Fixing and Filling in a Patchy Beard: 13 Points to Remember

If you’re suffering from patchy beard syndrome, you’re not alone. Not everyone can grow a full beard — including James Franco and Matthew McConaughey. The inability to grow a full beard doesn’t make you any less of a man. Much of your hair trouble may stem from a genetic predisposition. But if you’re still chasing after a thick, illustrious beard, there are a few ways you can accomplish filling in a patchy beard.

This Modded guide will show you natural ways to fix that patchy beard. Of course, there’s no guarantee that these solutions will work. However, they’re certainly worth a try before you throw in the towel for good. 

1. Patience Is a Virtue 

At this point, you’ve probably tried and failed to grow in those patchy areas. However, most men don’t realize that there are multiple stages to beard growth. During the first few weeks, hair on your cheek areas tends to grow slower than the follicles on the rest of your face. Therefore, you might have to wait a few months before taking a trimmer to your mane. By then, it might be full enough that you don’t need an alternative solution.

2. Destressing Is Key 

If your beard is still growing in patchy, consider your life circumstances. Is your current situation stressing you out? Prolonged terms of significant stress can push large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase where they stop growing. Over the next few months, these hairs may suddenly fall out, leaving you with bald spots. Therefore, it’s important to destress often to promote healthy hair growth. 

Today’s gentleman faces much more stress than the generations before him. Unfortunately, the extra anxiety that comes with balancing work, a social life, relationships and personal growth can eventually cause your hair to fall out — if you don’t manage to pull it out first. 

For the sake of your beard and overall health, it’s wise to practice self-care and consciously destress throughout the day. Prioritize me-time and engage in activities that relax your mind and spark creativity. Eventually, you might notice a more luscious beard, plus many other significant health benefits. 

3. Some Foods Boost Testosterone

Sure, testosterone is great for muscle growth and sperm production, but did you know that this hormone is also great for hair growth? That’s right. Testosterone can, indeed, help you grow a full beard. Luckily, you can boost your T levels with vitamin D and zinc, which are precursors for making the hormone. Take supplements or fill up on foods like tuna, eggs, oysters and beans to increase your daily dose of these essential nutrients. 

Your diet plays an even bigger role in your facial hair’s thickness. You can’t expect to have a full beard if you drink alcohol and eat junk food all the time. Your body needs a balanced diet for proper growth. Our hairs are made out of proteins, so they easily turn brittle and fragile with nutrient deficiencies. 

These nutrients are must-have natural home remedies for a patchy beard:

• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Biotin

If you’re struggling to get a sufficient daily serving of these nutrients, consider taking powder or pill-based supplements. You should notice a quick change by adjusting your diet.

4. Better Sleep Can Increase Growth 

While you sleep, your body releases melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that regulates circadian rhythm and increases hair growth. If you don’t get enough sleep, your hair will receive less melatonin and may become more prone to falling out. Luckily, there’s no such thing as getting too much sleep when it comes to keeping your hair in good health, so catch some more z’s and watch your bristles become a full beard. 

A good night’s sleep is vital for pretty much anything – your mood, your workout performance, your mental health, and yes, your hair. Our body temperatures drop during REM sleep, which increases blood circulation to our hair follicles and roots. You need to get at least seven hours of sleep every night to ensure that your facial hair gets sufficient circulation.

Fill in those patches quicker by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and avoid taking midday naps. You might also remove all televisions and mobile devices from the bedroom to encourage deeper, more restful sleep.   

5. Moisturize and Hydrate

One of the best ways to minimize itching and stimulate beard growth is to moisturize your face, chin and neck. Use beard oil with menthol to increase blood flow and potentially thicken and accelerate growth, working the product in between each hair. You might also use jojoba oil, which is similar to the sebum that your skin naturally excretes. 

Get into the habit of moisturizing and brushing your facial hair a few times a week. You shouldn’t do it every day though, because you don’t want to overload your face with chemicals and make the skin sensitive. Three or four times a week is more than enough. Here are the grooming steps you should take:

• Switch to cold water at the end of your showers to close up your skin pores.
• Brush your beard with a light, soft hairbrush.
• Moisturize with a face and body lotion.

Every part of your body can benefit from proper hydration, including your beard. Thus, drinking plenty of water and eating foods high in H2O — think cucumbers and watermelon — can also maximize your beard’s potential. The more you drink, the less likely your hairs are to fall out and break, which is great news for guys like you. 

You don’t have to overdo it with the moisturizer products. Too many artificial ingredients will directly impede your beard’s growth and keep it patchy forever. Use a simple lotion with natural ingredients and minimal artificial additives.

6. Exercise

Your fitness also plays a role in your beard’s thickness. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you’re not giving your facial hair a fighting chance. Your hair follicles need physical activity to stay healthy, just like your muscles. Exercise is also a great stress reliever that helps balance your hormones and promote positive mental health, digestion, hair growth and many other functions.

Heavy weight training is the most effective workout style to promote beard growth. Young people – especially males – need to regularly push themselves to failure to see the best results. A treadmill and some ab exercises aren’t good enough. You need more muscular stimulation if you want to change your facial hair.

7. Peppermint Oil Is Powerful

Various studies have also shown peppermint oil to be a promising growth stimulator. When applied to the skin, menthol compounds in the oil increase blood flow and potentially thicken and accelerate growth. Some researchers have also found peppermint oil to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties, which can also promote healthy skin and hair. 

8. Minoxidil Works On Beards

If you’re looking for medical-grade assistance, Minoxidil can significantly boost beard growth in just a few months. Better yet, users experienced only mild adverse effects, making this drug a safe and effective treatment for patchy beards. There are many brands of Minoxidil available, including Rogaine and generic brands like Equate and Kirkland. Apply the solution twice daily for the fastest results. 

9. Needles Are Your Friend 

A derma roller may also help fill in patches, especially if you use it along with Rogaine or a similar topical solution. These tiny face rollers cause micro-punctures in your skin to potentially activate dormant follicles and stimulate hair growth. Remember to only microneedle once or twice a week and roll in the proper directions to avoid damage or scar tissue formation. 

10. Trim Like a Pro 

If you need a quick home remedy for your patchy beard, you need to learn to trim like a pro. Luckily for you, Modded has a seven-step guide to help you create the most optimal shape for your beard. Your patches might indeed be permanent, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make small adjustments to make the beard look better.

11. Get More Sunlight

Sunlight is one of the best home remedies for patchy beards, low energy, stress and many other common problems. When exposed to sunlight in moderation, our skin takes in more Vitamin D and our body produces more serotonin. Both factors can improve your beard’s thickness and change your body hair composition altogether.

12. Beard Dye Might Help 

Some men struggle to grow their beard in one solid color. Subsequently, the lighter portions make their mane look patchy. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, beard dye might help. Choose a shade that matches your darker hairs and look for brands with natural ingredients to avoid an allergic reaction. 

13. Growing It Out Is An Option

I know. I know. We’ve already established that you have an issue getting your hair to grow.  And, even for the seasoned professional, growing a beard out is easier said than done. However, giving every single follicle time to make an appearance is crucial to minimizing patchiness. Plus, it will allow you to comb longer hairs over those bare patches if they never do manage to fill out. 

Of course, the process of growing it out will likely be agonizingly slow as a full beard can take two to four months to come in fully. However, doing so will allow each hair enough time to break through your skin so you can trim the entire bush to one even level. Then, even if you do have a few patches, they’ll be less noticeable overall. 

Sometimes, simply growing your beard out and keeping it long can be enough to cover your patches. This option will take some time, dedication and quality beard care products. However, the resulting lumberjack beard will be more than worth the effort. 

Visit Your Doctor… Or Barber

If you’ve tried every trick in the book and still can’t manage to fill in those patches, talk to your doctor. They may be able to diagnose your dilemma or offer solutions you hadn’t considered. 

On the other hand, if one of the suggestions above does work for you, celebrate by booking an appointment with your barber. Instead of trimming your facial hair on your own, let a professional do the work. They can define the shape of your beard to match your face and jawline. 

Originally posted 4/14/21 – Updated 10/7/25