Let's face it, growing a beautiful beard does not come with its downsides. Beard itch, dryness, patchiness, and beardruff (beard dandruff) are just some of the pains that come along with being a bearded man.
Many men experience the flaky problem when growing their beards out and there's a good chance you may have some hiding in your beard at this very moment.
There's hope though, and the solution is extremely simple . In this guide, we'll explore why you're getting beard dandruff in the first place, how to get rid of it, and prevent it from occurring once and for all. But first off...
Seborrheic Dermatitis, or more commonly known as beard dandruff, or beardruff, is simply dandruff on the beard. It's no different than the dandruff on the head.
Dermatologically speaking, seborrhea is a skin disorder with symptoms including "red, scaly, and inflamed skin" (source). Don't let that scare you however. The flakes that you may be experiencing are just a mild form of this condition and can be easily treatable and preventable.
The small, white flakes can be caused by either fungal infection, degenerative yeast or dry skin. The effects of fungal infections and yeast, to put it simply, is the skin's reaction to certain fungi and microbes, which can irritate the skin and therefore cause symptoms such as redness, itching, and flakes.
Dry skin, the more common and easily treatable cause of beardruff, is the result of...well, dry skin! Dry, cold weather or using shampoos or conditioners with harsh, oil stripping chemicals is what's making your beard starved of nourishment and moisture.
When the skin under your follicles are lacking this much needed support, your beard will suffer from dreadful itch and dryness as a result. So the longer your beard is and the longer you wait to treat this problem, the worse the condition may become for you.
You may have thought that the solutions for treating dandruff on the head would be the same for the beard, but it's not. Simply using...*ahem*...a commonly used shampoo...on your beard will not do the trick and we highly recommend against it as your dandruff will likely get even worse.
The head dandruff solutions won't work for your beard because these product contain dozens of ingredients, many of which are harsh, oil-stripping, and unnatural. Some of these ingredients are actually the same ones used in dishwasher and floor cleaning solutions. And you DON'T want that on your beard.
Now that you know dryness is a significant cause of beardruff, here is a simple step-by-step home remedy for treating your beard dandruff .
Using a high quality Boar Bristles Beard Brush is the first tool in treating beardruff. Why? The natural, human hair-like bristles of a Boar Beard Brush removes all of those hidden dead skin cells and flakes underneath your follicles. These resting particles not only cause dandruff, but can also lead to folliculitis and acne. Check out this article to learn more about the amazing benefits of beard brushing!
Beard Oils are actually the staple piece for a healthy, well groomed beard so it's definitely a must-have in your routine, whether you have dandruff or not!
Beard Oils moisturize and condition your facial hair by distributing its oils down from the root up to the tip of each of your hair follicles. Not only that, but it supplements the cause of dry skin itself: deficient sebum oil production. Your body naturally has its own sebum oil production rate but often times, it can't supply enough for the whole beard (especially long beards). When you apply Beard Oil, a healthy supply of moisture and nourishment to your beard is achieved. Learn more about the benefits of Beard Oil here!
We knew beard flakes was a problem that many beardsmen faced, so we crafted a fix-all solution that will finally prevent beardruff and produce a clean, healthy beard. Meet the Beard Starter Kit:
Not too difficult right? The Beard Starter Kit not only gets rid of those flakes, but also provides nourishing moisture and softens your beard at the same time. Your beard producing flakes was just its way of saying it needs moisture, nourishment, and cleanliness!
We hope this article made it clear on how easy it is to get rid of existing beard dandruff and prevent it from occurring again.
Beard on fellas.