5 Beard Hygiene Problems Faced By Men

Introduction

Maintaining a beard is a good amount of work, men will agree. It looks stylish, it looks rugged and makes a statement. However, it doesn’t really make the cut if you don’t take good care of it. Most men just grow out a beard but have no clue about beard hygiene facts. When the facial hair becomes unmanageable and men begin to face a few problems, they simply shave it off!

To help you sustain your macho look, we’ve listed a few problems that bearded men face (bet you’ll relate to most of them) with some effective solutions. Read on:

• Itching: Itching in the beard area gets worse during summers because of the scorching heat. Even during winter, the skin underneath the beard can get really dry and cause irritation. To deal with this issue, resort to good old aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is extremely hydrating and soothing. It will help get rid of the itch almost instantly, and won’t leave any residue as well. For best results, apply the gel and leave it overnight.
• Dandruff: Contrary to popular belief, dandruff can occur in any hairy place on the body and not just the head. It could be present on the scalp, on the beard, and even on the eyebrows. This problem can be embarrassing as dandruff is easily visible. The key to getting rid of beard dandruff is keeping it clean, but making sure the skin underneath is not dry. Tea tree oil and coconut oil are antifungal in nature and will help to get rid of dandruff. If you don’t get the desired results, consult a skin specialist and seek treatment.
• Patchy hair growth: Uneven growth could keep you from giving that perfect shape to your beard. Use olive oil and castor oil to promote growth. Regular use of these oils will also help to prevent thinning of hair.
• Dry hair: Dry beard hair can cause further problems like dandruff and also cause hair to become brittle and break easily. The solution is simple. Use a conditioner and make use of oils like avocado or olive oil to provide nourishment.
• Acne: Beard acne can be a little hard to handle because you can’t just shave off that little patch of hair, right? Beard acne also results in the hair getting trapped in the pimple and can lead to an infection due to moisture and heat. Tea tree oil can provide a solution to this problem. Dilute it and apply it to the affected area using an earbud. You can also use the non-traditional remedy of applying Listerine, as this will dry out the acne quickly.

Tinea barbae is a rare disease and is frequently misdiagnosed as more common conditions that affect the beard and mustache area like bacterial infection. The major risk factors include moist area, excessive sweating in beard areas.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

Read more about home remedies for dandruff.

Tips To Groom And Maintain Your Beard:

In men, a beard almost acts as an accessory that can change and alleviate your facial structure and add that extra oomph to your personality. While keeping a well-maintained beard is every man’s dream, not all men know how to maintain it even if they grow one out. Here are a few tips for you to grow and maintain a healthy beard:

• Keep it Trimming: Like the hair on all other parts of the body, your beard too is always on the go. So even if you may have trimmed your beard a couple of days ago, you’ll need to trim it again for it to maintain its shape. It takes only a few days of procrastination to go from the macho man to the caveman.
• Your Beard Needs Cleaning Too: Men are known for having the softest acne-free skin despite their usage of 3 in 1 shampoo to wash their face while women resort to a 10 step Korean skincare routine and still face breakouts daily. However, if you think this 3 in 1 routine will work for your beard as well then you couldn’t be further away from the truth. A splash of water does nothing to wash off the dirt from your facial hair. A generous touch of shampoo and conditioner is important to keep your hair from going coarse. Make sure that you use products that are suitable for your facial hair since the skin on your face is much more sensitive than your scalp.
• Beard Kit Essentials: Right tools pave the way for a great beard. Investing in a suitable grooming kit for your beard can do wonders especially if you are serious about growing out an impressive beard. Make sure that your beard kit includes these essentials – a trimmer, comb and a rotary shaver. There are a lot of devices available in the market that are multipurpose and allow you to use a lot of functions without having to buy multiple products.
• Tame the Mane: Facial hair too needs styling without which it can look unruly and frizzy thus, defeating the purpose of why you wanted to keep the beard in the first place. Usage of beard oil and pomade helps in keeping your facial hair moisturized, healthy, and tucked in place.

Fungal infection of the beard is a very common but neglected condition of the hair, hair follicles and the skin in the beard and the mustache area. Topical antifungal treatments are the mainstay of treatment in such scenarios.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

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