5 Tips To Use Today To Stop Beard Acne

What is Beard Acne?

When the beard or the border area becomes inflamed, pimples or hard bumps form. It’s usually caused by an ingrown hair. The ingrown hair is the result of failure to clear clipped hair. These small hair particles can deposit in the follicles and become compacted. This leads to inflammation that can become infected and results in the acne like appearance in the beard.

In addition, regular acne can be made worse by the failure to remove the build up of dead skin cells and debris. This debris is a breeding ground for bacteria and other microscopic baddies. When the debris accumulates, it can clog pores and lead to acne breakouts.

Pros and Cons of beards for acne

While it may be gross to nudge at a pimple only to find a hair emerge. Try tugging it so hard it feel likes it could pull your face with it. On second thought, don’t. Those are not fun. Having said that, it’s not all bad news for beard lovers.

Pros

• First of all, shaving the skin in even the best conditions is irritating. It can lead to bumps on its own. The irritation from the razor alone comes with its own problems. Too light on the cut and you increase gnarly hairs that can curl back on themselves and become ingrown. Too hard and your have skin abrasion that opens the skin to infection equal to or worse than normal acne.

• Second, you have to slather your face before and after with chemicals (look up shaving cream and after shave ingredients) of some kind. Some of which may add to the acne on its own. This can also be true of a beard, but the beard hair can have a canopy affect, limiting the amount of skin exposure to harsh chemicals.

• Third, if you have acne, it’s tricky to shave around outbreaks as you risk making a bad situation worse, or accidentally chopping the head of a new acne sore that hasn’t healed. This increases the likelihood of scarring, which makes a minor problem much more so.

Fourth, beards are like a version of makeup for men. It can cover flaws, imperfections, scars and what not. Even though you may have multiple acne outbreaks present, beards, depending on length, can mask the appearance.

Cons

• Beards are a problem because even the best cared for ones tend to have debris and microorganisms.

• There’s a certain level of maintenance required to keep it stylish instead of bum like. If you do have an acne outbreak, it’s harder to treat because of the canopy effect of the beard, shielding the spot from treatment.

• If you try to use creams or lotions for acne treatment, it can stain the beard, making for weird, off color patches. This is fine if you are going for abstract patterns that give your beard that wild, modern art lived in appeal.

• Loved ones may not like the prickly feeling. Beard rash is real, gentleman.

Tip 1: Baking Soda/ACV rinse

We all remember that time from elementary school when science class taught us that bases and acids don’t mix well. This is one of those times that the resulting neutralizing effect is desired.

Wet the beard slightly. Think soft splashes and sprinkles. I’m not talking dump your face in a bucket, animal style. The baking soda is good at getting to the nooks and crevices of the beard. Work it in. Massage it all about. You don’t need a license for this massage. It’s good for dislodging and sticking to debris.

When it’s set for a bit (non-standard unit of time equal to whenever you feel like it), take a sufficient amount of Apple Cider Vinegar and relive grade school chemistry on your face. There should be some bubbling and tingling. That’s good. You want a cleansing feeling, not scorched face feeling. Learn to differentiate or embrace masochism.

This shouldn’t be an every day deal. Try a few times a week to see how your beard and skin react. You defiantly want debris cleared from the face, but you don’t want so much stripping that the skin microbiome is out of whack, either.

Tip 2 Moisturizer/Beard oil/Balms

Balms

Tend to have a thicker consistency and are used for styling in addition to softening the beard and hydrating the skin.

Beard Oil

A medium consistency between balms and moisturizers. Different carrier oils and essential oils produce varying results. Only a few drops, depending on beard length, are needed to keep a beard soft, fluffy and presentable. Should be used in the morning, after shower, and at night before bed. Acts like beard food and keeps the skin hydrated.

Moisturizers

Technically, all of these category are moisturizers to some degree as they supply nourishment and hydration for the skin. The idea is simply to provide the skin underneath the beard to remain nourished enough not to simulate production of oil from the sebaceous glands, which makes the acne go boom.

Moisturizers mainly target skin under the beard but have varying effects on style and management. Here are a few organic, plant based moisturizers:

Jojoba oil

Pros:

• Fights infections

• Nourishing for skin and hair

• Balance oil production

• Not too pricey (even organic)

Cons:

• External use only (internal use could be harmful)

• Some people may develop rash or are allergic

Castor oil

Pros:

• Anti-bacterial

• Nourishing for skin and hair

• Can be left in overnight

• Cheap (even organic)

Cons:

• Allergic to some (skin patch test before use)

• Keep away from eyes

• Limit internal use

Almond oil

Pros:

• Overall healthy for hair

• Anti-inflammatory

• Internal use is generally well tolerated

Cons:

• Can be oily on skin

• Not the best moisturizer for leaving on skin

• Nut allergy suffers be mindful

Argan

Pro:

• Good for inflammation

• Fights Acne

• Doesn’t clog pores

Cons:

• Nut allergy suffers should avoid

• Expensive if high quality

• Short shelf life (keep out of sunlight)

Tip 3 Beard wash

While you may be tempted to use regular shampoo and moisturizers on your beard—don’t. The scalp and the face skin have different factors to consider. The beard wash you use should be specifically formulated to account for irritation, sebaceous gland production and the effects these have on your acne condition. Regular hair care products (remember, check the label) may make your acne worse.

You may be able to replace this with the baking soda/ACV mix, or augment with by switching it up in a routine. Either way, there will be some overlap with the other cleaners and moisturizers because of common ingredients and usage.

Oily skin may require daily washing, while dry, flaky skin can get by only a few times a week. Know your skin, its condition, wash to need.

Tip 4 Moderation

The key to keep in mind with all these products is not to go whole hog with them. A little goes a long ways. In addition, ingredients and their varying effects matter. You don’t want to have a PHD to read the product label. Stick to products that contain all natural ingredients.

Different skin types tolerate different carrier oils, but here are only a few worthwhile ones to consider: Jojoba, Castor, Almond and Argan oil. They each have distinct benefits when it comes to nourishing the skin under the beard, along with the beard itself.

Once more, essential oils have properties in excess of simple fragrance. Cedar, Sandlewood, Manuka, and Helichrysum all offer advantages to different skin types. For maximum benefit, they should be paired with carrier oils. Some can curtail bacteria and pathogens, which has the ancillary effect of helping your acne.

Cedarwood

Pros:

• Improves acne

• Excellent for dry skin and hair

• Small amount (drop or so) goes a long ways

Cons:

• Not for internal consumption

• Too much at one time can have negative effects

• Strong smell

Sandlewood

Pros:

Anti-inflammatory

Astringent

Mild, relaxing smell

Cons:

Good quality is expensive

Minor amount may be skin irritant

Manuka

Pros:

• Good for skin and hair

• Long shelf life

• Mild smell

Cons:

• A few side effects (skin irritant)

• Not to be taken internally

Helichrysum

Pros:

• Great acne treatment

• Good for skin and hair in generally

• Anti-inflammatory

• Good for scars

Cons:

• Varying qualities on market

• Better quality equals more expensive

• Best quality not readily available

• Medium-strong smell

It’s important to keep the scent in mind because you’ll be catching more than a slight whiff. The varying essential oils and their respective smells can impact mood and state of being. I’m not saying your feel like a humming bird and neglect the need for sleep but keep in mind which smells get you going and which make you drowsy, apply accordingly.

Tip 5 Keep trimmed and neat

I’m not saying you need to visit the nice man with the straight razor at the barber shop multiple times a week or that the trimmer should be used past the point of touch up every day. A healthy middle ground is necessary to prevent people from depositing loose change in your morning coffee cup, and having packs of feral dogs and cats follow you from place to place.

Conclusion

While preferences change and beards may come an go with the season, it’s important to keep style in mind with hygiene. Not every guy has the facial chops to pull off a full or partial beard. You have to know your limitations. It’s not about age, either. I’ve known middle schoolers that could grown a fuller beard than middle aged mountain men. Maybe even chop more wood, too!

In addition, work, school or other institutions may hold negative or positive views on facial hair. It depends. Only you know what works for you.

Praise, disagreement, questions? Make sure to post in the comment section (I’m checking it more frequently). Also, browse the other articles on the site for more acne busting info.

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