Well, it's been a while - I've had a few things going that have distracted me from the forum for the last - wow - seven weeks, so here I am freshly time-travelled straight into week 18. A couple of months ago I wouldn't have thought I'd get this far in growing my beard. It was a challenge, a constant issue one way or another, either with people's (mostly positive) comments, or my own obsession and occasional compulsion to shave it off. But, when other things happen in life that are more important and time consuming, the facial hair takes a back seat.

The up side of that of course is... IT KEEPS ON GROWING!!

I stopped being conscious of it as I barely feel it now - unless the wind is blowing (very cool!). I still have it, I still love it - I'm well past any itchiness, discomfort or remarks. There are people in my life now that have never seen me without a beard! There's no 'change' any more, no stigma. Just me, a man with a beard. I've been trimming the odd lump off the bottom as the sides on my chin grow quicker than the front and I prefer it even.

I also had a mishap you might be able to see on my right rear jaw line. I tried to trim where I could see a bunch of hair sticking out at the back there and I took the whole corner off! Hey ho, I can only see it with a complicated system of mirrors and pulleys, so I can live with it until it grows back in, then perhaps trust someone else to the job next time. I still have the two patches at the front of my chin, and the right is still more bare than the left. Not sure if anything is going to ever grow there, but I'm letting the ends of my stache grow down to hide some of it and that seems to be working.

It's also much easier for me if I keep the centre stache trimmed straight. It means I can go without wax and just do jojoba oil. Wanted to get these pics on so I can show you where I'd got to, before I now go and have a trim and then show you the difference.I look forward to catching up on others' journeys - I bet there's been some great updates out there, as well as some promising new growth.

here are my week 18 pics:

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Last Edited By: itchyface May 12 15 5:33 PM. Edited 1 times.