my brother uses baby oil on his beard, but it doesnt make it softer; i think it makes it thicker too-
n i didnt think brothers actually really shampoo'd their beards, i never saw the need
about the patches, my beards pretty much grown now alhamdulilah but at first there were patched on either side of my chin where hair never grew...its just about time so you gotta jus chill and bare the patches for a while till the patch themselves up

i dont think theres any way to speed it up...