You’ve been riding the trails of Red Dead Redemption 2 for what feels like ages, stopping by the barber in Valentine or Saint Denis every so often, only to find that your hair and beard just won’t grow past a certain point. It can be a little frustrating, especially when you’re aiming for that iconic, rugged mountain man look for Arthur Morgan. You’re not alone in this; it’s a common question many players have.
The hair growth system in RDR2 is one of its more subtle and realistic mechanics. Unlike in real life, where you might just have to wait, the game ties this feature directly to your progress and actions within the story. So if your hair seems stuck, there’s a specific reason for it.
The Main Story’s Role in Hair Growth
This is the most common reason your hair isn’t growing. Hair growth in RDR2 is directly gated by your progress in the main story missions. The game limits how long your hair and beard can get during the early chapters. This is likely a design choice to prevent Arthur from looking like a wild hermit before the narrative has fully developed. As you complete more story missions in Chapters 3, 4, and beyond, you’ll notice that your hair will finally begin to grow to its maximum length of 7 out of 10, and eventually to a full 10 out of 10.
How Hair Tonics Really Work
You can find and consume Hair Tonics, which are supposed to boost your hair growth rate. It’s important to know that these tonics don’t make your hair grow instantly. Instead, they triple the speed of growth for a limited time. This effect stacks, so drinking three tonics at once will give you a significant boost. However, even with this boost, you are still subject to the story progression locks. If you’ve hit the current cap for your chapter, no amount of Hair Tonic will make it grow longer until you advance the plot.
Patience is a Virtue in the Wild West
Beyond the story gates, hair growth is also simply a slow process that happens in real-time as you play. The game doesn’t use a simple timer; it measures the in-game days that pass. The most effective way to grow your hair is to combine Hair Tonics with passive activities. Set up a camp in a safe location and use the “Wait” option repeatedly or sleep for long periods. This will advance time without you having to actively risk your progress, allowing the growth mechanic to do its work in the background.
If your hair growth has stalled, the solution is almost always to focus on moving the main story forward. Once you’ve progressed further, your dedication to consuming tonics and patiently waiting will finally pay off, and you’ll be able to sport the magnificent beard you’ve been working towards.