Movember is officially here. While millions of men all over the world are joining in to bring awareness to men’s health issues, there’s a portion of the male population that cannot grow a beard. No matter how many keratin supplements they consume, 30 days without shaving gives them little more than some patchy stubble. But why? Aren’t we all predisposed to lumberjack-esque facial hair when we skip shaving? Isn’t growing a beard an easy, natural thing to do? Well, not if you fall in this growth-deficient category. But don’t feel bad. It’s a lot more common than you think.

High Testosterone ≠ Beard Growth

Some guys believe beard growth is exclusively tied to testosterone levels, and they’re not completely wrong. Back when you started going through puberty, your facial hair development was regulated by testosterone. Your facial hair growth didn’t reach its full peak until you crossed the threshold of your twenties. The increased interaction between your facial hair and your testosterone led to darker, thicker hair.

But if you think all guys with full beards have higher testosterone levels, think again. You probably have the same amount of testosterone as all the other guys out there. That’s not the reason you cannot grow a beard. The difference in your growth lies in your genetics.

Based on your genetics, your body will have a specific sensitivity to testosterone. At its highest, this sensitivity will lead to strong beard growth. The downside of this is that high testosterone sensitivity is also linked to male pattern baldness.

So your lack of beard growth is due to your body’s low sensitivity to testosterone. On the bright side, you’ll still have hair on your head when all the hipsters have gone bald. But for now, you have to settle for a beard that leaves much to be desired.

What To Do If You Cannot Grow A Beard

However, this doesn’t mean you should give up. If you’re seeing at least some growth while growing a beard, there are a few tricks that could work in your favor.

Beard oil products will be your best friend. Typically, beard oil works to keep your beard hair soft and untangled while keeping the skin underneath moisturized. Since you don’t have a lot of beard hair, you’re wondering why this product is of any benefit to you. Beard oil products also encourage healthy growth. Using it may not lead to a growth spurt. But it will make sure all hair that comes in is as healthy as possible.

Beard care is important regardless of what your situation is. If you’ve got some patchy growth happening, invest in a quality beard brush. The brush allows you to control the direction of your beard growth and it also helps you cover up some of the patchy areas. If you’re taking part in Movember, you’ve got to stay in this for a full 30 days. Instead of sulking about how underdeveloped your facial hair is, do your best to make it as presentable as possible.

What’s most important to remember is that you can’t change your genetics. Some guys who cannot grow a beard have resorted to crazy methods to take part in beard culture. From $7,000 beard implants to testosterone injections, men are going to great lengths to keep up with the bearded Joneses. You should never do any of these things. Instead, if you’re experiencing trouble growing a beard, work with what you’ve got.

Through some proper beard care and beard oil products, you can actually make your stubble work wonders for you. You don’t have to suffer or become the subject of mean-spirited memes. A little patience and some extra work can help you win Movember even without a full beard.