You can have dandruff in your beard just like you can get dry, flaky skin on your scalp. In fact, you may not notice any such skin issues on your face until you start growing a beard.
Wondering how you can get rid of dandruff without having to shave your beard? Read on to understand all aspects of beard dandruff.
What Is Beard Dandruff?
Dandruff is a skin condition that primarily affects the scalp, causing dry, flaky skin that itches. Medically, dandruff is also known as seborrheic dermatitis. In most cases, you can see skin flakes in your hair if you have dandruff on your scalp.
But dandruff is not limited to scalp hair, you may find white skin flakes and experience itchiness in your beard hair as well. This is called beard dandruff. Read more to learn how to get rid of beard dandruff and its causes.
Why Do I Have Dandruff in My Beard?
The fungal cells of Malassezia globosa can be found on practically everyone's skin. This fungus grows in oily areas with many sebaceous glands, including your scalp and face. Sebum, the oil generated by your sebaceous glands, is broken down by the fungus.
This technique generates oleic acid, which may cause skin irritation in certain people. Furthermore, having naturally oily skin increases your chances of having M. globosa bacteria, as oily surfaces produce more oleic acid, causing dandruff.
In certain people's skin, cell turnover is also rapid. The rate at which our skin cells often regenerate is the cell turnover rate. On average, a cell turnover cycle lasts 30 days. However, when the process speeds up, dead skin cells may accumulate.
How to Get Rid of Beard Dandruff
To get rid of beard dandruff, you'll need to figure out a way to get rid of dead skin cells while simultaneously controlling excess oil production and preventing new flakes from forming. For the most part, this comprises a consistent regimen of exfoliating, cleansing, and moisturising. However, regardless of the programme or products you follow, you may not see results for a week or two.
1. Exfoliating
Exfoliation is a technique for eliminating dead skin cells, particularly those that cause dandruff. You can make this the first step of your procedure by using a beard brush. Choose a brush with soft bristles to prevent further irritating the skin.
In addition to eliminating dead skin, a beard brush will help evenly distribute oils from your skin, preventing the accumulation of oil and, thus, clogging of pores.
2. Washing
If you haven't previously, wash your beard the same way you wash your hair. You can wash your hair with the same shampoo you use on your scalp. If you have dandruff, you should use a medicated shampoo.
3. Moisturising
If you want to avoid beard dandruff, you must always moisturise your beard.
Moisturising after shampooing aids in the restoration of essential oils stripped while washing and preserving your skin’s moisture. Apply the moisturiser as soon as you've finished cleaning.
Rub a few drops of oil between your palms and massage it into the skin beneath your beard, beginning at the ends and working your way up. To avoid an overabundance of droplets, start with one or two.
You can always add more if it doesn't feel like you've covered your entire beard.
Beard Dandruff Home Remedies
1. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera as a plant has been used for ages to treat wounds and skin diseases for millennia because of its antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
It also contains Vitamin E, which aids in skin and hair nourishment and moisturization. You can directly apply Aloe Vera gel on your beard for the best results.
2. Lemons Juice
Lemon juice helps balance the pH level of dandruff-prone skin because it is acidic. The natural pH level of our scalp and skin must be restored to prevent dandruff-causing germs from growing on your skin.
Antioxidants and Vitamin C are also included, which aid in nourishing the skin. Lemon juice can be added to Aloe Vera gel or applied directly as a mask to the beard for best results.
3. Sea Salt
Sea salt has medicinal properties and can treat a variety of skin problems. Compared to conventional table salt, sea salt includes more minerals essential for skin growth and function.
You can use this beard dandruff treatment to prevent beardruff from getting worse since high amounts of salt slow the growth of fungi. You can make a mask using sea salt, lemon juice and Aloe Vera, or you can mix sea salt with coconut oil and apply it to your beard for the best results.
4. Aspirin
Believe it or not, aspirin isn't just for headache relief. This is due to salicylic acid, a crucial ingredient in most antifungal medications. At the same time, it's antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and exfoliating.
Dilute aspirin in water, and soak your beard in this beard dandruff solution. Leave it for 10 minutes and wash it. This proves as an excellent remedy
5. Coconut Oil
One of the botanical world's miracles, virgin coconut oil(VCO), is a very efficient and all-around remedy for most ailments. The term "virgin" refers to the way coconut oil is processed. VCO is extracted by cold pressing coconut meat.
This results in higher vitamin and mineral content and a higher concentration of antioxidants, which are not present when the oil is extracted using heat. Massage your beard with coconut oil as you would massage your scalp. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then shampoo
.
How to Reduce Beard Dandruff: a Step-by-step Guide
This particular beard problem is relatively simple to remedy.
Some, if not all, of these processes should be incorporated into your beard grooming practice.
- Step 1: Beard Cleansing: regularly wash and moisturise your beard
- Step 2: Beard Moisturising: make sure your beard is completely dry after washing and before moisturising.
- Step 3: Beard Grooming: go for a regular trim to avoid matted beards and skin infections. It is important to do this from time to time.
- Step 4: Beard Maintenance: generously use beard oils, balms, and other beard products to maintain your beard
Consult a dermatologist if nothing seems to be working to stop dandruff.
How Can I Prevent It From Coming Back?
Here are some ways to keep beardruff from recurring:
- It's vital to stick to your routine, especially when washing and moisturising.
- You must keep track of how your skin feels. If you're feeling itchiness or irritation on your skin, applying a few extra drops of beard oil can be helpful.
- You must consider the weather outside before indulging in any beard grooming regime. If the weather is cold or dry, you may need to use a thicker moisturiser.
- Make sure that you're not shampooing too often. If you're using a medicated shampoo, you can cut back to once or twice a week after your dandruff is under control.
When to See a Dermatologist?
If you've tried everything listed above and still have problems, you should seek medical help from a dermatologist or other medical specialist. An underlying skin issue could cause dandruff, for which you need a dermatologist. Also, if your dandruff issue keeps recurring despite resorting to all the above-mentioned beard dandruff home remedies, make sure to visit your skin doctor.
Summing Up
Beard dandruff is a very common skin problem, but it may be quickly remedied by following a few simple steps. Whatever you select, pay close care to the hair on your beard and the skin beneath it. If you haven't noticed any improvement after a few weeks, consult your doctor.
It may be necessary to go for a prescription antifungal shampoo or topical steroid therapy. You can avoid the recurrence of dandruff by sticking to your regimen after it has cleared up.
References
- Charles W. Saunders, June 2012; Malassezia Fungi Are Specialized to Live on Skin and Associated with Dandruff, Eczema, and Other Skin Diseases - https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002701
- Keeping Your Pandemic Beard? Solve Skin Problems Caused by Your Facial Hair - https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/beard-mustache-skin-problems
- Luis J. Borda, December 2013; Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff: A Comprehensive Review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4852869/
