One reason your beard hurts is that something irritates the skin underneath all that facial hair. There are loads of issues that come with growing and keeping a beard; fortunately, you can quickly fix them.
Most Common Reasons Beard Pain
Dry and Irritated Skin
Dry skin underneath the beard is one of the most common problems of bearded gentlemen. Often, the skin dries up because there is not enough moisture in the air, which usually happens during the colder parts of the year.
Aside from beard itching, dry skin is prone to acne. In addition, men with beards often neglect the skin underneath their facial hair. Unlike clean-shaven men who use cleansers and moisturizers on their faces, bearded guys care for the beard and forget about the skin underneath.
Inflammation
You may also get a chronic infection in your beard. One possibility is that you got your beard trimmed and the barber forgot to sanitize their tools properly before using them on you.
Ingrown Hairs
If you are starting to grow a beard, you will need to brush it as soon as the hairs start growing, even if it is still a patchy beard or a peach fuzz beard. If you don’t, you might suffer from ingrown hair.
This is when the new facial hairs start to curl up and dig into the skin instead of growing outward. Ingrown hairs can cause severe pain and swell in the affected area.
Hair Sitting In a New Direction
This is somewhat similar to what happens with ingrown hair. The only difference is that it now has a medium beard and the hair has not pierced through the skin.
This means the beard hair is positioned so that when you run your hands through your beard, the point of the coarse hair pokes into the skin.
Low-Quality Beard Care Products
You should never skimp on the grooming products that you use on your beard and face. Often, you will be getting what you paid for. Cheap and low-quality beard care products often have harsh ingredients on the skin.
If you are using sub-par beard products, that might be the reason why your beard hurts right now.
Over-Grooming
The hottest trend in beard care is beard straighteners (pardon the pun). This nifty tool can help straighten and tame even the unruliest whiskers. However, the heat coming from this tool is also enough to dry the skin underneath the beard.
This does not mean that you should stop using it. What you should do, instead, is use it sparingly. Also, if you like coloring your facial hair occasionally, some beard dyes are notorious for drying both the hair and the skin.
Shaving Close to the Skin
If shaving parts of your skin, you should probably stop cutting it too close to the skin. Doing this puts you at risk of developing ingrown hairs. In addition, shaving too close will cause razor burns, making the skin tender and painful.
Instead of a razor, use a stubble trimmer if your beard is prone to ingrown hairs.
Stress
Yes, stress can also lead to having a painful beard. Because when you are overly stressed, your hormone production will slightly go out of whack. This sudden imbalance is why you will start developing skin rashes and acne.
In some of the worst cases, beard hair loss is also possible. Also, stress can make you unaware of your subconscious movements. For instance, you typically tend to stroke your beard if you are stressed. Some people even pull out their beard hairs while deep in thought.
How to Treat Beard Pain
Step 1 – Use high-quality products
Invest in quality beard care products you will use on your face. Also, ensure that the products contain moisturizing agents to keep your beard and skin hydrated. You can also take beard vitamins to supplement your diet to make your facial hair grow straighter.
Step 2 – Don’t wash beard too often
Just like your scalp, the skin underneath your beard is prone to drying, so wash your beard every other day or even twice a week. This will prevent the shampoo from stripping the natural oils in the hair and on your skin and keep them from drying.
Step 3 – Brush as often as possible
Combing and brushing your beard will train the hair to grow a certain way, even when it is just starting to come in. This will prevent ingrown hairs from developing.
In addition, brushing helps to redistribute the natural oils in your skin and beard, remove dead skin cells, and keep your facial hair neat.
Step 4 – Use good oil
Even if you are still in the early growing stage, you should start using beard oil. A good quality beard oil has beard-softening and moisturizing ingredients. In addition, beard oil can help make taming and styling your beard much easier.
Step 5 – Learn to manage your stress levels
If you feel like your work is starting to burn you out but do not have the luxury of quitting, learn ways to unwind. Some people like to play video games for an hour or two after work, work on project cars, and want to hit the gym. Do whatever it is that works for you.
Best Care Products
- Beard shampoo. You should not use the same shampoo that you use on your hair on your beard. Regular shampoo is too strong for beard hair and using it too often can lead to dryness.
- Beard oil. This product is of utmost importance when you are growing a beard. Good beard oil will repair damaged hair shafts and keep your hair from breaking. It also softens and smoothens facial strands, making them easier to style.
- Beard comb and brush. Speaking of styling, you will need a good pair of combs and brushes. The comb is there to detangle and control the frenzied hair strands. The brush will massage the skin underneath the beard and shape the beard itself.
FAQ
What can I do if my beard hair hurts when combing?
If it hurts when you comb your beard, you might want to use a proper beard comb with wide-spaced teeth. Also, apply good beard oil to soften the hair, promoting easy combing and styling.
Should growing a beard hurt?
If you care for your beard and face properly, your beard should not hurt. The only reason why it hurts right now is due to inflammation. Seek out what it is that is causing the discomfort and then treat it immediately.
Why does my beard hurt when I touch it?
There are many reasons why your beard hurts when you touch it. Among them are swelling and infection due to ingrown hairs. Another reason might be an inflamed hair follicle.
Conclusion
Even though you are saying that your beard hurts, the skin underneath is sore. Still, with proper hygiene and using the best beard care products, you will realize that your beard will immediately start feeling better.
Nobody said that growing a beard would be easy, but it should not be painful. When you take good care of your beard and face, your beard-growing journey will be a walk in the park.
Vinnie is one of the members of the Beardoholic writers team. He’s also a barber and hairstylist for 15 years now and he has a kick-ass beard of his own, so he surely knows what makes a magnificent beard and hair and how to achieve them. He’s our go-to guy for all the latest beard and hairstyle trends and he always has a tip or two on how to grow and style a thick beard fast.