Getting hair on your face is one of the last changes of puberty. On average, boys start noticing hair on their face around age 15 or 16. Exactly when the changes of puberty occur can vary a lot. And how fast the changes occur can also vary. That means some boys start growing a beard very early in their teenage years. Others don't notice a beard starting until they are much older. Just like all guys aren't the same height, the amount of facial hair varies from one guy to the next. That's because the amount of hair you have, how dark or light it is, and where it grows on your face, is largely controlled by your genes. That doesn't mean your beard will necessarily look like your dad's. What it does mean is that somewhere in your family tree, there are men whose beards followed a pattern like yours.