Over the past several weeks I've been trying to grow a beard.  I need some advice because I don't have a clue about what I'm doing.  It has grown great on my chin but it's pretty weaksauce on my cheeks and sideburns.  I'm starting to think that it's not going to be able to make a full beard.  What do you guys think?  Has it just not grown out enough?  Do I need to give it a little more time or is it hopeless?  Right now I feel ridiculous because it's so patchy and scraggly

If it's a lost cause, care to share goatee advice?  I don't have anyone I can ask about shaving 
edit: Sorry for the size of the photos.  Photobucket wouldn't resize my pictures after I did the first one

It's largely based on your genetics, but for some people it takes quite a bit of time for it to come in thick everywhere. My brother's like 30 and he can't grow anything for example, another brother is 42 and he just recently got the connectors for his goatee to grow in. Another was able to grow a full beard in his teens.

It takes time. How much time it actually takes depends on you. Some people might never be able to grow a full beard, but from what I can see your beard looks 'teenager'ish. One of reasons why a lot of high school and college guys grow chinstraps is because they can't grow a full beard, but they can grow a chinstrap.

How long have you been on T?

from what I understand, the longer you leave it growing the better and the smaller patches will be covered over. Your cheeks look patchy but they will fill in over time. For now maybe you should just work with what you have and shave it into a chinstrap.

I'm 19 years old and I've been on T for 11 months.

I don't care much for chin straps actually which is why I was leaning towards goatee

If you were a biological male, my response would be that you look like a perfectly normal teenager.

Different sections of your face will grow hair at different times, and to different degrees, based largely on genetics.  It took, I would roughly estimate, five years for all of the follicles on my face to activate.

- N

Quote from: Nimetön on June 21, 2010, 05:20:11 AM
If you were a biological male, my response would be that you look like a perfectly normal teenager.

Different sections of your face will grow hair at different times, and to different degrees, based largely on genetics.  It took, I would roughly estimate, five years for all of the follicles on my face to activate.

- N

Yeah same with me. I've been on T roughly five years and even now i still have patches where facial hair is just starting to grow in. Something else i've noticed that since having a hysto my sideburns have really started to grow in.. weird i know.. but oh well! 

Mine looked like a pathetic Amish beard for the longest time.  Still a bit patchy and more sparse on the R than the L.  Finally getting some hair under my lower lip.  It is a slow process, for sure.


Jay

I am 42, granted MTF but I had a beard for decades.
My beard didn't 'fill out' until my late 30's and I was never able to grow a mountain mans beard like the men in my family. So even if you have the genes for an awesome beard, you might have to wait until you are quite a bit older.

I'm jealous of the hair you do have...and that adam's apple. From seeing your pic, I'd never guess you were trans. When did you start sprouting all that hair? I mean at how many months on T?

Quote from: alex408 on June 21, 2010, 05:18:31 AMI'm 19 years old and I've been on T for 11 months.

Uh, then you're doing extraordinarily well with regard to facial hair.

Some guys don't grow hair everywhere.  My dad has bald patches on his cheeks and such whenever he tries not shaving and he's always been like that--he just can't seem to grow a full beard even though he wants one when he retires.  Don't worry about it.

You have a whole lot more hair than my cis-male husband, who's 27 and normal in every way but has (at most) scraggly sideburns and a very sparse goatee. No mustache, no cheek hair, no jaw hair, smooth like a girl everywhere but like 3 square inches of his face.

With as much as you've got at 19 and 11 months on T...just be happy, if you're a beard lover You're not ridiculous, you're 100% normal for a guy your age. But if I were you, I'd shave.

ok I took y'alls advice and shaved it.  Made it into a goatee.  What do you guys think?  Do I need to shave a little more off towards the sides and neck? I guess I'll try in another 3 or 4 months and see if I can do better.

after taking these I noticed I missed a couple hairs.  I'm blind and the poor lighting in my bathroom doesn't help

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Post Merge: June 21, 2010, 02:27:52 PM

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Quote from: zombiesarepeaceful on June 21, 2010, 09:47:52 AM
I'm jealous of the hair you do have...and that adam's apple. From seeing your pic, I'd never guess you were trans. When did you start sprouting all that hair? I mean at how many months on T?

Thanks.  I think I got a bit lucky because I was extremely hairy and had an adams apple pre-t (which isn't a good thing for a high school girl...) I don't remember exactly, but it was probably 2 months. 

Like the goatee!


Jay

I'm liking the goatee very much. I'm envious. *laughs*

I have to say, as patchy as it is, you still have more facial hair than I ever managed so not all bio guys are able to grow a beard, the goatee might be your best bet.