Beard itch is an affliction that we’ve all suffered from at one time or another. Whether you’ve been wearing a long, burly beard for years or you just haven’t shaved for a couple weeks, you are likely aware of the unpleasantness that can come from an itchy beard. Today, we’ll discuss what causes the beard itch, but also, most importantly, how to keep your beard from itching in the first place. There are a few simple measures that you can take to ensure (or at least increase your chances of having) an itch-free beard.
First of all, if you aren’t actually making a concerted effort to grow a beard, but simply haven’t shaved for a few days, stop complaining about your itchy face and just shave already. Your problem isn’t itchiness, so much as it’s an inability (or unwillingness) to consistently participate in your daily routine. Alternatively, though, if you’re purposefully setting out to grow a beard, but those first few weeks of long, itchy stubble are driving you mad, then you should consider a few potential remedies before throwing in the towel on what might well, with time, becomes a glorious beard.
There’s no getting past the fact that those first weeks of growth are the itchiest, it’s simply an unequivocal truth. The reason for this, if you care at all to know, is a combination of the (relatively) freshly cut whiskers, which still have a ‘sharp’ end from whenever you last cut them with your razor, and that roughly 5-10 millimeter whisker length that comes from the initial 2-3 weeks of growth. It’s these two factors, together, that create the perfect environment for EBI (early-beard-itchiness). The combination of whisker length and shape allow for the sharp ends of your stubble to fall gracefully back onto your delicate facial tissue, which amounts to a sensation similar to wearing a balaclava made of steel wool.
As your beard continues to grow longer, from the few-weeks stage into the few-months arena, you’ll find that the everyday itching will be considerably diminished. The ends of your beard hairs will, over time, undergo a natural tapering, as well as just plain growing away from your face, both of which will result in a lessening of disagreeable itchiness. So, the first remedy to combating beard itchiness is just persevering through EBI and allowing your whiskers to leave the surface of your face. It’s by far the cheapest solution, but it does involve a bit of waiting, and also isn’t entirely effective, because even longer beards have a tendency to become itchy.
Other, more immediate remedies that you can incorporate into your anti-itch campaign include, but are not limited to, the use of moisturizing Detroit Grooming Co. beard wash in the shower, fortifying Detroit Grooming Co. beard oil anytime you’re feeling dry in the beard, and regular combing or brushing (depending on the density of your beard and coarseness of your individual hairs). It’s also wise to avoid washing your face with bar soaps, whether or not you have a beard, because these have a propensity for really sapping the moisture and natural oils from your skin.
So, now you know. When you hear your friends complaining that they couldn’t grow a beard because, “the beard itch is too much to handle,” you can now share with them these convenient and efficient pearls of wisdom. No one should be deprived of an awesome beard simply because of a little itchiness. The itch can be overcome, and, then, the beard can truly thrive.
-------------------------
