How To Deal With Beard Itch Under A Face Mask

Why do I get beard itch?

An itchy beard or rather an itchy face, is all part of the process of growing a beard and it won’t last forever, especially if you’re taking the steps to help prevent it. For those new to growing a beard, it can be reason enough to decide not to and turn to a trimmer.

Beard itch happens when the skin where the hair grows begins to dry out, crack and flake. That happens because of new hair growth and as the hair begins to take moisture from the skin to keep itself hydrated. The itchiness is coming from the skin rather than the beard, so there are a few steps you can take to prevent that from happening.

It might also feel more aggravated because you’re wearing a face mask more often: whether for work, transport or shopping, that area of your face is being covered more regularly and can create a warm environment. For some, that might cause sweating and for others, in conditions that are air conditioned, for example, can cause the skin beneath to dry out more quickly.

Regularly wash your beard

Even though your beard might be covered for long periods of time and isn’t attracting the usual dust and particles naturally found in the air, dead skin and excess sebum is still forming, and in some cases, more of it too. Keep the hair and skin clean beneath with regular washing. Here’s our step by step guide for washing your beard.

You don’t need to overly wash with shampoo or shower gel either. That can strip the natural oils from your skin and make the skin beneath even more irritated. Not to mention that it’ll actually begin to dry the hair out too, leaving that luscious beard stiff and frizzy.

Only wash with a shampoo or a specific beard wash 1-2 times a week and make sure you give it a really good rinse, to make sure all the soap and lather is gone.

Dry your beard thoroughly

Give it a proper thorough dry with a towel and get as much of the excess water from it as possible. Excess water left in your beard can be a big contributing factor to itching. Give it a quick blast with the hair dryer if you like.

Beard oil, beard oil, beard oil!

It’s a common myth that beard oil doesn’t do much more than make your beard smell great (it does that too). In actuality, using beard oil creates a barrier over the skin and locks in moisture to protect skin from drying out and flaking. It keeps the skin hydrated and prevents the hair from taking all the moisture out. It’ll soften your beard, reduce beardruff (yes, dandruff for your beard is a thing), encourage healthy hair growth and keep skin nourished.

Comb your beard and keep it trim

It’s important to comb and trim your beard on a consistent basis to keep wild, frizzy, sharp ends under control and away from your skin (where it can scratch and irritate). A quality beard trimmer or barbers scissors and a specialist beard brush or comb should be part of you beard care arsenal. As well as making your beard tidy and shiny, combing your beard will stimulate the hair follicles and blood flow, encouraging healthy growth and remove any weak and loose hairs which can cause further irritation.

Now you know how to fight the itch and grow the beard you always dreamed of check out our article on how to maintain your beard properly.