If you’re growing a beard or simply maintaining what you have, you might be feeling some discomfort and pain in some way.
If you’re wondering why does my beard hurt, you’re not alone!
Itching, tenderness, and redness are common issues that experienced and new beard-growers experience at different stages of the beard growing process. All of which are simply to fix.
There are times when the skin beneath your facial hair can get very painful.
I am not just talking about a case of beard itch or redness.
I am talking real pain, pain so bad it hurts to touch your man mane.
I am guessing from the fact you are reading this article that you are suffering from a painful beard.
Cases of an extremely dry beard is a common reason, just like seasonal dryness, bad beard care. over-extensive beard washing, the use of beard straighteners and hair-dryers.
Sometimes just a painful ingrown beard hair can be the reason your beard hurts.
We will learn more about what can cause your beard to hurt, and how to deal with it below.
The Common Reasons Why Your Beard Hurts So Much
It's Possible You May Have An Ingrown Hair
While it’s not a particularly serious medical condition, ingrown beard hair can be extremely painful and should be addressed as soon as possible.
For those of you who don’t know what an ingrown beard hair is, it occurs when a strand of facial hair curls and grows back into your skin.
Most commonly, they appear along the jaw line or the skin of your neck, but it could happen anywhere.
With that said, any thick patches of facial hair are likely to produce ingrown hairs because there's less room for growth between your skin and facial hairs.
The easiest way to prevent in-grown beard hairs is by shaving less, taking care of your beards hygiene properly which will reduce the risk of inflammation and use a high quality beard oil daily.
I also recommend you start brushing your beard with a boar bristle beard brush, they are great for untangling thick and curly facial hairs.
Brushing your beard with a boars brush will also exfoliate the skin beneath your beard, reducing the possible build-up of dead skin cells which will certainly irritate any ingrown hairs.
You Could Be Suffering From Dandruff or Seborrheic Dermatitis
Beard dandruff also known as beardruff, is a real problem for many bearded men.
Beard dandruff is fairly easy to treat with proper beard care but if left untreated, beard dandruff could get out of control quite quickly.
If the skin beneath your beard becomes reddish and you notice the beard dandruff feels hard and painful to remove from your beard, then there is a chance you may be suffering from a skin condition known Seborrheic Dermatitis.
Seborrheic Dermatitis can be painful and could be caused by yeast bacteria feeding on the natural oils produced by your skin called sebum.
The best way to treat this problem and remove the dandruff and bacteria causing the problem is by purchasing a quality anti-dandruff shampoo.
If you believe that your beard may be painful due to this reason, I would recommend you see a dermatologist who could offer you more information in regards to how to treat it correctly.
Seasonal Dryness
Bearded men who have rocked beards for a long time know that seasonal changes can result in a dry, brittle, painful beard.
The two seasons that are responsible for this is the hot and humid summer and cold and dry winter.
Thankfully with correct beard care, you can protect your beard from these elements and prevent the painful beard.
You will need to improve upon your beard grooming routine, you will need a quality beard oil which will help replace the lost moisture, the skin beneath your beard desperately needs.
You will also need a quality beard balm to protect them facial whiskers.
Beard balm will absorb into your facial hairs and increase moisture levels within the hair, preventing it becoming brittle.
The beeswax in a balm, will create a protective barrier around your facial hairs, protecting the hair from the heat, humidity, cold or dry weather conditions.
This leads me to the next possible reason why your beard hurts.
Poor Quality Beard Care Products
Purchasing cheap beard care products from Amazon and other outlets that stock on beard care products may not always be the best move.
Of course, cheap beard care products will save you a few dollars, but these cheap products sometimes contain poor-quality ingredients that can and will irritate the skin under your beard.
For example, some cheap beard care products contain silicone and other ingredients that have no place in beard care products and it is these ingredients which can be the reason why your beard hurts.
If you notice the skin beneath your beard begins to turn red and becomes itchy after using a product, chances are high you are having a reaction to some of the ingredients in that product.
You should ditch the cheap products and look for premium-quality beard care products for your beard care needs.
We always say, never put anything on your skin or beard unless it is 100% all-natural.
After-all, your beard will reflect the quality you give it.
You will not achieve an exceptional beard using cheap beard care products.
Oil Buildup
Under-washing your facial hair is yet another possible reason as to why you may be experiencing a painful beard.
Did you know, the skin cells beneath your beard shed at an extremely fast rate?
If left, the dead skin cells and natural oils will create an environment perfect for bacteria and yeast to thrive, which will cause inflammation beneath your facial hair, that is quite painful.
If you wash your beard using a typical store-bought head hair shampoo, drop it and never use it again on your beard. These shampoos are not designed for your beard and they contain harmful chemicals that will irritate your beard and skin further.
In order to fix this problem, you just need to wash your beard using a quality beard wash that will remove the excess oils and dead skin cells but increase moisture levels, because a dry beard is an unhealthy beard.
You don't need to wash your beard everyday, 2-3 times a week is plenty.
Thanks to Beard Beasts Beard Wash, you can now wash your beard every day without robbing your facial hair of its natural oils.
Beard Beasts Beard Wash will leave your beard feeling nourished and soft in contrast to normal soaps and shampoos that can damage hair follicles and leave skin dry and itchy.
Your facial hair will stay clean, healthy, and shiny with our beard wash, which is made with mild, natural ingredients.
By calming the skin and reducing inflammation and irritation, ingredients with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities, such as Aloe Vera Extract, can aid in the treatment of acne. Chamomile protects the skin while cleansing the beard.
Over-Washing Your Beard
There is a possibility that the reason your beard hurts has something to do with something that you think is helpful.
Washing!
Now we have just touched on not washing your beard often enough, but what happens if you wash your beard too much?
Over-washing your beard could be the reason why you may be experiencing painful beard acne or dryness.
Shampoos, especially ones bought for your head hair contain harsh elements that your head hair and scalp can handle but your beard can not.
These type of shampoos are excellent at removing built-up dirt and grime from the hair strands, but they are also excellent at removing natural oils your skin produces.
For our head hair, that isn't a problem but for our beards, it is a major problem.
Our beards need the natural oils in order to stay moisturised and healthy.
Is your facial hair itching a lot?
If you remove the natural oils, then you will notice your beard will become dry, brittle and very itchy.
Therefore, if you are someone who washes their beard with these types of shampoos, using hot water and washing it every day, you are inviting pain into your bearded life and causing big dryness problems.
How often should I wash my beard?
We recommend twice a week, that is plenty, just be sure to use a shampoo that is designed for your beard and wash your beard in lukewarm water and not hot water.
It is advisable to apply a beard oil on your beard after you have cleansed it. Your facial hair and skin will be vulnerable after washing, and a beard oil can help moisturise and supply much-needed vitamins to the skin.
The pleasant yet masculine scent of Beard Beasts Classic Beard Oil guarantees that your beard always smells fresh.
The beard oil includes a special antioxidant combination of Grape Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Argan Oil, and Vitamin E for moisturizing the skin and encouraging healthy beard development.
Shaving Close To The Skin
Shaving is very well known for causing all types of problems, ingrown hairs, razor burn and razor bumps, just to name a few.
All of these can be a possible reason for a beard that is hurting.
If you have recently shaved your beards cheek-line or neckline, and you noticed your beard began to hurt shortly after, chances are that is the problem.
Next time you want to shape your beard, try a beard trimmer without a guard on.
Of course, it is not going to be a skin shave, but you will know whether or not it was the razor that caused some sort of painful beard by causing an ingrown hair, razor burn or razor bumps.
Why does my beard hurt? I have read all of your likely reasons for it, but I still don't think any of them are the reason.
No problem, I still have one possible reason to go!
Blow Drying And Straightening Your Beard
Beard straighteners are one of the biggest trends within the beard industry at this moment in time.
And while they can be helpful for straightening curly facial hair, they do come with potential problems.
The hot heat beard straighteners give out can cause some serious dryness issues, not to mention the damage they can cause to your facial hair strands.
If you use beard straighteners often, you will make your beard become very dry and brittle which will be very hard for your beard to recover from.
I am not saying to never use them.
It is fine to use them sparingly, but I would advise that you use the lowest heat setting, and use some sort of protective spray for your beard that will protect your facial hairs while under that sort of heat.
Tip: Never, ever straighten a wet beard using heated hair straighteners. It is one of the worse things you can do to your beard as it will destroy your facial hairs.
I also suggest that you don't use a hair-dryer on a wet beard, as this will heat up and basically boil the water within the hair strands.
Last Words
I hope this article on why does my beard hurt was insightful and has helped you in some way.
If your beard hurts, it is always recommended to take a long hard look at your beard care and find what is causing the problem.
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