. So, if you’re dealing with a thin beard that doesn’t seem to be getting any better, consider using minoxidil.

   • Minoxidil isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Talk to your doctor to see if it’s right for you.
   • DiGregorio agrees, saying that some people do get results from using minoxidil on their facial hair, but that he prefers letting the beard grow in or cutting it in a certain way to make the hair more even.
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Section 5 of 7:

Thin Beard Causes

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1. 1
   Genetics Genetics are one of the main factors in how thin or thick your beard is. Genes passed down from your male relatives influence your own, so if you have lots of thin-bearded men in the family, it may just be because of your genes. Genetics also influence when your facial hair comes in, so if you’re a late bloomer, feel free to blame your dad and grandpa.
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   Age Facial hair tends to mature as you approach your late 20s and early 30s. For some, it can take even longer, and as a result, your beard may look thin until it matures. So, if you’re still in your early 20s or have noticed a trend of late bloomers in your family, you may just need to wait a little longer before your thin beard transforms into a thick, full beard.
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   Ethnicity Your ethnicity may play a role in how much facial hair you grow, as different people from different parts of the world grow facial hair at different rates. For example, those from Mediterranean countries tend to grow fuller, thicker beards. Those from eastern Asian countries also tend to have less facial hair from those in European countries.
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   Diet If you aren’t eating enough lean proteins or your diet isn’t balanced, you may be missing out on crucial vitamins and minerals that encourage hair growth, strength, and durability, all of which influence hair health and thickness. There are plenty of vitamins and minerals that contribute to hair health, too, including:

   • Vitamin A
   • Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
   • Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
   • Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
   • Vitamin B9 (Folate)
   • Vitamin B12
   • Vitamin C
   • Vitamin D
   • Vitamin E
   • Iron
   • Selenium
   • Zinc
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   Stress Stress can greatly contribute to hair loss, which can result in a thin beard. It can be extended hair loss or something small, like telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss). So, if you’re stressing about work, school, or dealing with something like sleep deprivation, try to cut those stressors out of your life to encourage hair growth.

   • If you’re not sure what’s causing your stress, work with your healthcare provider to get down to the root of your stressors.
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   Alopecia areata Alopecia areata is a serious condition that results in your hair falling out in round patches. If you’re dealing with an especially patchy beard and have started to lose a bit of hair in other places, talk to your healthcare provider to see if you have alopecia areata.

   • Alopecia areata can spontaneously resolve or spread, so it’s important to talk to a doctor to figure out the best course of action.
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Section 6 of 7:

How to Maintain a Thin Beard

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1. 1
   Wash and condition your beard. Professional barber Timmy Yanchun says it’s important to wash, condition, and moisturize your beard. Use a specialized beard shampoo when washing and a conditioner or beard oil when conditioning and moisturizing.

   • Yanchun says don’t forget to wash out your beard oil when it’s time for another wash, as letting it build up is unhealthy.
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   Use beard oil to keep your beard soft and shapely. Joseph says, “Beard oil is going to hydrate your follicle at the scalp level.” Whether you’re in the early stages of growth or just have a thin, itchy beard, beard oil will hydrate the skin, which keeps the beard soft and shapely.
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Section 7 of 7:

How to Embrace a Thin Beard

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1. Remember, a thin beard doesn’t equate to a bad beard. Just because your beard is thin doesn’t mean it’s bad or unattractive. In fact, it can still be styled and shaped in a way that makes it look like any other beard. As long as you focus on proper grooming, washing, and maintenance, you don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to your thin beard. It’s just how your hair grows, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

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