It’s very common for a beard to get itchy when you’re growing it for the first time or when you’ve had it for many years. Most cases are minor and can be stopped at home by bathing frequently and practicing facial hygiene.
Beard hair can be lenient, you can at times hardly notice it. But in some cases, it can be severe to the point whereby it will keep you awake in the middle of the night and disturb you from doing important things.
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Beard hair is known as androgenic hair, meaning its growth is controlled by your testosterone and is also related to a testosterone by-product known as dihydrotestosterone. If your body contains more testosterone, it will lead to more growth and thickness of the beard hairs. These are the reasons why you need to take extra care of beard hair more than any other hair on your body.
Looking for other beard-related topics by GroomingSwag.com? Take a look at the guides below.
How Long Does It Take To Grow A Beard?
How to stop beard itch?
Minor causes of an itchy beard can be stopped at home but severe cases will need medication or specific antibiotics to help get rid of the main source of the itch.
- Practicing proper hygiene and beard care
Make sure you always keep your face and beard clean to avoid bacteria, oil, and dirt from building up because these will eventually lead to an itchy beard. Also, if it’s your first time growing a beard, you should avoid shaving or trimming it, this will give it time to grow beyond the follicles which help prevent infection on the skin and follicle damage. Follow the tips below to prevent your beard from itching.
- Bathe or shower every day using soaps/gels that will not trigger an itch
- If you cannot bathe, make sure your beard is clean by washing it with warm water once a day or every other day
- When washing your beard, make sure you use soaps or gels specifically designed for beard care
- Go for beard conditioners that contain argan or jojoba oil, these help keep your beard naturally oily and healthy
- Each time you buy a new conditioner for your beard, make sure you do a patch test because some products are comedogenic and will lead to acne and breakouts
- Avoid hot showers and also do not take long showers and baths
- Use natural aftershave lotions each time you shave or trim your beard. Stay away from products containing harsh synthetic chemicals
Following these hygiene tips will help prevent an itchy beard and will as well help get rid of the dirt and oil build-up that lead to infections in your chin area. Taking proper care of your beard and using the right creams and lotions before and after shaving are the best ways of dealing with a common itchy beard.
- Follow these Shaving Tips
These awesome shaving tips will help stop/prevent an itchy beard. Follow them regularly for you to see a change:
- When shaving your beard, make sure you wet it first to have it soft and easy to shave
- Make sure you always apply shaving cream. If you have sensitive skin, go for shaving creams that are gentle on the skin
- Follow the instructions on the shaving cream each time you use it
- Make sure you rinse each time you swipe with the razor
- Make sure you change your razor or blades after every seven to nine shaves this will help prevent infections from the blade
Causes of an Itchy Beard
Having an itchy beard can be a natural process that will go away after some time or it can be a serious infection that will require medication. Below we have listed the most common and serious causes of an itchy beard.
- Having Dry Skin
Dry skin can occur when the weather is too cold or dry, it can also occur because of genetic factors, certain diseases, or using certain creams and medications. Certain soaps, creams, and facial products contain ingredients that can affect the skin’s natural oils, leading to dryness and causing your beard to itch. Also, ichthyosis may be the cause of dry skin with scaling and thickening.
All these conditions are connected to your genetic type. Psoriasis and eczema can also make your skin dry and your beard itch. Therefore, if you have dry skin that’s making your beard itch, the best solution for you is to visit the doctor, he/she will advise you on the type of medication you should take to treat the dry skin
- Growing out your Facial Hair
When you shave, a sharp edge on the end of each hair is left inside its follicle, which contains and shields each hair. But when the beard starts growing again, the sharp edge will scratch the follicle and lead to itching. Growing out a beard after a long time can make it to each.
There’s no possible way of avoiding this process but there are medications, creams, and other facial products you can use to prevent the itch allowing your beard to grow out without causing you any stress.
- Ingrown Hair
This occurs when hair that’s been shaved or cut grows into its follicle in place of growing out. As a result, the follicle gets inflamed and makes your beard itch. This condition occurs mostly in those who have tight and curly hair.
You’ll realize that you have ingrown hairs when the follicle gets red, bumpy, and itchy, and when you feel pain in the area where you have recently shaved.
- Folliculitis
This condition occurs when the follicles containing your beard hairs get inflamed. The inflammation can then lead to a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. This occurs when the hair follicle clogs and when there’s ingrown hair. The inflamed follicles in your beard area look red and feel painful when you touch the area. This can also itch badly.
- Pseudo-folliculitis Barbae
This happens when facial hairs from their follicles cut your skin inside the follicle as the hair tries to grow. This condition is most likely to happen to those with curly hair and it mostly affects black males. It happens when you shave your facial hair and can cause razor bumps.
The symptoms of razor bumps are similar to those of folliculitis, you will notice your face becoming red, bumpy, and developing pus-filled blisters which can lead to secondary infection and itching.
- Seborrheic Dermatitis
This is a skin condition that makes the skin red, scaly, and flaky. It’s known as dandruff when it affects the scalp. If you have naturally oily skin, this condition can affect your beard and lead to itching. Symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis include yellow, greasy scales, and red skin. Flakes will fall off when you touch your beard or scratch it.
- Tinea Barbae
This is a fungal infection that affects your facial hair. It is caused by a fungus known as dermatophyte. To see if you have tinea barbae, you will notice the skin around your mouth, cheeks, and chin becoming red, inflamed, and crusty.
The two types of tinea can be caused by contact with affected horses or contact with cows and other affected livestock. Tinea Barbae can be itchy and very irritating, to treat it you will need to visit your doctor and he/she will advise you on the right medications to use and get rid of the condition.
Medication
Do you already have an infection or an underlying skin condition leading to an itchy beard? Then we suggest you visit your doctor he/she will advise you to use certain medicated ointments, creams, and lotions that will help in treating the conditions. According to Healthline, Your door might advise you on the following:
- For treating dry skin, use a good facial moisturizer. When dealing with dry skin you should avoid ointments because they can lead to breakouts. We suggest using creams containing lactic acid and urea, these will help get rid of flaking.
- When dealing with folliculitis, use mupirocin Bactroban for infections, use antifungal creams for fungal infections, and a corticosteroid cream if non-infectious.
- When treating Seborrheic dermatitis, use antifungal products to help stop outbreaks. Low-dose topical steroids such as hydrocortisone can help with acute inflammations. Clobetasol is suitable for very sere cases.
- To treat Pseudofolliculitis, you’re supposed to allow your hair to grow for 3 to 4 weeks without shaving it until the lesions have gone. After that, you can then shave every second day. You can as well apply Glycolic acid (NeoStrata) to help treat Pseudofolliculitis.
- When dealing with tinea barbae, a topical antifungal therapy might work for the infections. Go for oral antifungal therapy such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or terbinafine (Lamisil).
All treatment options will depend on the severity of your condition and also on what your doctor feels is the right treatment for your specific condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I evenly spread the beard product such as balm or oil?
Use a beard comb but not just any beard comb, a wooden beard comb. The reason for this is that plastic combs have tiny spikes on their teeth that cause injuries to the skin and thus do more harm than good. A high-quality wooden comb will have smooth teeth that will glide through the hair reducing the pulling and tearing of hair.
How often should I wash my beard?
Once or twice a week with products that are meant for the beard such as Beard Wash and Beard Conditioner. The reason for this is that the hair on the head different compared to the hair on the face. Using a hair conditioner could irritate your skin by making it dry or oily.
The face mask messes up my beard, what should I do?
Buy a face mask that is made for men with beards. These masks have a bit of extra fabric at the bottom that eliminates the line created by the normal face mask and mold the hair around the chin. They are also made out of cotton that is gentle to the hair and the skin and can be reused.
Conclusion
Beards can get itchy, especially if you’re growing them for the first time. However, most causes of an itchy beard can be stopped at home by practicing hygiene, using the right creams, and also following instructions.
Also Read:
How Long Does It Take To Grow A Beard?
How To Grow A Beard If You Cant Grow One
How To Straighten A Beard?
What Is Beard Balm?
How to use Beard Balm?(A Beginners Guide To Beard Balm Use 2022)