Oils don’t help grow a beard, genes do!

HYDERABAD: Most of us have this one friend who has been struggling to grow a beard ever since he hit puberty. He would have tried all the tricks in the book to grow sideburns, classic mutton chops, a french beard or at least a mustache. From drenching his pores with oils to massaging his facial muscles, he would have done them all. But, no success. 

Well, this friend, like many ‘pogonthropes’ (a new word that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor used recently while taking a dig at PM Modi’s beard) would have also fallen for the promises that beard oils, lotions and serums make. It pains to snatch this hope away from them, it’s time to burst the bubble. According to dermatologists and skincare experts in the city, these products don’t help grow a beard, and are just a marketing gimmick.

“Forget about beard oils, even hair oils do not help with growth,” says Dr Swapna Priya, a dermatologist at Care Hospital. “Oils can only help condition the hair. But its a mess when applied to facial hair. For some, it may cause irritation and itchiness, which could lead to hair loss. It’s safer to use oils, even coconut oil, only on the lengths of the hair and not on the follicles close to the skin,” she advises. 

Dr Swapna Priya goes on to say that beard oils, at best, are an alternative to hair gels and sprays which can cause skin infections in the long run. “Dermatology suggests that genetics is the only factor that leads to the growth of facial hair.”Also, don’t forget that there’s a lot of difference between scalp hair and facial hair. Some cosmetic brands come out with oils promising faster facial hair growth. But facial hair, dermatologists say, are known to grow at a much slower rate. “Facial hair growth is, in fact, 20 per cent slower than the growth of scalp hair,” says Dr Yogesh Kalyanpad, a city-based dermatologist. 

“The angle at which the hair grows is different from that on the scalp. Generally, facial hair follicles are thicker which means they need minimum care if groomed well,” he says, reiterating that oils don’t really help in beard growth. Certain lotions and serums may only help nourish the hair.