Scraggly Beard: 14 Easy Methods to Prevent & Fix It

Guys, you have to take care of your beard or else you run the risk of ending up looking like Robinson Crusoe stuck on three tours on an abandoned island.

Forgetting to trim, maintain or simply take care of your beard will result in a very scraggly beard that, in all honesty never looks good.

But if you have a good enough excuse for not taking care of your beard, there are still ways to fix the problem.

The damage created by a scraggly beard can easily be undone as long as you are disciplined and follow the best practices.

We as expert beard tamers have found various ways to eliminate a scraggly beard and can help you get that smooth, sleek and soft beard that you want.

The worst-case scenario is shaving everything off and starting all over again.

But we don’t want that.

What we do want is to help you tame and stylize your beard to perfection so you can feel confident while the people around you turn heads as you pass by.

What Is a Scraggly Beard

Not all men can grow a glorious beard, the likes of which legends are written about. Some men have trouble growing a full beard, and it gets even harder when the beard turns out quite scraggly and patchy.

If your beard makes you look like you live in a cardboard box under the bridge then you have a scraggly beard problem.

The term scraggly can mean different things. It could mean that there are so many stray hairs that you cannot even tell the shape of the person’s face. It could also be characterized by a lot of patchy areas where you can see the skin underneath.

Both definitions are technically correct, and there are even more signs of having a patchy beard, which will be discussed later.

Pros and Cons of Scraggly Beards

Although a scraggly beard is something that most bearded men avoid it does have its benefits. However, you also have to learn about some of its flaws. You can get to know about these pros and cons in this section.

Pros

• Makes you look older but in the right way. Men who have a baby face but do not particularly like it can grow a beard that is quite scraggly. If you are one of them then a beard that turns out to be scraggly can add more maturity to your face.
  This is good, especially if you want to look more masculine.
• Keeps the skin safe from UV rays. Any cover against the rays of the sun is welcome. Even if it is a scraggly beard, it will still protect the skin underneath from the harmful ultraviolet rays.
• Keeps your face warm. If you live in an area where the temperature usually goes below the freezing point for a good chunk of the year, then a patchy or scraggly beard is perfect for you. It can help protect your face from getting frozen solid.
• It is a great conversation piece. A beard is a beard and if you find someone else who has facial hair it would be hard not to fraternize and have conversations about beard care and whatever. Now, if you have scraggly facial hair and the other person has a glorious beard you might even get tips on how to make your beard just like his.

Cons

• It can make you look unprofessional. If you have a scraggly beard and your hair is also unkempt it will be relatively easy for people to mistake you for a panhandler. A bit of scruff is not that bad. However, if you let your facial hair grow wild you only make it easy for people to judge you based on looks alone.

Why Does Scraggly Beard Happen

A scraggly beard does not just materialize on its own. There are actually factors that can cause very rough and patchy facial hair. Some might be your fault, while the other reasons might be out of your control.

The following are just some of the most common reasons why a scraggly beard develops:

Food Habits

Just like with the other parts of the body you will need to feed your hair, including the one in your face with the right types and amounts of nutrients. If you have the habit of eating unhealthy stuff your facial hair or beard may also suffer, causing it to become scraggly.

You can get nutrients that promote from the foods you eat. Generally, it would be best for you to avoid those foods that contribute to low hair growth, including those that have aspartame, selenium and mercury.

You also have to stay away from foods that have excessively high Vitamin A content and sugar. The reason is that they can also cause low hair growth.

Depression and Stress

Depression and insane amounts of stress can also affect the quality of facial hair growth. The reason is that both conditions may cause hormonal imbalance.

Severe mental disorders can put your body’s systems out of whack causing some hormones to decrease production while increasing that of others. With that said you can almost always tell if a person is under a lot of stress just by looking at his hair.

Genetic Reasons

Some men are just lucky enough to win the genetic lottery, which is why they have awesome looking facial hair. This goes the other way as well.

If your dad and your grandfathers from both sides of the family could not grow a decent beard then you are most likely to suffer the same fate. You are more prone to having a scraggly beard in that case.

Other Disease

Patchy and scraggly beard growth can also be the result of certain diseases like alopecia areata. This condition may cause bald spots in certain areas on the head. In some severe cases alopecia can cause the person not to grow any head and body hair.

Like dermatitis some skin disorders may also cause hair to fall off in specific places on the head. In some cases, there is a risk that even after you recover from dermatitis the lost hair will not regrow. This can lead to a scraggly beard and some patchy spots.

How to Make Your Beard Less Scraggly

If you want your beard to look good all the time you need to take care of it proactively. A good-looking beard requires quite a bit of work. It will not become glorious on its own.

With that said, here are some tips that will surely help you in preventing a scraggly beard:

Visit Your Barber Regularly

If you have no idea how to trim and shape your facial hair it would be best to leave the task to a professional barber. However, you do not just let your barber have his way with your beard.

You have to communicate what you want to be done so that he will be able to give you the look that you want.

Establish Night Routine

Make it a point to give your beard a bit of TLC every night before you go to sleep. For instance, you can give your beard a good shampooing and once it is dry apply a bit of beard oil.

Use a boar hair brush to apply the oil on all the hairs evenly. Having a nightly routine like this will ensure that your beard will always be manageable.

Shampoo

Although you can use the same shampoo you use on your hair it is best to use one specifically made for the beard or facial hair. Facial hair is thicker than the hair on your head to need something more than your regular shampoo.

If you cannot find any in your local stores, you can try making a homemade beard shampoo. The good news is that it is now easy to find recipes for them online.

Use a Beard Cream

Beard creams, waxes and balms are the best products that you can use to tame your scraggly beard. Besides holding your facial hair in place, so it does not stray, you can also expect your chosen beard cream to contain essential ingredients that improve hair health.

With that, you will have an easier time preventing scraggly beard.

Comb It Regularly

If you comb your hair to make yourself more presentable you should also do the same for your facial hair. In fact, because of the tendency for facial hair to stray you must comb it often. By doing that, you will have a lower chance of complaining about having a scraggly beard.

How to Make Your Beard Neat

However, unfortunately, if you developed a scraggly beard you do not have to worry too much or get too frustrated.

The reason is that there are a few methods and tools that you can now use to fix it – among which are the following:

Use a Beard Straightener

If your facial hair is curly it is also highly likely that it will go scraggly after some time. If that is the case, you will need to use a beard straightener to flatten out your facial hair, allowing it to lie straight.

There are different methods of beard straightening that you can use, but I find that using an electric hair iron works best. Even if you do not have a curly beard you can still use a beard straightener to eliminate any flyaway strands.

Trim to an Even Length

Uneven hair length is another reason why a beard turns scraggly, and it is admittedly hard to keep your beard even throughout the face because the hairs curl up.

You can use a pair of scissors and a comb to make sure that every strand is the same length or you can use an electric beard trimmer to get the job done faster.

Use a Beard Comb

Beard combs are your best friends. Aside from having the ability to untangle each strand, the beard comb is also useful in training your hair to grow only in a particular direction. Even when your beard is just starting to grow you should comb it to train it better.

Brush It Up

Besides beard combs, you should also use a boar hair beard brush to groom your facial hair. A beard brush is great for most beard types and it helps make sure each strand stays in place.

Moreover, it can distribute your natural oils evenly among each strand and exfoliate the skin underneath your beard.

Define Your Neckline

Having a clear and defined beard neckline will help your beard look less scraggly because it gives your facial hair shape. It is not that hard and it becomes even more comfortable the more often you do it.

Start by defining your neckline’s lowest point by placing your index and middle finger just above your Adam’s apple. After that, shape your beard using that point for reference. It is best if you have a fogless shaving mirror to see what you are doing much better.

Use Beard Wax Instead of Oils and Balsams

Beard oils and balsams are great for keeping your facial hair shiny and healthy. However, it would still be much better to use a beard wax instead of the products mentioned. The reason is that beard wax can help keep each hair in place.

Tidy Up Your Mustache

Your mustache is the central part of your beard and it is usually the first thing that people notice. The hairs on your upper lip grow faster than the other parts of the beard, so it tends to look scraggly at first.

Get a pair of barber’s scissors and trim any hair strands that are out of place. Your goal is to keep your mustache from getting so long that it droops over your mouth.

Test Different Beard Styles

Most newbie beard growers think in black and white. They either can grow the thickest beard in the world or if not they should shave everything off their face. There is a huge grey area.

Many short beard styles are easy to maintain and might look better on you than having a full, thick beard. Test out as many of these styles until you find the one that is right for you.

Visit a Barber

Although it is useful if you know how to style your beard yourself it would be a lot better to let a good barber have a go at styling your facial hair.

If you are starting to feel hopeless that you will not make your scraggly beard look better, you can go to a barber as a last resort. Not only will your beard look nicer but you will also get some tips on how to maintain it.

How to Maintain One

Step 1 – Shampoo and condition your beard

You need to prevent split ends and fly away hairs as these are responsible for making your beard look rough and scraggly. Good beard shampoo and conditioner will help keep your facial hair healthy and less prone to damage.

Step 2 – Apply beard oil and/or beard balm

A good quality beard oil can prevent dryness of the hair and the skin underneath your beard. These products can also help keep your facial hair soft and manageable, so it will not make you feel itchy.

Step 3 – Comb and brush your beard regularly

After washing and drying your beard and applying beard care products you need to comb your beard to prevent hairs from curling. Follow this up with a beard brush to clean each strand, exfoliate the skin underneath and promote the production of natural skin oils.

Step 4 – Trim and shape your beard

You will need a good quality pair of barber’s scissors and a razor for this part. Use the scissors to trim off any stragglers and the razor to shape your beard.

Step 5 – Style your beard using beard wax

This product will hold every hair strand in place, making your beard look neat and less scraggly.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do have a complete grooming kit at home. You need to have at least one pair of barber’s scissors, a good quality razor and an all-in-one beard trimmer at home. You may also want to try the world’s best stubble trimmer to give you that rough yet well-maintained corporate beard look. These are the essential tools that will help you keep your beard under control.
• Do brush your beard regularly. Brushing and combing your beard regularly prevents the strands from tangling and getting damaged. Brushing your beard also helps keep the skin underneath the beard healthy.
• Do try different beard styles. If you can’t seem to grow a full beard because of patchy hair growth then try out different styles.
  For instance short beard styles can be smart and distinct, and they are easier to maintain.

Dont’s

• Do not let your beard grow out uncontrolled. As mentioned earlier, you need to trim your beard regularly.
  Letting your beard grow long on its own is the best method to getting a scruffy beard as facial hairs grow at varying rates depending on where they are on the face.
• Do not use regular shampoo. Facial hair is very different in structure than the hair on your head, so you need to use specially-formulated shampoo and conditioner for it. Despite that, it is still fine to use regular shampoo if you have no other choice.

FAQ

How do I keep my beard from looking scraggly?

If you want to prevent your beard from looking scraggly, then commit to some grooming routines. A wise tip is to do regular trimming and grooming. It can help keep your facial hair under control and prevent it from getting dry and scraggly.

Why does my beard look scraggly?

There are several reasons why your beard looks scraggly. One probable explanation is that your beard is very dry. There are also instances when it tends to grow worldwide, causing it to look scraggly. It may even lead to uneven hair growth and plenty of split ends.

How do you style a scraggly beard?

First, you will need to trim and make sure every strand is relatively the same length. It is also advisable for you to use beard styling products like beard wax regularly. Such products can help your beard maintain its shape.

How do you know when your beard starts looking scraggly?

You will notice your beard starts to get scraggly when you see a lot of stray hairs whenever you look in a mirror. You may notice that specific patches of your face are not growing or hardly growing any hair.

How can I grow a full beard if I have a patchy one?

Many people say that you can use a premium beard derma roller to stimulate beard growth on the patchy areas on your face. However, if this does not work for you you can grow your facial hair longer and then style your beard in a way that you cover up the patchy parts.