Beard Dandruff and Itchiness: The Ultimate Guide
Are you tired of dealing with annoying flaky skin and the itchiness that occurs in your hair and skin when growing a moustache, beard or other type of facial hair?
It's incredibly important to follow the right steps to ensure your not adding to the problem of irritation caused by improper maintenance or lack of grooming routine.
This is your guide to tackling dandruff, itchiness, inflammation and how to promote a healthy and comfortable growing journey.
Beard Dandruff and Head Hair Dandruff
Beard Hair Dandruff is essentially a build up of dead skin and naturally produced skin oil called Sebum. This oil is created by the body organically to moisturise, nourish, grow, and protect the skin and hair from any outside elements.
Head Hair dandruff is generally the same but both types of dandruff occur interestingly enough for the opposite reason. Beard dandruff usually appears from the lack of sebum oil available to cover the hair follicles and head dandruff appears due to too much sebum oil available. In both situations they end up creating similar tiny flakes of dead skin that shed away into the hair, which is essentially due to the imbalance of sebum oil.
Now that we have an understanding as to why beard hair and head hair dandruff is similar but caused by different reasons, we will continue to focus solely on the beard side of things and how to eliminate/prevent it occurring.
Prevention Tips for Beard Dandruff and Itchiness
Step 1. Exfoliating and removing dead skin
What you need is a good beard brush with quality bristles, we find boar bristle brushes are a solid option. The hairs have small hooked ends that help with pulling the beard hair away slightly as you brush, which helps to train your beards growth direction.
Brushing your beard daily before washing helps to loosen any build up of oil and remove any dead skin away from the body. Doing this daily will break up any clumps that you may not be able to see into smaller pieces, making it easier to wash out and remove.
Once you have a regular grooming routine locked in, brushing will become part of the simple three steps to keeping any dandruff at bay.
Step 2. Washing Your Beard
Good hygiene is an important part of eliminating beard dandruff. We recommend washing with a mild beard wash and not hair shampoo. The reason for this as discussed earlier, is that they are both designed for different purposes. Shampoo is designed to remove sebum oil and beard wash is designed to Add and maintain sebum oil. A good mild beard wash is powerful enough remove any dirt and dead skin but retain the natural sebum.
For best results we recommend washing every 2 - 3 days, due to the mildness and ingredients used in our beard wash it can be used daily if required. Some people will debate that you should only wash cold water but we find a warm temperature is more comfortable. A simple pat dry with a towel is fine also. We find wetting your beard first then squirting wash directly into the beard hair before working it through and washing it out is now our preferred method.
Some market options offer a wash and conditioner, from our experience a conditioner is not required and this is for two main reasons:
1. 95% - 100% is washed down the drain and not retained in your beard.
2. There are products like Beard balm and Beard Butter that aren't washed away, and they will condition and nourish beard hair/skin with a far superior end result.
Step 3. Treat & Prevent
The best way to treat & prevent beard dandruff from occurring is by adding more of the right type of oil to your beard daily. As discussed briefly earlier the body struggles to produce enough oil to coat the entire beard hair, the additional oil helps to balance out distribution through the hair strands and skin, to protect and encourage healthy beard growth.
Using a high quality beard oil is the secret to reducing and eliminating dandruff and itchiness in the beard. Beard oils have been specifically formulated to target and eliminate both the itchiness, flaking, oil balance, skin hydration, plus they smell great! Although there are many benefits to other products, if we had to pick only one product to use... beard oil would always be at the top of the list.
When applying you want to work the oil right down to the skin and then throughout the beard hair. The oil typically lasts about 6 - 8 hours which depending on where you live, your environment and how thirsty your mane is, you may need to re-apply 1 - 3 times a day.
Ingrediants: Why The Oil Extraction Method Is Important
It is important to use the right type of oils, specifically ones that are as nutrient-rich to the natural sebum oil that the body produces.
There are three main ways that oils are extracted from nuts and fruits. This is one of the reasons why, not all beard oils / ingredients are considered equal.
Cold pressed - Expensive - Slow process - Best
The fruit/nuts are pressed with a bladder press to separate the fats away and must be kept under 50 degrees while extracting. This maintains the nutrients, enzymes and properties in the final oil. They Also maintain their natural colour and smell.
Expeller Pressed - Cheaper - Faster - Middle
The fruit/nuts are pressed with friction to separate the fats away. This method is faster than cold pressed but introduces a higher heat during extraction due to the friction being used. This results in less nutrients being transferred during the process.
Solvent Extraction - Cheap - Faster Process - Worst
The fruit/nuts are ground down to a paste, the paste is then mixed with a solvent to separate the oil, then heated to 100 degrees to burn the solvent off. Sometimes there are traces of solvent left, this also reduces the properties and nutrients in the final oil and can cause irritation.
We recommend only using beard oils that contain ingredients that are extracted via the cold pressing method and that contain other organic ingredients, this helps to maintain most if not all the benefits from the oils. Not all sellers will tell you this as its an easy way to cut cost. All of our beard oils fit these ingredient criterias.
Recap
- Beard dandruff - Created by lack of oil production
- Boar bristle brush - Removes/loosens flakes
- Beard wash for beards - Washes away flakes - Retains oil
- Shampoo is for head hair - Removes oil
- Beard oil - Repair & prevent flakes
- Ingredients extraction process - Cold pressed
Check out our range of products below that are designed to eliminate beard itch and dead flakes.
Beard Brushes
Beard Wash
Beard Oil
Beard Combos & Kits
Frequently Asked Questions about Beard Dandruff and Itchiness:
1. What exactly is beard dandruff, and how does it differ from head dandruff?
Beard dandruff, also known as beardruff, is a common condition characterized by the build-up of dead skin and natural skin oil (Sebum) underneath the beard. It leads to flaky skin and itchiness, similar to dandruff on the scalp. However, beard dandruff occurs due to a lack of sebum oil, while head dandruff typically results from an excess of sebum oil. Both conditions create similar tiny flakes of dead skin, causing irritation and discomfort.
2. What are some prevention tips for beard dandruff and itchiness? Preventing beard dandruff involves adopting a proper grooming routine:
- Exfoliate the skin beneath your beard using a quality beard brush with boar bristles to remove dead skin cells and loosen any oil build-up.
- Wash your beard every 2-3 days with a mild beard wash specifically designed to maintain natural sebum oil without stripping it away.
- Treat and prevent beard dandruff by applying high-quality beard oil daily to moisturize the skin and hair, balance oil distribution, and promote healthy beard growth.
3. How does beard oil help in treating and preventing beard dandruff?
Beard oil is essential for reducing and eliminating beard dandruff and itchiness. It contains natural ingredients that mimic the body's sebum oil, helping to balance oil production and nourish the skin and hair. Regular application of beard oil helps to hydrate the skin, prevent dryness and flaking, and promote a healthy, itch-free beard.
4. What extraction method should I look for in beard oil ingredients?
It's crucial to choose beard oils containing ingredients extracted via the cold-pressed method. This extraction process maintains the nutrients, enzymes, and properties of the oils, resulting in a high-quality product. Avoid oils extracted via solvent extraction, as they may contain traces of solvent and lack essential nutrients, potentially causing irritation.
5. How often should I apply beard oil to prevent beard dandruff?
Beard oil typically lasts for about 6-8 hours, depending on environmental factors and the condition of your beard. It's recommended to apply beard oil 1-3 times a day, depending on your needs. If you live in a dry climate or have a particularly thirsty beard, you may need to reapply more frequently to maintain hydration and prevent dandruff.
6. What are the essential products for a beard grooming routine?
A regular beard grooming routine should include:
- A high-quality beard brush with boar bristles for exfoliation and grooming.
- A mild beard wash to cleanse the beard without stripping away natural oils.
- Beard oil to moisturize the skin and hair, balance oil production, and prevent dandruff.
- Optional: Beard balm or butter for extra conditioning and styling.
By following these tips and incorporating essential beard care products into your routine, you can effectively eliminate beard dandruff and itchiness, promoting a healthy and comfortable growing journey.