Half-Asian with Zero Beard Genetics: 4-Year Journey
After lurking here for years, figured it was time to share my experience, especially seeing all the posts from fellow Asians looking for answers + motivation.
I'm half Asian (Southern Chinese) and half Caucasian (Polish/Lithuanian/British), but wound up with hairless genes from both sides - not a single beard in either family tree. Started minox in July 2021.
The real timeline:
- First year was rough - barely any progress beyond a slightly denser mustache
- Late 2022: Added Tretinoin to the mix
- 2023: Finally started seeing real gains
- Current (Jan 2025): Still watching vellus turn terminal
What I've done:
- Stuck with foam most of the way (switched to liquid recently - Spanish prices are wild, about 1/3 what I was paying)
- Tret + Minox combo (started cautious with 24h between, now just 30min)
- Barely touched dermarolling until recently. Got a Dr. Pen, doing 1.5mm on beard area (0.5mm elsewhere) as part of my skincare routine. We'll see if it adds anything.
Side effects:
- Got hit with intense headaches first 6 months, on and off
- Pushed through with Advil when needed
- Cleared up completely after that
- Now I can apply more than recommended without issues
Growth pattern:
- Started with mustache, then chin, then under chin (had a few sparse hairs there pre-minox)
- Sides are still catching up, both in density and thickness
- Keeping at it since I'm still seeing changes, especially in the slower areas. No rush to stop until I'm happy with the coverage.
Open to questions, especially about the Tret combo since that really changed things for me.
Not really one for putting stuff online, but figured I should share this journey. The progress posts on this sub kept me going during the slowest months, so hopefully this can do the same for someone else. If you're seeing any progress at all, stick with it - reactivating those dormant follicles takes time, but it's worth the wait.