Why does my beard itch?
Beards are known for being scratchy, itchy and sometimes itchy. But that can be a sign of a greater health problem. For instance, mid-day beard itch could mean you are low on iron. It could also mean your beard is in distress. The main purpose of your beard is to protect your face from the sun. When your beard is itchy and not growing like it used to be, here are 12 effective home remedies that can help ease and stop beard itch.
Food can impact your beard's health. If you eat a lot of food such as drink and sugary cereals, your beard won't like it. It would be better if you feed your beard lots of healthy, nutritious foods such as eggs, salmon, avocados, leafy greens and coconuts.
How do you know if your low iron? The simplest way is to find your fingernails. If they have a bluish color, especially at the end of your nail, you are in trouble. You must have a good source of iron in your diet immediately or face beard itch in the future.
If you experience a lot of beard itch, it's time for a change in your shampoo. Switching to one that does not contain parabens — a chemical found in most shampoos. It causes beard itch and skin irritation.
When your skin is irritated, it is telling you to stop doing whatever you are doing.
Because you shave(d)
All the time, you may think that you will have to just endure it until the hair grows in this time. Nope. There are several effective home remedies you can try in order to stop your beard itch without having to wait it out. If you experience beard itch, your beard is probably getting dirty. Why is this happening? It’s because while you shave, you also scrape off some skin cells. This is totally normal, since the skin constantly sheds cells. But this is precisely the reason your beard feels itchy.
Because of dry skin
In the Northern Hemisphere, February is the perfect month to resolve to put lotion on your face. Your nails will like it too. But not only can lotion fight dry winter skin, it can also liven up your beard and moustache. It’s time to revive old DIY recipes and combat that itchy beard.
Here are some lotion-based beard home remedies to try.
Let’s start simple. The essential ingredients to turn any oily moisturizer into beard moisturizer are cocoa butter and beeswax.
Recipe: Melt your cocoa butter and beeswax in a double boiler. Remove from heat and add in your extra virgin olive oil. Stir until well blended. Add your vanilla extract or lavender essential oil for a scent. Pour into a glass jar.
Application: Put a small dab into your palm. Rub hands together to warm up the lotion. Apply evenly to your chin and cheeks. Add more if needed.
Because your beard collects all kinds of things
From the air, from pollen to germs, it’s very important that you clean and comb it often. You’ll find that when you do this regularly, the itchiness of your beard will become a minor problem compared to what it is now.
Here are some of the most effective ways home remedies for beard itch.
Beard Oil
This should be one of the first steps you take in eliminating beard itch. Different oils have different effects on your skin and beard. If you’ve never used beard oil before, it’s a good idea to try a few different brands and types before you settle on a particular brand.
Remember that most oils are completely safe to apply to your skin, and that some of the most effective types are specific to the beard.
Pat It Dry
Believe it or not, drying your beard is one of the easiest ways to eliminate beard itch. The reason that it works so well is that it gets rid of all of the moisture under your beard, including the sweat and bacteria that usually make beard itch worse when they’re left under the dry.
Exfoliate Regularly
How to stop beard itch (A simple, illustrated article)
Beard itch is an irritating condition, and the cause often remains unclear, despite careful beard care.
The itching can be caused by a skin condition, which is the most common cause, but there are other potential causes, too, including changes in your diet and lifestyle.
What Causes Beard Itch
The most common causes of beard itch include:
Ø Skin conditions. You may have sensitive skin or a skin condition such as acne or allergy. (Hair and skin conditions are most common in beards; the face and neck areas are less affected.)
Ø Heat. Extreme heat or heat spikes can aggravate beard itch.
Ø A change in diet. Changing your diet, especially if you are eating more protein, may aggravate your skin.
Ø Pollen-related allergies. Pollen-related allergies are triggered by sensitivity to the proteins in pollen.
Ø Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol (beer, wine or whiskey) makes skin irritated.
Ø Dry skin. Moisturize your beard to keep your skin hydrated.
Ø Hormonal changes. Changes in hormone levels such as puberty, menopause and pregnancy, can cause skin conditions like acne.
1.Wash it
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective ways to stop beard itch. The anti-bacterial properties of ACV help to kill the bacteria which causes beard itch. ACV is also an astringent which helps to tighten the skin and stop beard itch temporarily.
How to do it: Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar in to a vessel or spray it directly on the affected area. Apply on face and let it remain for two minutes. Rinse with fresh water.
Precautions: Apple cider vinegar is not recommended for use on facial hair as it will make your beard brittle.
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Pros: Natural, proven, simple and effective.
Cons: It doesn’t last a long time.
Dry your beard
Irrespective of whether you prefer to wash your face using warm or cool water, make sure that you buy a towel to dry your face.
According to latest statistics, a person leaves the towel in direct reach of the sink, where a lot of water remains after using during wash. This might sound insignificant, but the presence of water makes your beard, especially near the neck, become wet, which consequently leads to fungus.
Scrub it with an exfoliating scrub
There are two factors that cause a beard to itch. First, the lack of air reaching the beard hairs as they grow inward, and second, the sebaceous oils that the beard produces.
Scrub your beard regularly with a facial scrub that contains gritty exfoliants (like sugar) to unclog the hair follicles. Also, don’t forget to wash the scrub off using a shampoo and conditioner that is meant for use on your face.
Use beard oil
When choosing a beard oil, consider one made with natural ingredients. One of the best essential oils for beard itch relief is jojoba oil. It's full of vitamins and minerals, and the composition of the oil is quite similar to skin oil, making it a good option as an moisturizer for the face. It is easily absorbable by the skin, but also has the staying power to work throughout the day. It will give your skin a nice shine, which will also make it appear smoother and healthier.
You should go easy on the scent, though, because this oil has a rather strong smell.
Butter is another good option for a beard oil. It moisturizes the hair naturally, soften and makes it look less frizzy. It also provides a layer of protection from the sun, which naturally makes the hair look shinier.
When applying a beard oil, you should be sparing. Only use as much as is needed to moisten your beard. Rub it between your hands and gently pat it on the skin beneath the hair in order to stimulate the natural oils.
Condition it
Beard itch can happen over a period of time for two reasons:
The beard’s hair begins to curl or change directions.
The hair strands begin to intertwine and get stuck onto each other.
Conditioning your beard regularly is one way to keep your hair soft. You can choose to condition it every week or every month, as the frequency of conditioning will depend on how long your beard is. You do not need to apply a lot of conditioner. You only need a small amount of conditioner, enough to cover the beard’s hair. Take a small amount of the conditioner on your hands and spread it over your beard.
Let the hair dry naturally and you will be able to comb your beard without any hassle. There will be no knots or tangles in your beard.
Moisturize it
One of the simplest and easiest ways to help soothe your beard itch is to apply a high-quality beard oil or balm. These natural products are formulated specifically to help keep your facial hair moisturized.
You won’t need to slather your face in rich, heavy oils, however. Instead, look for something light that absorbs into your beard quickly.
Steer clear of oily sprays, as these can actually promote beard itch and acne by leaving a layer of sticky oil on your skin.
Several of our favorite oils, including Tree Ranger Beard Oil and Mountain Man Beard Grooming Oil contain cedarwood, which has been said to soothe itching.
Keep it trimmed
Beard itch is primarily caused by a few things. The first is what many people attribute as beard itch. Tons of facial hair means a lot of dust, lint, and dirt that gets trapped in the beard. The more facial hair, the more mess.
Taking the time to properly trim your beard will help to minimize the mess.
The second thing that causes beard itch is the actual beard itself. For some people, their beard is incredibly sensitive. In these cases, there are a few things you can do. First, choose your shaving products carefully. Cheap shaving cream loaded with chemicals can cause incredibly irritating rashes. A well selected beard oil will help soften the hair and skin to ensure a super soft and itch free post shave.
The third reason that people get beard itch is the condition of their facial skin. Those that have extremely oily skin (perhaps due to genetics) may find that their skin is just overly sensitive. Using a high quality beard oil may help by making your skin feel softer overall.
The last thing to do to insure against itchy faces is to see your doctor. If the beard itch is out of the ordinary, it’s time for a visit to the dermatologist. A skin infection can cause the itchiness, and you want to get that diagnosed and treated as quickly as you can.
Brush your beard
One of the best alternatives to beard oil and balm is to just take care of your beard and no matter what it looks like, it will look good. To take care of your beard, brush it regularly. Brush all beard areas and don’t leave any part of your beard behind. Be organized, brush your beard from bottom up and from the sides to the top.
If you don’t have a beard, you can still do this and you will have better results. It not only looks awesome but it will help to soften the beard and everyone wins.
Using quality products on your beard and using the right technique when washing your beard can go a long way when it comes to keeping your beard hair from feeling scratchy. Using a brush will help separate the beard hair, which can help get rid of knots.
You can get rid of some itching that you experience because you are over grooming. If you are, stop!
Pulling on your beard could be another reason why your beard can feel scratchy and itchy. Pulling on your beard hair could lead to inflammation or ingrown hairs that will lead to even more irritation.
Balm it
Chy skin with these home remedies. (Photo : Getty Images)
Beards may be in for the next couple of years but that doesn’t mean they’re free of irritation. If you have a beard and live in a cold climate, perhaps it’s because your beard bothers you.
Maybe you didn’t see the signs but you’re itching too much that you’re starting to get red rashes from your facial hair. There’s also that unpleasant sensation of getting beard hair stuck to your throat.
While scratching can help ease the discomfort and itching temporarily, it’s not going to make the irritation go away.
See a dermatologist if these symptoms last for a week or more.
For those with milder beard irritation, there’s nothing to worry about since beard itch may go away after a few weeks.
There are also effective home remedies you can try to address beard itch. Beard itch is not necessarily caused by bad hygiene; it can be because of dry skin.
Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and face wash may dry out facial hair and even crack it. And beard itch may just be a sign that you need to take better care of your skin.
Medications
Many people do not like using medications because of the harmful side effects.
They prefer to use natural remedies to ease the beard itch.
The causes of the itch in the first place can also influence the choice of medication as well as the home remedies that are used.
Medications for a beard itch alleviate the symptoms at a greater degree and may also solve the problem at its core.
Most of the time this gives a solution for the beard itch that is permanent.
Just make sure you follow the instructions as per the physician’s recommendation and do not self-medicate.
Don’t scratch it!
According to Dr. Eric Schweiger, dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon, itchy beard….
You can’t help but scratch it.
Resist the urge if you can, because clawing at an itchy beard can cause inflammation of the sensitive skin underneath.
For some guys, it can also cause ingrown hairs, which start out as red bumps and then become painful, itchy bumps.
Simply keep your beard groomed, (maintained) and itch-free with these useful and effective methods.
Besides, a scratchy, unmanaged beard screams “lazy” and is not the look you’re going for when you’re trying to impress.
Review and modify your lifestyle, if needed
If you are thinking about quitting or cutting back on smoking, then do it. Smoking causes you to lose more hair and therefore become more sensitive to the hair follicles around your chin.
Smoking can also dry out your skin and make it more prone to rashes and skin irritations. There are also several health issues related to smoking, such as lung cancer.
If you are thinking about quitting or cutting back on drinking, then do it. Drinking too much alcohol can hasten hair loss. Although it is recommended to drink one or two units of alcohol per day, avoid drinking more than that.
If you keep drinking, then consider discussing this with your doctor. Alcohol is addictive. You can find a support group in your area or talk with a doctor or counselor about finding a suitable treatment center for you.
If you are thinking about eating too many fatty foods, then avoid doing that too. If you keep eating red meats, then that will affect your hair follicles. When your body is producing too much testosterone and other male hormones, your body hair will go into overdrive.
You should also avoid eating too much sugar. If you keep eating too much sweet stuff, then your excess insulin levels may cause your body hair to become excessively fluffy.
If you are thinking about eating too much refined rice, then avoid doing that too. If you keep eating a lot of white rice, then that will affect your hair follicles.
How long does beard itch last?
So, you might have just started growing your first beard and you’re noticing that it’s very itchy lately. What you might not know is even bearded men have to suffer from itchy beard syndrome from time to time. Luckily, there are a number of natural remedies for itching beard.
Conclusion
In this article, we gave you 12 quick and effective home remedies that will help you cure that annoying beard itch.
Beard itch is a common occurrence that can strike at anytime. The best defense against it is to keep your beard clean and healthy. It will need to be washed every couple of days in order to remain fresh smelling and free of accumulated oils and dirt.
Once you have lavished in the the soft, clean feel of a freshly washed beard, you may quickly come to understand why it is a good idea to keep it clean.
Keep these home remedies in mind the next time you get an itch in your beard.