An Itchy Beard: Seven ways to treat it

Having a stylish, well-maintained beard brings the opportunity to make a style statement every day. However, if you just let the beard grow without any grooming or hygiene, the beard can go very wrong! 

Beards can express your personality, however, it takes a good amount of work and time to maintain a beard. It's not easy as it comes with its own struggles. With a long beard, arrives dandruff, patchy hair growth, dry hair, and acne.Food will always get stuck in your beard, and you will always have someone or the other person pointing it out for you. To top it all comes the dreaded itchy beard. 

No matter whether you’re growing out your beard for the first time or have had one for years, it’s common for your beard to get itchy. For some, the itching is mild, for others, it can get severe. Especially during the summer months, the itchiness can get you to where you want to cut off your beloved brethren. Before you reach such a state, let's figure out the reason behind the itchy beard along with its solutions.

What makes the beard itchy?

Unlike the hair on your head, a beard contains thicker hair cuticles called androgenic hair, and its growth is driven primarily by your testosterone level. Higher the testosterone level, the thicker the beard. 

Ingrown hair

Ingrown hair is a common issue that happens after shaving. After shaving, if the hair starts growing inwards into the follicle instead of growing outward, it's called ingrown hair which looks like a red bump on your face. Usually, it results in irritation and itchiness.

Folliculitis:

In simple words, when the follicles carrying your beard hair become inflamed, and feel tender or painful to the touch, you have Folliculitis. Usually, it is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, which will eventually get filled with pus and breakout. It can occur on any part of the body, if it comes on your face, it will leave you with an itchy beard. 

Seborrheic eczema:

To put it simply, when dandruff on your head decides to make a tent in your face, Seborrheic eczema happens. Prone to oily skin, it can look like yellow, greasy-looking scales. 

Pseudofolliculitis barbae

After shaving, the sharp bristles remain inside the follicle and as soon as they start growing again, the sharp edge can scratch the skin follicle and cause itchiness, redness, and inflammation. This is called pseudofolliculitis barbae causing an itchy beard. Like Folliculitis, pus-filled blisters may also appear. 

Tinea barbae:

Caused by a fungal infection, Tinea barbae can make the skin feel aggravated and brittle and also cause itching. The most commonly affected areas are the cheeks, chin, and mouth.

How to beat an Itchy Beard?

Hygiene comes first: The most effective way to avoid an itchy beard is to maintain good hygiene habits. Regularly wash your face and beard with warm water to avoid dirt, oil and bacteria buildup. You can try Dcraf’s beard Wash created with the extracts of sage leaf, willow bark, and rosemary to give you moisturized and clean beard.

Regular Trimming: If you're growing your beard for the first time, let your beard grow beyond the follicles and once you have achieved the volume and style you want, keep trimming regularly. As it is known, beard hair can grow in a mere couple of days. Trimming your beard regularly will prevent irritation and skin or follicle damage.
Dry your beard properly:

Wetness in beard hair can cause dryness in the bristles, making it more brittle. We'd recommend you dry your beard hair gently with a towel or with a hair dryer on low heat.

Make brush your weapon:

Start using the brush as an exfoliator to remove all the impurities, dirt, and food crumbs from your beard. Brushing your beard regularly will also stimulate your beard follicles and maintain a healthy blood flow. 

Keep your mane hydrated:

Like your face, you need to keep your beard hydrated and moisturized to beat the itchiness. Using beard oils or serum will keep your beard soft and flake-free. You can pamper your beard either at the start or end of your day with Dcraf's Beard Serum and Oil. If you have high testosterone, managing a strong beard can become difficult. Use Dcraf's Beard Softener to experience a frizz-free and conditioned beard. 

Work on your shaving techniques: 

If you earnestly want to grow a beard without itchiness, invest in a good beard grooming kit with essentials like a trimmer, comb, and rotary shaver. You can prevent an itchy beard with proper shaving also. 

• Shaving after showering: Once your pores are open, you can have more straightforward access to the hair follicles, which will give you a closer shave, thereby preventing an itchy beard. 
• Make sure that you're using a new razor blade every time you shave.

Book your appointment with the doctor:

Even after following a beard-care regime, if you're unable to bring the itchiness under control, book an appointment with the doctor. It can be an underlying condition that needs medication or surgery. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Is an itchy beard related to season?

During the summer season, the itchiness might increase because of the harsh weather. If you carry a majestic beard, you will be more prone to sweat, which will make your beard itchy. However, with proper care and caution, you can fix the itchy beard even during the summer.

• Does itching cause further trouble to the beard?

No, itchy beards don't cause more trouble to the beard. With effective products at your disposal and a useful grooming kit, you can overcome the itchiness in your beard. However, if you find that the itchiness is turning into a chronic condition, we recommend you to visit the doctor and follow the right treatment and medications.

• Does beard oil ease itching?

Beard oil acts as a conditioner to hydrate, moisturize and soften beard hair. Not only the beard hair, but it can also moisturize your skin when you use a brush. Beard Oils not only make your mane look fuller and softer, but it also promotes beard growth.