Lately, it seems like more and more men are deciding to grow beards. It’s an awesome world we live in where men everywhere are free to either embrace the look they’ve always wanted, a new look, or simply keep their face a little warmer in the winter months. But some people may find that growing a beard comes with a little more than they’ve initially bargained for in the form of skin irritation and, unfortunately, beard acne. Lucky for you though, there are several solutions out there that can help you get (and keep) this minor drawback under control.
1. Keep Your Beard Clean
The main cause of beard pimples is an unclean beard. Even if you don’t work a strenuous job, your facial hair accumulates dust, dirt, sweat, and various other debris throughout the day. This leads to clogged pores, which in turn leads to pimples. The best way to fight back against these types of pimples is to keep your beard clean. This ideally means using a mild facial cleanser daily. A gentle cleanser keeps both your beard and the skin beneath it clean by clearing out pores and getting rid of excess oil.
2. Exfoliate
Having a beard that’s too oily is one cause of acne, but so is a beard that’s too dry. Over time, dead skin cells build up and, just like oil, start to block pores and cause acne.
This is exactly why exfoliating is so important. When you have a beard, using certain chemical peels and rough materials can be a challenge. But don’t worry! There are plenty of easy-to-use exfoliators for bearded men out there that are up to the challenge. Ideally, this step should be performed after you’ve steamed your pores open with a hot washcloth, as it helps ensure you’re getting deep into every pore. But make sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards to prevent the exfoliating product itself from becoming an irritant.
3. Moisturize
More often than not, the key to preventing acne under your beard is finding a good balance between cleanliness and moisture. The best way to achieve that is by adding a good beard-safe moisturizer to your skin care regimen. These products are used to deliver a healthy amount of moisture and nutrition to your beard and the skin beneath it every day. There are hundreds of moisturizers out there, but few deliver all the protection you need with a natural, manly look and scent. Be selective when choosing a moisturizer, and lean towards products that include SPF protection to provide your skin with an extra shield against harmful UV rays while you’re taking care of business.
4. Groom Often
One surefire way to get beard pimples is to let your beard run wild. Having a messy beard leads to dryness, ingrown hairs, redness, and other issues you just don’t want to deal with. Luckily, avoiding these problems can be as easy as keeping your beard well-groomed with a comb or brush. In an ideal world, this should be done with a specialized beard comb that uses sturdy but natural materials. Strong, natural boar bristles are firm enough to comb through beard tangles without damaging the hair or your skin, and wooden handles are durable and less likely to irritate your skin or crack under pressure. Combing or brushing often keeps your beard looking neat and well-groomed, and it gives the glands responsible for natural, moisturizing oil production a much-needed boost.
5. Wax On
In the world of beard care, a little bit of protection goes a long way. The best way to prevent acne is to keep irritants like pollen, unnecessary oil, debris, and other unwanted materials that cause acne under your beard away in the first place. It might seem impossible to anyone who steps foot outside his front door, but with a natural beard balm made with beeswax, anything is possible.
Beard balm serves both to style your beard perfectly and to help capture debris before it works deep into your facial hair and onto the skin beneath. Debris gets trapped on the surface and washes off at the end of the day alongside the balm. The best part is, it takes the tiniest bit of balm to do the trick, so you don’t have to burn your entire budget on this layer of protection. One can of balm will go a long way.
6. Don’t Give Up
Beard pimples can be severely uncomfortable, itchy or even painful. As a result, many men just decide to shave and move on with life. But these are generally men who don’t know how to treat the acne they’re dealing with. Now that you have a bit of know-how, you have the resources you need to keep your beard and love it too.
Do beards cause acne? No, but environmental factors certainly do. Fortunately, fighting back against those factors is easy. If having a beard is for you, but you’re worried about the pimples that might come along with it, don’t worry. It’s never too late — or too early — to start treating the sensitive skin under your facial hair. Get the right tools, products, and information ASAP to start treating your skin the right way and prevent (or destroy) beard pimples at Wild-Willies.com!
