Men, at what age did you start maintaining a beard

[johnrex62]

I started late because my parents demanded clean shaven. Once I got married and moved out I started my beard. I have had one since I was 21 except for one year when I had a job that also required clean shaven.

I have never found it scratchy or itchy. I do have a problem with my moustache from time to time tickling my nostrils due to a few unruly hairs that like to grow straight instead of curling down with the rest, but that is easily fixed.

My biggest problem is a tendency toward flakey skin under my hairline both on top and on the face. A severe style of dandruff if you will. The doctor told me as long as I have hair I will have flakes.

My wife and children have insisted I keep the beard. They have seen me both ways and like the bearded me better even with the snow starting on the chin and sideburns.

[bad93ex]

I am close to 30 and I wish I could grow something that resembled a beard like my old man could.

[Adi from the Brunswicks]

Do beards work on round faced guys.

Any suggestion on beard styles for a hefty male in his 20's with a round face.

[7 Wishes]

Sometimes it's not an age per se but when/if a man starts balding. What happens then is a beard is grown as an alternative to either a shaved head, a toupee, or just letting area where hair still is grow without a beard.

A good example of this look is Fed chair Ben Bernanke. Another example is Rob Reiner.

[JXBC]

I've been able to grow out a full beard since 13/14 (yay Middle Eastern genes...), but I constantly shave.

I might have stubble or a few days growth, but I do not like facial hair on me beyond that.

[415_s2k]

14, and it was full. I had sideburns when I was 13.

I dropped the beard about halfway through eigth grade because it made me look way older and led to problems with people assuming I was just a weird 20-something, instead of a weird 14-year old, which is much more socially acceptable. I got along really well with all the girls who had big breasts at 14; we understood eachother... and it was awesome...

I grew it again at 16, then shaved it off. Had fairly long sideburns for most of my adult life; it just became a trademark of mine... had some killer muttonchops a couple years ago, then stopped shaving about five months ago and now once again have a full, red beard.

Back here in MA, it's been practical with the freezing weather, and that's when I grew one when I was younger. I'm moving to China later this week and will probably take it off; it'll be humid and I hear that they get freaked out when they see intense beards. Last thing I need is to walk into a classroom and immediately have the children burst into shrieking because they think a giant yeti has wandered into the room to eat them.

[claystevens]

17 or 18? Not very sure about the exactly time.

[Felix C]

Originally Posted by Adi from the Brunswicks

I would like to know at what age guys usually start growing out and maintaining their beard. Its something I hope to do in the near future, and I want to know when to start and how to start. Also, will growing a beard make me look older and less attractive in any way. Additionally, do beards feel uncomfortably scratchy at times. Just basic questions I want to ask.

Age 18. I had a beard like a pirate. I looked 28 and dated women that age. Itching depends on how well groomed you maintain your beard. If you perspire freely then you will have a drenched beard which can lead to itchiness and pimples if not maintained.

You have to comb and trim regularly otherwise it will appear uneven and unkempt. Unless you want the vagabond derelict look.

Some folks have a genetic bent for facial hair and others do not. My brother has always grown a minimal amount of facial hair.(Same with his chest and lower sternum) Me, I am like a Greek spongefisherman regarding my face, chest and lower portions.

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by Adi from the Brunswicks

I would like to know at what age guys usually start growing out and maintaining their beard.

I don't know at what age does guys start growing out and maintaining beards, but I started in my mid-20's. I tried to do this in my late teens (not only did I start to grow facial hair quite early, but my hair grows fast) but the mocking from the other guys (I think they were jealous that I could grow a beard while they could only grow two or three hairs that took months to grow on their faces, lol) made me stop. In my mid-20's I noticed that women found me much more attractive with a beard, so the rest is history.

Its something I hope to do in the near future, and I want to know when to start and how to start.

Start whenever your face starts and you feel comfortable wearing one.

Also, will growing a beard make me look older and less attractive in any way.

It might make you look older, but it depends how you groom your beard. If you do one of those styles that many young guys do now, then you will simply look within your cohort. If you groom your beard in a more traditional style, then it will make you look older.

As for attraction, in my experience a beard increases sexual appeal and, believe it or not, attracts more mentally mature women. Depends if you are tired of the games immature women play with guys, but if you are then having a beard will definitely help. There are women out there that hate beards, but any woman that rejects you because of your beard (especially if you keep it well groomed) is too immature anyway.

Be forewarned though, that many women that are not too crazy about beards will accept you with a beard and if a relationship develops, they will continue to accept your beard during the initial stages of the relationship. With time women always try to change their men, this is inevitable and I think its something in their DNA (LOL), and those that are not too crazy about beards will pressure you to get rid of it. Whether you do is up to you, but don't be surprised if this happens.

Another positive is that random people will treat you with more respect, unless you don't groom your beard which could make you look like Arabs (depends on other features too), and unfortunately in the USA looking like bearded Arab men makes a lot of people uncomfortable. So, it depends.

Additionally, do beards feel uncomfortably scratchy at times.

When you start growing beards for the first time it will feel itchy at times. Your facial skin is simply not used to having hair touching it all the time, but as time goes on the itchy feeling subsides. Eventually you will be able to grow a beard and not only will it not itch, you will actually find yourself forgetting that you have a beard until you see yourself in the mirror.