How Long Does It Take To Grow A Mustache (And Why?)

How Long Does It Take To Grow A Mustache (And Why?)

Exact Answer: 3 to 4 months (fully, developed and thick)

Having a mustache sleek or voluminous has always been associated with assertive manliness, so being able to grow a voluptuous beard and mustache is a matter of pride to many individuals. Mustache is the facial hair between the lips and nose and some claim it can protect against skin cancer by protecting the lips from the UVA, UVB rays. Irrespective of it having any health benefit or not grooming it, designing it, and keeping it in a good shape is a passion for many men. There are various stages of growing a mustache and a person starts to grow a mustache after they hit puberty and it becomes denser over time as they age. 

How Long Does It Take To Grow A Mustache

 How Long Does It Take To Grow A Mustache?

Facial hair grows three times faster than scalp hair and so the infant mustache appears within 4 to 6 days after a clean shave. A mustache first appears during the period at the age of around 15 or 16 years, though in some men it might be later and even make the first appearance at the age of 25. Then between the next period of 15 to 20 days, a mustache grows which can then be styled and groomed. After about a month a thick mustache grows and then between the following 3 to 4 months the mustache fully grows into a thick and bushy mustache. 

Overall an adult man’s mustache grows about 1 cm per month and facial hair growth follows a growth cycle of 4 stages including anagen, catagen, telogen, and early anagen.  

Growth CycleCharacteristic
AnagenIt can last anywhere between few months to years, and during this phase, a person’s mustache can grow up to 1cm in a month.
CatagenIt is the second stage of growth and there is no growth during this face.
TelogenThis one lasts for about 4 months and during this stage, the older hair follicles fall out and are replaced by new follicles. 

Why Does It Take So Long To Grow A Mustache?

The first and foremost factor which affects mustache growth is the genetics of the person, so the fathers with a healthy mustache can pass on those genes to their sons and so on. The next is the age of the person, so even though the first growth of a mustache starts around the age of 15, but the best age for a good mustache growth is between the years of 25 and 30. A mustache can grow up to a length of about three feet if left untouched and if they start falling without brushing or combing them then it is an indication that the mustache has reached its maximum length.

Hormones that affect mustache growth are testosterone and the stronger androgenic hormone DHT, both of these hormones help in the growth of the scalp and facial hair. The ethnicity of a person also affects mustache growth, as men of African origin have a thicker growth than Caucasian males. Smoking, stress and not getting enough sleep can also cause loss of hair both in the scalp and face. 

Also, the amount of exercise a person does, lifting weights, high interval cardio can help with the growth of the mustache. Apart from these internal factors other external factors like exfoliating the skin, providing good hydration, moisturization, trimming it on a semi-regular basis and massages can affect the growth of the mustache positively. 

Conclusion

The fonts of styling a mustache have changed over the decades, for example in the 70s the Walrus and Horseshoe type of styling was really in trend while in the 1920s through 50s the Pencil and Imperial were the most popular style. The other styles include Handlebar and Chevron all of which have been sported by famous men in different areas of life. Now depending upon the type of style the time to groom and maintain it can be determined. So from the very 4th day to up to 4 months after a clean shave a mustache can be styled and maintained. 

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AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

22 Comments

  1. I’m fascinated by the way in which hormones and genetics play a role in mustache development. Very interesting!

  2. I find the explanation about the growth cycle of a mustache and how it varies among different ethnicities very informative.

    1. I agree, understanding the effects of ethnicity on hair growth is essential for a complete understanding of the topic.

  3. Maintaining a mustache seems to require both internal and external factors, which is quite thought-provoking.

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