Table of contents:
- Various causes of an itchy beard that you may not be aware of
- Dry skin
- Ingrown hair
- Folliculitis
- Seborrheic eczema
- Skin fungal infection
- How to deal with an itchy beard
- How to care for the correct beard to prevent itching
- 1. Keep your face clean
- 2. Apply conditioner
- 3. Avoid using chemicals
Itchy beard is one of the consequences that must be faced by beard men. In most cases, the itching is caused by wrong treatment methods. However, if the itching is getting worse and unbearable, there may be a special cause behind it. Then, what causes an itchy beard, and how to deal with it? Check out the reviews below.
Various causes of an itchy beard that you may not be aware of
Itchy beards can occur for many reasons, from minor to serious problems. Here's the explanation
Dry skin
Dry facial skin is prone to irritation which can make your beard itch. This can also be caused by washing your face too often, which can strip the skin of its natural oil layer. This is prone to causing the skin to dry out so that the skin feels itchy
Dry skin can also be caused by dry or too cold weather.
Ingrown hair
Shaving in a back and forth direction (not one direction), too much pressure, and rushing with a blunt razor is the wrong way to shave your beard and can cause ingrown hairs - especially if you have very curly hair. This condition makes your beard itchy.
Instead, shave from the ear area and then down towards the cheeks, mouth and chin. Start shaving in short shaving strokes in the direction of the hair growth path. If it is not smooth, rinse the razor and repeat using shaving cream each time you repeat shaving.
Folliculitis
When the ingrown hair follicle becomes inflamed, this condition is known as folliculitis. This inflammation is caused by irritation from using a razor, although it can also be caused by bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.
Itchy beards caused by folliculitis usually also cause skin to be red and painful to the touch.
Seborrheic eczema
Seborrheic eczema is a chronic inflammation that makes the skin dry, red, itchy, and flaky. This disease usually occurs on the scalp, but can also attack other oily parts of the body, such as the face,
Skin fungal infection
Fungal infections of the facial skin are caused by a type of dermatophyte fungus known as tinea barbae. This condition usually makes the skin red, inflamed and crusty around the mouth, cheeks, and under the chin. This condition is similar to ringworm of the scalp.
How to deal with an itchy beard
How to deal with an itchy beard depends on what the underlying cause is. If it is caused by dry skin, this complaint can be treated with ointments or creams containing lactic acid and urea. For cases of itchy beard caused by folliculitis, the medicine is glycolic acid (Neo-Strata).
Antibiotic creams such as mupirocin or bactroban are usually used to treat bacterial infections, while anti-fungal creams or ointments are intended to treat an itchy beard caused by a yeast infection.
If you have seborrheic eczema and experience itching in the beard area, your doctor will usually prescribe hydrocortisone cream, clobetasol, or desonide.
If the itching is prolonged and gets worse with treatment, your doctor may recommend that you remove your beard permanently through laser procedures or photodynamic therapy. If the itching causes a festering bump, the doctor can also deflate it through a minor surgical procedure.
How to care for the correct beard to prevent itching
1. Keep your face clean
Wash your face regularly twice a day, morning and night, to clean the dirt on the face. Clean skin will prevent bacteria from multiplying and keep the skin from getting too oily.
Don't forget to wash your beard too. Ideally, your mustache and beard should be washed two to three times a week. However, if you are a person who often sweats and has outdoor activities such as on construction sites, you should wash your beard and mustache every day. This is because beards are prone to exposure to dust, dirt, and various types of germs and bacteria that can cause problems.
2. Apply conditioner
Not only hair, beards also need conditioner so that the texture is smoother and is not easily irritated. Choose a conditioner containing jojoba oil or argan oil for your beard routine.
3. Avoid using chemicals
Choose a face wash, shaving cream, and special shaving moisturizer (after shave) that do not contain alcohol and other harsh chemicals. A good shaving moisturizer should encourage a faster healing process and moisturize your skin.
