Congratulations, you have overcome all obstacles to become a proud owner of a full, thick beard. You now are a real man. The problem though is that you are now experiencing itchiness, dandruff or beardruff, split ends, brittleness, and dry skin under beard and mustache. These are the symptoms that define a condition that is common amongst bearded men. If your beard skin shows any of those symptoms, chances are that the skin under the beard is dry.
However, don’t start to get worried because treatment for dry skin under beard and mustache is just easy.
What is the cause of dry skin under beard and mustache?
Well, your beard-skin is an extension to your body skin. This means that for you to understand why your beard is not desirable and why it is flaking, you must fully understand how the human skin works.
The skin has hair, hair follicles and sebaceous glands (responsible for oiling the skin).
Now, what triggers a dry skin under the beard and mustache?
- When you use hot water to wash your beard, waxy sebum oil loosens up. It is important to take a shower in less than 10 minutes. Also, avoid rubbing the beard because that can scrub off sebum from your skin.
- Using soap to wash beard. Alkalinity quickly rids your skin of sebum.
- Cold weather. Even the slightest wind blows away moisture on your skin.
- If you don’t dry your beard after washing, the tiny minerals that are left behind destroy your skin health.
- Lack of enough sleep causes hormonal imbalance which affects the collagen hormone. This reduces moisture content on your skin
- Stress causes excess release of cortisol, leading to dandruff and dry skin.
- Effects of beard growing and thickening products. Be careful with the products you use to enhance the appearance of your beard hair.
How to hydrate properly
It is easier to grow a beard than to maintain it. Dry skin is just one of the many drawbacks that keeping a beard comes with.
Now that you know what triggers a dry skin under the beard and mustache, let us learn how to fix dry skin within no time at all. We are talking about moisturizing like a professional.
Ditch hot water showers
We all understand that no other feeling matches taking a hot shower during cold days. The problem with this is that hot water scrubs off natural oils such as sebum from your beard skin.
Although it is difficult to find sense in this argument, this is the final truth. It is what makes your skin to itch constantly. There are high chances that your skin could become flaky and itchy red.
It is healthier to take a cold shower because this way, you prevent your beard and mustache hair from becoming brittle. This is not aimed at discouraging you from using hot showers, but make sure to use cold water at least for the facial area.
As simple as it may sound, this fix deals with the problem of dry skin within a few days.
Clean your beard regularly
It helps to clean the beard properly and frequently. Failure to do that makes it unhygienic. You should also take care when choosing soaps and other beard cleansing products. Interestingly, some men use the same bar soap for the whole body and hair, totally ignorant of the changes their bodies have undergone.
Dermatologists advise against using bar soaps to wash the face. Alkalinity works to rid your skin of sebum, resulting in dry skin.
Other products come with high alcohol contents that dry the skin within no time at all. Just like the treatment for scalp hair, it is advisable to use cleansers and shampoos that have been formulated specifically for the beard. Some shampoos are fortified with essential minerals and vitamins that enhance the appearance of your beard hair while boosting the health of your skin.
If you have extremely flaky skin, it is important to go for anti-dandruff shampoos. However, if you are to use bar soaps, talk to your dermatologists about the brands recommended for the beard.
Start the habit of using moisturizing shampoos because they promise to fix dry skin within a very short time.
Watch what you eat
Eating the right foods is not only ideal for your overall body health but also the skin – including the skin under mustache and beard.
Some foods contain specific macronutrients that help hydrate the skin while fixing other issues such as dandruff.
Foods that are rich in amino acids, Omega-3 acids, and Vitamins A, C and E are known to hydrate the skin within a few weeks.
Dry it and keep it conditioned
Leaving your mustache and beard hair damp will cause minerals to settle at the roots of hairs, resulting in dry skin. After washing your beard, use a dry towel to drive out excess water. If you prefer using a hairdryer, ensure that it is set to the lowest temperature.
Immediately after drying, start the ritual of conditioning the beard and mustache hair to keep it manageable and smooth.
You can use the hair conditioners you use the scalp, but yet still you can get ones that are exclusively made for the beard.
Start a workout routine
People who work out regularly have epic thick manes than those who don’t. This is because the health of the skin and facial hair depends on testosterone levels.
Apart from eating the right foods, ensure that you work out regularly as this can go a long way to increase your testosterone levels for a suppler and smooth skin.
Consult a dermatologist
If you realize that none of the rituals above work for you, it is the highest time you went to see a qualified dermatologist for consultations and expert analysis of your condition. Some conditions that refuse to go away could be a sign of other serious skin problems. There is a likelihood that these conditions are the reason behind dry skin under the beard and mustache.
Having a beard is good, but maintaining it requires proper attention to hygiene and investment in products. That’s why not everyone keeps a beard. But with the tips above, you’ll have a healthy beard and a healthy skin underneath it. For those who are still struggling to grow thick facial hair use these sprays.
