Beard Itch 101

"With great power comes great responsibility"

Growing a beard is fun, maintaining it is funner! But with good times comes consequences - one of which is beard itch. Beard itchiness is one of the most common issues dudes face when growing a beard. Just a couple of weeks of growth brings new meaning to itchy & scratchy.  

Why is this? Because beard hair is different from the hair on your head. Facial hair is called androgenic hair which means its growth is driven mainly by testosterone and a testosterone by-product called dihydrotestosterone. More testosterone causes more growth and thickness of these hairs. Because of this you need care for your beard differently than other hair on your body. 

The two main reasons for beard itch depend on the growth phase - is the beard just starting to grow or is it a fully grown beard. This is because when you shave, you leave a sharp edge on the end of each hair inside its follicle - the tiny tube that contains and shields each hair. When the hair grows out, this sharp edge can scratch the follicle causing an annoying itch. When you’re growing out a beard after shaving for a long time, all the follicles across your face can itch. 

New beards are especially vulnerable to itchiness.  As the hair grows, the sharp edges of the hair scrape against the edges of follicles causing general itching. Also, shaving is an exfoliant and without it your face builds dry skin around the bearded region adding to the irritation and beard itch. 

Itchiness in fully grown beards is a result of wiry, poorly conditioned beard hair rubbing against dry, caked skin. Dead skin cells and dry skin are a one-two punch leading to a rough, coarse, and irritating beard which gets worse over time. Itchiness can come from not exfoliating, not moisturizing and not properly drying the beard after a shower. The biggest mistake men make with beards at this stage is not having a routine to keep the beard healthy. 

To stop and prevent beard itch, do the following:

Step 1: Wash your beard and face

Start by washing your face and beard once a day with the Diggn’ It Arabian Beard and Face Bar or Beard Softener and warm water.  Unlike normal shampoo, the soap bar and the softener are tough enough for coarse facial hair yet gentle enough for daily use. Together, they are the perfect way to moisturize and remove impurities.

Step 2: Dry your beard and face

Leaving water in your beard and face can dry it out and make them more brittle. Make sure you dry your beard properly when it is wet. 

Step 3: Hydrate and moisturize your beard and face

Beard oils and balms hydrate and moisturize your facial hair and skin making them a must-have when combatting itchiness and irritation. When picking beard products, ingredients matter more than a brand. Diggn'It Arabian beard oils and beard balms employ 100% all-natural ingredients that are known for fostering healthy hair growth and volume such as black seed oil, sweet almond oil, argan Oil, and others. Applying beard oil will keep your beard hydrated, soft and itch free. 

Step 4: Comb and brush your beard

Using a comb or brush for your beard is a great way to stimulate beard follicles and blood flow. Not only do they help keep your beard looking great, these tools also train your facial hair to grow in a single direction while removing impurities and acting as an exfoliant which reduces itching and scratching. Make sure you snag a wooden comb or brush as plastic or vinyl ones have micro fissures which can damage your beard by causing snags. Brush your beard before and after every wash.

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