I remember putting on my face a mask of the brand Lush, called "Cosmetic Warrior" and having increased beard growth (thickness, color and density). I had some new hairs that appeared instantaneously on my cheeks, stache and chin. It was containing garlic, tea tree oil which are both antifungical and antibacterial and some grapefruit, which stimulates the circulation and increase nitric oxide and blood flow and heals the skin because of with antioxydant content. I'm pretty sure this happened because of some pores being cleaned of nasty stuff. A good sulfur soap will probably have this effect.
Also, I've used recently some Head and Shoulders (classic bottle) and had lot of new hairs sprouting like increasing density. The beard hairs were finer and less pigmented probably because the zinc pyrithione reduce DHT a little and hence sebum production and hair thickness. Hair is less lubrificated and smooth. But things returns to the normal when stopping the shampoo, and density was conserved.
I'm persuaded that on people with oily skin that dealed with acne and dark spots, some clogged pores and scar tissue (in which blood flow doesn't operate) are actually inhibiting hair from sprouting. I've applied some Retin-A in winter (for one mounth) and his unclogging pores effect which shrink dilated pores, the boost it gives to collagen production, and his power to induce new cell and to heal broken capillaries helped my skin to heal and remodel herself and i had lot of increase in thickness and new hair sprouting from the healed pores. It has been more powerful than minoxidil, which i used for one year and seems to help induce follicule linear growth but can make a hard time to create thick terminal hairs.
The three last things that seemed to have a big effect on beard growing were castor oil orally (if applied topically it will clogg the pores and therefore prevent follicle growth on the clogged pores zones). It increases a lot color and thickness and even seems to help new hairs developping on some thin areas. But I'm using it only for two weeks, so now let see if it will continue. Also, some dermaroller sessions are good for remodeling skin and remove scar tissue, increasing blood flow and inducing growth factors, building new collagen, and boosting absorbtion (by 1000 times) of any topical. I've always used copper peptides serum and an intense hydratation complex by the french brand Aroma Zone (with glycine, B3, fructose, Urea, Lactic acid, Inositol and a few other compounds in it) after any dermaroller session. It do wonders for clogged and atrophied pores, and for accelerating terminal hair development, and copper peptides works in the same direction, increasing both thickness and color and contains a lot of moisturing ingredients (glycerine, vitamin E, aloe vera and glycine). I think optimal skin hydratation is also a big factor which will contition a nice beard growing.
Oral supplements never seemed to do the trick, appart some vitamins complex, magnesium and copper pills (helped with the color in a impressive way), but also L Carnitine and Mucuna Pruriens because of theirs effects on the androgen receptors (nofap can work in that way. 2 mounth periods seemed to have also positive effects on beard growing and from preventing acne). Eating some Sorghum, glycine and consuming some Tribulus with 95 percent of steroidal saponins increased thickness and hairs grow faster because of their direct effect on 5 alpha reductase.
I've ordered some Pansterone and i'm gonna see if it has an effect. To conclude, I will say that good skin health (well hydrated skin, fungus, acne and dark spots/clogged pores removal, scar tissue healing, and blood flow improvement), a natural optimization of DHT and free testosterone (reducing SHBG is important too), curing nutritionnal deficiencies (copper, magnesium, vitamin A in my case), and reducing stress (nasal and bag breathing are the more important things for me). But the topicals solutions were probably the strongest factors, with the following state of importance : minoxidil, derma roller, retin a, castor oil (but use it orally) copper peptides, and sulfur. Adding some Pansterone on the face will probably fill the hormonal feeding my follicules are acually needing at the root of the hair. Thyroid doesn't seems to be so important because when my TSH was at 0.4, T3 and T4 at 6.2 and 14.4 pmol/L, (quasi hyperthyroid), my beard seemed to stagnate beacause of the increased SHBG which was preventing hormones to reach the skin. Fructose, magnesium, increased fat and carb consumption and a heavy caloric diet with a high carb to protein ratio, high fat soluble vitamins nourishement, and some extra sleep, will do the trick.