The myth about Native Americans not having facial hair has been on for decades. Most images of Native Americans appear as though they don’t grow boards.
Having smooth-looking and lean skin is peculiar to Native American tribes. You probably have seen many of them in movies, and real life, looking beardless. However, this has forced many to question if Native Americans can truly grow beards.
We’ll answer this question in detail to clarify any confusion about the First Americans’ chances of growing beards. Now, let’s dive in and address the question.
Can Native Americans Grow Beards?
Having facial hair is a natural thing for men. So, the myth that Native Americans don’t grow beards is false.
The people who claim that the First Americans don’t grow beards made such assumptions, probably because of how people from the tribe normally appear on TV and, in images, having no beards.
One important thing you must know about Native Americans is that they normally grow facial hair. It’s just so soft and sparse on the faces of most of them, a reason many think they don’t normally grow beards.
Those arguing that the First Americans don’t grow beards forget that these tribes’ ancestry shares similar traits with the Asians. Both tribes can grow facial hair, but you can hardly find thick growth on their bodies and faces.
A Handy Tip: One reason you can hardly spot hair growing on most First Americans’ faces is that they occasionally pluck them out.
So, you’ll hardly find hair growing on their faces, as this is a common tradition among the tribes.
Popular Myth About Native Americans Growing Beards
One common misconception about the First Americans’ hair is that people from these tribes don’t grow beards. In other words, all First Americans only grow thin and sparse facial hair.
Another myth is that the reason all First American grow thin and sparse beards is because they often pluck out the hair.
Now, here is something you need to understand. As we said before, growing beards is a natural thing. In addition, not everyone will grow thick beards.
So, the constant plucking may not necessarily have been why most Native Americans don’t grow thicker beards. The Navajo leaders during the Long Walk era had mustaches.
Additionally, bearded Native Americans were documented too. Dominguez-Escalante’s exhibition showed full beard Paiute First Americans based in Utah.
So, claiming that the entire Native American tribes don’t grow thick beards because they normally pluck their hair out doesn’t make much sense. Note that while most tribes grew sparse facial hair, others grew thick mustaches.
How Native Americans Removed Their Beards
The two ways Native Americans had their facial hairs removed was by shaving and plucking them. But out of the two techniques, plucking is the most painful.
When you pluck out your hair, you might break the hair or remove it from its root. This process also hurts and sometimes leaves the First Americans red-faced.
Another disadvantage plucking has is that it takes time. One must pluck the hair one by one to achieve a clean chin.
On the other hand, shaving has some advantages over plucking. It is time-saving, as a razor can shave off many facial hairs at once.
However, one disadvantage of using a razor or any sharp object to shave is skin irritation, and the possibility of sustaining some cuts during the process.
Unfortunately, First Americans weren’t keen on shaving until the late 1800s. Christopher Columbus changed their minds about shaving by introducing them to metal pinchers. The pincher became a symbol to differentiate the elites from the rest of the people.
Another thing Native Americans used for shaving was obsidian flakes. They use this object for shaving their hair, though the problem is that they become blunt after repeated use.
Obsidian flakes were impossible to sharpen, so the Native Americans recycled and used them for other purposes, like creating smaller arrowheads.
Tips For Native Americans Interested In Growing Beards
You may have come across some Native Americans who are adults yet don’t have facial hair. However, this doesn’t happen to the Native Americans only. Anyone from a different tribe can experience the same thing.
So, the tips below will benefit people facing challenges of growing facial hair.
1: Eat a healthy and balanced diet: Eat diets rich in B12 and other B vitamins. You can get these vitamins from fish and meat.
2: Start sleeping well: Sleep 7 to 8 hours daily. It’s important for individuals that want to grow their hair.
3: Get physically active: Physical activities boost your chances of growing facial hair. So, enroll for that yoga class or gym and incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
4: Spoke smoking: You must quit habits that don’t promote good health to grow beards quickly.
5: Practice good hygiene: In addition to good hygiene, other things you can do to grow your beard faster include washing your face twice daily, exfoliating your face once a week, and massaging your face 10 minutes twice daily.
6: Apply the best beard growth product: You can grow your beard faster by applying beard oil and moisturizer. However, note that the effectiveness of these products varies. So, choose the best for your beard growth.
There is no 100% guarantee that these tips will deliver the result you seek, but you can see that it won’t cost you anything to give them a shot.
Is There A Native American Tribe That Can’t Grow Beard?
Among the 574 Indian tribes the U.S. government has identified, we haven’t seen a tribe whose men have issues growing beards. Some Native Americans tend to grow sparse facial hairs, but the issue isn’t peculiar to a specific tribe.
In addition, there’s no scientific evidence to prove that certain Native American tribes can’t grow beards. Every male can grow facial hair naturally. Unfortunately, some persons might have challenges growing beards because of a medical condition called alopecia areata. It has nothing to do with the tribe.
Can Native Americans Grow Curly Hair?
Yes, Native Americans can grow curly hair, but this isn’t peculiar to a specific tribe or race. In other words, some Native Americans may have curly hair, and others may have straight black hair.
So, it depends on the individual, and don’t forget that the Native American tribe is very diverse. You’ll even find individuals with wavy hair.
Are There Bald Native Americans?
Hair loss can happen to individuals from any tribe or race. It can happen to people from Native American, Asian, or other races. So the fact that you’re yet to find a bald Native American doesn’t mean they don’t exist. They do.
However, research has helped to shed more light on whether men from the North American tribes have lower chances of experiencing hair loss. The reason is that they’re almost completely free from the genetic disorder that causes the problem.
Can Native Americans Grow Body Hair?
Anybody can grow body hair; it’s not peculiar to a specific Native American tribe or race. Furthermore, without scientific proof that Native Americans can’t grow body hair, we’ll always assume they can.
Another thing you must know is some individuals grow a lot of body hair, while others grow little. People that don’t grow body hair also exist, and we have to respect their genetic makeup.
So, the fact that you cannot see a North American with body hair doesn’t mean people from the tribe cannot grow hair on their bodies. Remember, most people from these tribes prefer keeping their bodies hair-free. You also see how they look in the movies, pictures, and probably, in real life. They prefer having smooth and neat skin.
Conclusion
Can Native Americans grow beards? Yes, they can. Most people claim Native Americans can’t, but that’s not true. There’s no scientific evidence to back up claims that people from these tribes cannot grow facial hair.
Many think First Americans don’t grow beards because they always find them in movies and pictures having no beards. But let’s not forget that these are just pictures.
There were Native Americans that had mustaches. However, some had thin and sparsely grown beards too. So, saying Native Americans don’t grow beards is entirely wrong. You must understand that some people from these tribes had beards, while some had none. You’ll also see some Native Americans with sparsely grown beards.
