Why Does My Beard Hurt?
Almost every man that has grown out his beard has wondered what to do when the skin under your beard starts to hurt and feel tender. There are many different causes for beard pain, and we will take a look at several things that may cause this.
We will take a look at some remedies for dealing with an achy beard.
If your facial hair is tender, you may ask yourself: Why is my beard sore and tender?
The reason your beard hurts is because the skin has become dry and irritated. Your beard has become painful because your facial hair is aggravating your sore skin . There are several things that you can do to remedy sore beard hair. This includes using beard products like beard oils and balms.
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Causes of Painful Beards
Constant Tugging At Your Beard
This is generally for people who are growing their beard in, especially if it’s their first time.
Yes, I know it is tempting when you are sitting alone at a desk or on the couch, but digging your fingers in your beard and tugging at your hair can cause it to become tender and sore.
I did it the first couple of times I grew my beard in, and even after six months, I would catch myself tugging at my hair for no reason.
During November and the winter months, when many guys quit shaving, I see them tugging at their freshly grown beards.
Constantly tugging at your beard every day will cause split ends, broken hairs, patchy spots, and it can irritate your skin. This can aggravate your facial hair and cause pain.
Now, for most people, just rubbing your beard won’t cause it to become irritated, but it can exacerbate your already irritated skin.
What is the remedy for that?
Quit playing with your beard. Yes, it is that simple.
Dry Skin Under Your Beard
There can be many causes for dry skin under your beard. One of the most common is winter winds.
Winter is one of the most popular times to grow a beard, and it is also one of the harshest seasons for your face. There are a couple of things to consider here.
There are men who take care of their face when it is beard free. They use proper face wash and moisturizers, so they have no issues with dry irritated skin.
But when they grow their beard in during the winter months, they do not take care of their beard and face anymore.
Then there are men who do not take care of their face by using proper face wash and moisturizers. But, when they grow their beards in, they lose some of the natural oils that normally keep their face moisturized.
Your face produces natural oils, and when your facial hair gets a little longer, then you are not producing enough natural oils to hydrate your beard hair.
Couple all that with harsh winter winds, and you have dry irritated skin.
Another huge reason for painful skin is dehydration. If you are knocking back 3 cups of Black Rifle Coffee everyday, drinking sodas and tea, but not drinking water, you are likely dehydrated.
Your face will punish you for this, especially with a beard.
You will be more prone to dry, irritated, itchy, painful skin because of dehydration.
Another reason for a painful beard is using a hair dryer. Do not use a hair dryer on your beard especially if you have a short beard or just a month or two of growth. You are essentially just blasting your face and beard with extremely hot air and drying it out.
Yes, blow drying your beard can be beneficial, but not when you are have irritation.
Remedy For Painful Beard From Dry Skin
- Wash your face with an appropriate face wash like Jack Black. Many soaps have harsh detergents in them that will strip your body of its natural oils, and these are not designed for your face. Make sure you use a wash that is gentle for your facial skin.
- Wash your beard 2-3 per week with a beard wash like Billy Jealousy. This will help clean it as well as the skin underneath it. This will help remove dry dead flakes of skin, and a beard wash will not be too harsh for your beard or face.
- You can combine steps 2 and 3 by using a face and beard wash combo product like this product from Cremo. This will work great and combines two products in one. It is also more budget friendly. Personally, I like to use as many products as possible, but I am a scent junkie.
- Use a beard conditioner every time you take a shower. This will soften your beard and skin, and it will add some moisture back to your hair and skin that was depleted from washing it.
- Use a high quality beard oil every day. This will condition your beard and skin daily, and you should not have any dry skin or coarse brittle hair. You can use a oil or a jelly if you need a little extra conditioning.
I know that is a lot of steps, but if you do this, you should not have a painful beard and skin from dryness.
If you want the minimalist version, grab the conditioner and beard oil. If you want the super minimalist version, grab the oil or jelly. You could even just use coconut oil on your beard.
Using The Wrong Comb For Your Beard
If you are not familiar with beard combs, you need to know that there are combs designed specifically for beards. When you use products for your beard, you are usually using them for your face as well.
Your facial skin is different than the skin on the rest of your body, and it is not like your head. The best products for your beard, are things that are designed for it.
If a beard comb is designed properly, it will have smooth teeth and rounded edges.
Using the wrong comb could cause tugs and pulls in your beard which can be painful, and it could irritate the skin under your beard.
Remedy
Ditch the bad comb and get a beard comb.
Growing A Beard Hurts
When your beard is starting to grow in, it can curl back into your sensitive skin and cause itching.
Also, your the natural oils that your body produces is having a hard time keeping up with your beard growth which can promote dry skin and brittle hair.
Remedy
The best thing you can do is to use a beard oil every day to condition your beard. This will soften your hair, and it will ease some of the issues caused by new growth.
Ingrown Hairs Can Promote Beard Pain
Ingrown Hairs can be painful red bumps on your skin. This occurs when your hair curls back and grows into your skin.
Remedy
WebMD offers some great advice on how to deal with these painful bumps.
Summary For Painful Beards
Hopefully, you were able to gain some insight into why the skin under your beard can hurt sometimes. As you see, there can be many causes for this.
Think about what may be causing your problems, and look into some of the suggested remedies. I have used them, and I do not have issues with pain and irritation anymore.
If there are any others that you can think of, please add them in the comments below.
