The Bulldog Skincare Guide To Treating Your Itchy Beard

Everyone loves a lush-looking beard, but it takes a true facial hair finesser to know how to tackle the dreaded itch when it arises. Here’s a few skin-friendly pointers to help you treat an itchy beard once and for all.

 

First up, let’s set the record straight – finding the true culprit behind an itchy beard can be complicated, and odds are it’s got something to do with the state your skin’s in.

While lots of people blame angry skin on lingering food scraps and generally poor hygiene, contact dermatitis cause by food-to-skin contact is actually pretty rare, meaning most bearded blokes actually do a great job of keeping their facial hair debris-free.

Dry skin, bacterial growth, or ingrown hairs however are all common causes of beard-itch, meaning if maintaining a hygienic beard is your end goal, it pays to brush up on your skincare and facial hair knowledge along the way.

With that being said, let’s take a closer look at why your skin might be playing up and how to eliminate the itch-factor for good:

Itch-factor culprit: Dry Skin

Harsh weather conditions, arid environments (aka, office air-con), certain medications, and skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema are all things that can dry out the skin and lead to itchiness.

The scientific word for this is ‘xerosis’, but around here we just call it ‘bloody irritating.’

Solution: If you’re grappling with dry skin under your beard, try incorporating a nourishing Beard Oil into your post-shower routine. By gently massaging naturally moisturising oils into your beard, you’ll treat the irritated skin underneath at the same time.

Itch-factor culprit: Ingrown hair

Growing a beard means trimming it regularly, which can sometimes lead to ingrown hair - the result of hair regrowth burrowing back into its follicle and causing inflammation.

It’s an annoying shaving side-effect that can technically affect anyone, but often plagues blokes with curly hair the most (sorry team!)

Solution: Grab a gentle exfoliating cleanser to remove off dead skin cells and help dislodge any hair that’s stuck, and keep up savvy shaving habits like:

• Always using sharp razor blades and a hydrating shaving gel to help your razor glide smoothly.

•  Use warm water to soften your facial hair before shaving.

• Store your razor somewhere dry away from your shower to prevent it from rusting, and replace it whenever you notice it starting to dull.

Itch-factor culprit: Seborrheic Dermatitis (aka dandruff)

In the same way that dry, flaky skin can show up on your scalp, it’s also possible to develop dandruff in your beard – annoying, right?

Even if you don’t usually have skin issues, if unwanted fungal particles build up and infiltrate your hair follicles, you might start noticing redness, scaliness, and itching under your beard.   

Solution: Luckily, not every beard-guy experiences dandruff (it depends on your skin type, immune response, and fungi quantity), but if it’s something you’re struggling with, try a gentle anti-dandruff shampoo for a bit of relief.

Itch-factor culprit: Staph Infections

Unfortunately, sporting a beard sometimes creates the perfect breeding ground for staph infection-causing bacteria too, with humidity and skin shedding providing an ideal environment for it to flourish.

Too much staph bacteria can lead to inflammation and irritation, particularly in areas where your beard’s a bit longer.

Solution: Simple – make sure you’re diligently washing your beard with shampoo and conditioner and you’ll be sweet.

Itch-factor culprit: Sycosis Barbae

If you’re noticing inflamed lumps and bumps on your skin after shaving, sycosis barbae might be to blame – a contagious condition that affects the skin and beard area. Interestingly, this one mainly affects people who shave regularly, but can show up unexpectedly for bearded blokes too.

When you visit a salon or a barbershop for a beard trim, if they fail to thoroughly sanitise the razor,

Solution: Because these boil-like rashes are mostly caused by un-sanitised razor blades and a build-up of germs, in most cases, a solid regime of shampoo, anti-acne wash, and regular moisturiser should get it under control.

Itch-factor culprit: Lice

Unfortunately lice love chilling in your beard just as much as they enjoy hanging out on your head - especially if you boast a curly one.

If you notice small, white eggs throughout your facial hair along with a crawling, itchy sensation, it might pay to head to your pharmacy and grab some of the strong stuff.

Solution: Pretty much every pharmacy offers over-the-counter anti-lice medications, so as long as you get in there quick, those aggravating intruders won’t overstay their welcome for long.

Of course, the more radical approach would be to shave the whole thing off and start again, but let’s be real - parting with a legendary beard is far easier said than done.

Stave off beard itch before it starts

Analysing and treating a problematic beard is all well and good, but we reckon the easiest way to fix itching is to build a personal hygiene routine that helps prevent it in the first place.

Regularly bathing or showering, meticulously washing your beard with shampoo, and locking in a solid skincare routine helps ward off excess bacteria and exfoliates dead skin cells to keep itching at bay for good.

Keen to kick off a brand-new, bulletproof beard-care routine? Our Beard Collection Bundle’s got your back. Happy grooming!