Through thick and thin, the beard has maintained its spot as style’s manliest accessory (the spot right on the chin, that is). But not all men can grow full facial hair. Indeed, a patchy beard with uneven growth and weak connecting lines is the woe of would-be beardies everywhere.

While patchy beards don’t make you less of a man, there’s no doubt that being able to grow facial hair in great voluminous abundance can leave those who can’t green with envy.

Fret not though, smooth-cheeked men, because there are ways to encourage patchy beard growth. Before you start googling beard transplants (they exist, and the pictures aren’t pretty), here are some savvy tips to help you turn a patchy beard lush.

How to Fix a Patchy Beard

1. Grow it Out

If you’ve always baulked the minute your face starts looking a bit like professional scruffbag Keanu, then step away from the razor. This isn’t for you. But if you’re dead set on a full beard, it’s worth persevering.

Yes, there’s going to be an awkward month or so where your beard looks so patchy it’s like someone’s ripped off whole squares of hair with duct tape. But once you graduate from teen fluff and hit fisherman-level length, the fulsome zones should cover any holes. Letting your patchy beard grow is the facial fuzz equivalent of a comb-over. And if that doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to work smarter.

2. Keep Things Trim

“Some patches you can get away with,” says Denis Robinson, artistic director of award-winning barbers Ruffians. “But if they fall in the middle of your cheek, trim your beard with a low-grade clipper helps lessen the contrast.” Which means it’s time get creative by shaving to the level of gaps high on your cheek, or low on your throat, to create face-flattering angles.

The length you’re shooting for is tomorrow’s five o’clock shadow. Set your clippers to grade two and let loose all over your face and neck. It’s short enough for holes not to seem so barren, long enough that you don’t look like you’re late for school.