After working in the beard industry for a while, you start to notice a troubling trend: there are fewer Asian men sporting full beards. That really is a unique sight to observe.
In comparison to males from other regions, men of Asian ancestry, particularly those from China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the like, typically have weaker beards and tend to have less of one. Since beard development and male testosterone levels and DHT have been scientifically linked, it is a prevalent belief that Asian guys possess lower testosterone levels.
Most guys consider growing a beard to be a rite of passage and a step toward becoming an adult male. Because of this, the primary topic of debate has always been whether can Asians grow beards.
Why Is It Difficult For Asian Men To Grow Beards?
Compared to Caucasians or Melanesians, Asian men often have more difficulty in growing beards on their faces. This is a result of their ancestors’ genetic makeup. However, it is stereotyped to believe that all Asians are unable to grow beards.
Global research indicates that there isn’t a significant variation in the amounts of free and total testosterone found in Caucasian and Asian men that would account for the latter group’s absence of facial hair. Actually, some research has revealed that Asian Men rank higher in the testosterone levels department.
However, 5 alpha-reductase, an enzyme that transforms testosterone into DHT, a type more generally known for its ability to stimulate the growth of body and facial hair, is substantially less prevalent in Asian males.
In addition, Asian men’s bodies (and faces, for that matter) appear to contain more copies of the human androgen receptors, and these copies tend to make them less sensitive. You may be wondering what an androgen receptor is. Consider the hormone as a key and the androgen receptor as the tool that opens the door.
How Asian Men Can Stimulate Beard Growth
Genetics is the most crucial factor in beard growth. It is an indisputable fact. However, there are still certain things we can do to encourage beard growth up to a certain extent.
Even though your androgen receptors are less sensitive and your DHT levels are lower, there are a lot of things you can do to manipulate your genes and make fresh beard development take place.
3 Ways Asians Can Cultivate More Beard
1. Minoxidil
It was initially developed as an ulcer remedy, but researchers soon discovered that it also had some effects on blood flow. After that, it was researched more and given a new name as a medication to assist decrease blood pressure.
Body and facial hair growth were significantly increased, though, which was a very potent side effect.
Some researchers developed “Rogaine” a liquid to be applied to the scalp of men going bald, after realizing the potent hair growth-stimulating effects of minoxidil. After countless studies, minoxidil is widely acknowledged as a trustworthy and efficient way to promote hair growth and stop hair loss.
Thousands of men currently use minoxidil to aid in beard growth and attribute their miraculous beard growth to their regular usage of the medication.
2. Beard Roller
During the past decade or so years, minoxidil undoubtedly has been the most spectacular beard growth accelerator we have known about, but micro-needling is unquestionably a close second.
The Beard Roller, a tiny handle with a wheel that holds several tiny needles, is the tool you need. Although different rollers have varied needle diameters, a variation of 0.25-0.75mm is frequently employed to stimulate beard growth.
How specifically does micro-needling assist Asian men in strengthening, improving, and speeding up the growth of their beards? In a nutshell, a Derma Roller causes minute micro-tears on the skin’s surface. These are painless and safe, but they are enough to deceive the body into pumping new, hormone- and nutrient-rich blood into the area where you just rolled.
Additionally, micro-needling will boost the skin’s natural collagen production and activate specific stem-cell growth factors.
Let’s imagine you’re an Asian man wishing to begin using this tool in addition to minoxidil to promote the growth of your facial hair:
- Get 5 percent minoxidil first, either from Kirkland or Rogaine.
- Then purchase the beard roller; advise starting with 0.25mm needles.
- Apply the suggested amount of 1 -2 ml of minoxidil to your beard region twice daily.
- Roll a Derma Roller across your face once or a couple of days each week.
- After microneedling, be sure to give minoxidil a 24-hour break.
This routine will produce astounding results after a few months (the typical time from barely noticeable hairs to full-pledged beards in nine months).
No matter what race you are—white, black, Hispanic, or Asian—after doing that routine, your beard growth will soar, and you’ll have new hairs on your cheeks every day.
3. Mucuna Pruriens
Ayurveda, an Indian system of herbal therapy, regularly uses the herb Mucuna Pruriens. also known as velvet bean. Its primary uses include raising testosterone levels in males, preventing infertility, and enhancing their sexual potency.
According to studies thus far, mucuna:
- improve the quantity and quality of sperm in infertile men.
- decrease oxidative damage and cortisol levels.
- increase libido and dopamine production.
Recall how we said in the beginning about Asians having much lower hormone receptor sensitivity due to their higher androgen receptor copy numbers.
It has been demonstrated twice that mucuna pruriens stimulate androgen receptors. L-Dopa the active component, appears to function as a cooperative activation protein at the receptor sites.
Conclusion
So why are Asian guys unable to grow beards effectively? They typically have lower levels of DHT and less responsive facial androgen receptors. But there are still certain things we can do to help the beard grow to some extent.
You can still influence your genes and induce the growth of a fresh beard despite the fact that your androgen receptors are less sensitive and your DHT levels are lower.