A very common question that actually comes up a lot is …” Can Native Americans Grow Beards?”
Let me explain…
These days, beard growing is becoming more and more popular and every man, including the ethnicity of native Americans, wants to really know if they can potentially grow a beard or if they are doomed to never have one.
In this article, we will discuss everything about native American beard potential, genetics, history, and more but we will also discuss some ways that can help you grow a beard even if you have little to no facial hair.
We will analyze all myths and the truth around Native Americans Beards.
Stay tuned!
Native America Facial Hair Policies And Tradition
The topic of Native American beard hair policies and traditions is complex and multifaceted, as it varies greatly among the different tribes and nations.
Some tribes, such as the Navajo, have traditionally seen facial hair as a sign of wisdom and maturity, and growing a full beard was considered a rite of passage for young men. Other tribes, such as the Cherokee, considered facial hair to be a personal choice and did not place any particular significance on it.
However, with the forced assimilation of Native Americans into white American culture in the 19th and 20th centuries, many Native American men were pressured to conform to European standards of grooming, which often meant shaving their beards.
Today, some Native American men have reclaimed their cultural traditions and choose to grow and maintain their beards as a way of asserting their identity and reconnecting with their heritage.
Native American Beard: Why Some Native Americans Don’t Grow Facial Hair?
It is definitely a myth that Native Americans can’t grow a beard. In fact, all humans do have facial hair. Some of us, grow facial hair faster and others grow less and slower.
Every human and especially men because of testosterone are able to grow a beard and a mustache.
If that’s the case, why in most old pictures we don’t see bearded indigenous Americans?
First of all, beard growth is a multifactorial process. It comes up to genetics, lifestyle, beard and face health and care, and more that we may not even know about.
According to anthropologist Julliane Jennings, most native Americans in old pictures don’t have facial hair because they didn’t want it.
There are important books and studies which state that they were plucking out hairs with metal tweezers.
As a result, it is obvious that since they were plucking out their facial hair, it means that they had facial hair. It may be thin and sparse but they did have hairs on their faces.
Their beliefs and their tradition made them want to “shave” their beards every day. It is rumored that they were thinking they look like bears or other animals if they hadn’t shaved their faces.
All in all, native Americans did have facial hair. This can’t deny the fact that their hairs were thin and sparse, though.
Some groups could grow a thicker beard and others were unable to do so. But, this, in any case, doesn’t mean that all native Americans could never grow a beard. This is a myth.
It was more difficult and unusual, yes. It was impossible, hell no!
Native American Facial Hair Genetics
As we have previously discussed, beard and facial hair in native Americans is sparse and thin compared to Europeans or Africans but for sure there are some exceptions as always.
Native Americans(some people called them Indians) that have a beard notice that it doesn’t get grey as they become older. Indian beards were for the most part brown.
Have you ever noticed that East Asian people also do not have thick facial hair?
You guessed it! Native Americans have their origins in East Asia like China and Korea. That’s the reason why these tribes have common characteristics.
Fun fact, when I had been to China, I was searching for a razor to shave and I couldn’t find one! This was very very strange to me. I couldn’t believe that I couldn’t find a razor!
Can Native Americans Grow A Beard Today?
In theory, a man can always grow a beard. But, now it is even more possible. Why?
Because of mixed blood people. Who knows that this X man that wants to grow a beard is 100% native American?
If he is mixed blooded, even from his grandfather’s side or even from his great grandmother or grandfather, it means that he has a better chance of growing a beard.
Mainly, it all comes to genetics. For example, if your father and your grandfathers all have a great thick long beard there is a high chance that you can also grow at least a normal beard.
Even if you don’t help your beard growth whatsoever.
Some will say this is a privilege and others will say this is bad. For me, being in the military for years, it was mandatory for us to shave our facial hair each and every day.
So, I wouldn’t regard fast beard growth as a privilege in any situation, including mine!
Can Native Americans Do Something To Help Beard Growth?
Well, the answer is it depends. If you don’t have any facial hair at all, it is difficult to grow a beard.
But, if there is some thin sparse hair there, then yes. You can help it grow and become thicker.
Related Post: When Peach Fuzz Turn Into Beard?
There are 3 main categories regarding what you can do to help your beard grow.
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Healthy Lifestyle
-
Beard Care
-
Medical Solution
A healthy lifestyle is very important in growing a beard. The main men’s hormone, testosterone is the most important factor of beard growth other than genetics.
A healthy lifestyle, when you eat the right foods and you lift weights can raise testosterone levels in your blood. This will definitely help beard growth.
Some examples of foods you can eat to stay healthy and raise your testosterone levels are
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vegetables and fruits
- Fish (the best is salmon)
- Chicken
- Beans
and more…
The second thing you can do is to take care of your face and your facial hair. This focuses on opening hair follicles and also driving more blood in areas you want to develop your beard.
- Washing Your Face 2 times a day.
- Use Beard Oil and Moisturizer
- Massage your face for 10 minutes 2 times per day
- Exfoliate your face at least once a week
Using these techniques will definitely help you stimulate beard growth. They can’t do miracles if you have no hair at all but it is the best you can do. Trust me.
Let’s move on to the final solution.
The last solution is medical solution. Beard transplant has become more popular nowadays than ever before.
Of course, this is a surgery and no one can guarantee 100% success. But if you are desperate about having a beard then this is your way to go.
Final Words
What I want you to keep and remember from this article is that native Americans or Indians may not have the thicker and most complete beards but they can definitely grow a beard.
Nowadays, they are even more able to do so because let’s be honest most of the humans around the world are mixed blooded.
Yes, their ancestors had a more difficult time to grow a beard compared to European men or other men worldwide but this does not mean that no indigenous American was able to have facial hair.
This is a myth.
Native American beard genetics and heredity didn’t allow most of them to have very thick hair not only in their faces but in the rest of their bodies as well. But, some of them did have. And that’s why they were shaving or plucking out their hairs.
It is known 100% that they used to pluck their facial hair.
Read Also: Beard Waxing
As in the rest of the world, some people are hairier than others, this also applies to the ethnicity of native Americans.
I think the fact that people think Native Americans were beardless is clearly a stereotype.
My point is that we shouldn’t generalize. Some of them, yes, didn’t have much facial hair but others did. Nowadays, the fact that most of us are mixed blooded ”helps” native Americans because they may have the genetics for beard growth similar to Europeans or Africans.
And…that’s it for today’s topic. I hope this article answers your question.
But, if you have some questions or you just want to share your opinion, feel free to comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Until Next Time,
Stay Safe,
Tasos
Tasos Moulios is the founder of Beardlong. He loves trying different beard and hair styles and blogs about them. The tips he shares come from his own experience and love for what he does.