What Causes Beard Dandruff? Get to know some easy ways to reduce it

You’ve put a lot of effort growing and grooming a magisterial beard, and you don’t want beard dandruff to ruin it. Remember that you are not the only person who has this problem. A majority of the population— more than half of the population—is affected by dandruff or beard dandruff at some point.

Fortunately, beard dandruff may be reduced or even eliminated. Let's dig a little deeper to learn about the causes, preventive tips and ways to beat beard dandruff.

In this Article:-

• What is beard dandruff?
• Causes of beard dandruff
• How to get rid of beard dandruff
• How to prevent dandruff in beard?
• When to see a dermatologist?

What is beard dandruff?

It is also very common like normal dandruff affecting 50% of the total men’s population at one time or another. In simple language, beard dandruff is nothing but it is a build-up of dead skin cells, and it starts to appear when the shedding of the dead skin cells is faster than the normal rate, which results in a visible cluster of snowflake-like skin cells.

Just like dandruff on the scalp and hair, beard dandruff is the body’s response to irritation.

Causes of beard dandruff

There is no single cause of beard dandruff, we will address the potential cause of beard dandruff. It is caused by one or more of the following reasons.

• Dry skin
• Fungal infection
• Sensitivity to beard/skincare products

Dry skin:

Generally, every person has dry skin. One of the major reasons for dry skin is washing the face with harsh cleansers and regular soaps. Soaps and cleansers keep the beard and face clean but they are also the reason for the removal of the oils from the skin and beard that keeps them from drying out.

The irritation and itching are associated with skin flakes. Beard dandruff is more prominent in winter, but it can occur if one doesn’t care for their skin and beard properly.

Learn how to care for your dry skin.

Fungal infection:

The fungal infection is caused by yeast/fungus called Malassezia globosa. It feeds on the sebum and breaks down into oleic acid. Dandruff starts as most of us are sensitive to oleic acid. This oleic acid activates an irritation response that causes redness and itching.

The longer the beard, the more place for the fungus to hide. This process sets off inflammation in the body and causes the growth of more skin cells which leads to flaking off and results in the collections of snow-like flakes.

Sensitivity towards beard/skincare products:

Beard dandruff can also be due to the reason that someone’s body is sensitive to specific ingredients in beard grooming products. This sensitivity can result in irritation, itching, redness, flakes, and scaly skin.

How to get rid of beard dandruff?

Fortunately, the treatment of beard dandruff is not a rocket science, one can get rid of it by using the following steps:

Washing the beard:

One should regularly wash their beard the way one washes the hair. The same anti-dandruff shampoo which is used on the scalp can be used for beard care. But there are many shampoos available in the market with various anti-dandruff ingredients like:

• Coal tar
• Selenium sulfide
• Tea tree oil
• Pyrthione zinc

Massage the shampoo gently into the beard and make sure that the shampoo reaches the skin underneath. It should not be rinsed at once, you should wait 2-3 minutes before rinsing. The beard should not be washed with hot water, as it can dry out and irritate the skin.

One should take care that shampoos for the scalp may be too harsh for the face, when the skin is dry and sensitive. If a regular shampoo makes the skin dry, you can opt for shampoos, especially for beards.

Exfoliation:

It is the process that is used to remove the dead skin cells, and also the ones that cause dandruff in the beard. To get rid of the dead skin cells, a beard brush with soft bristles should be the first step of your daily routine. A beard brush helps to distribute the oils from the skin and this helps to make the beard hair softer and will be easier to manage. This way you can exfoliate the skin.

Beard should be gently massaged with a beard brush before cleaning. You should not scrub your beard as it can make dandruff worse.

Cleansing:

Cleaning your beard with a good cleanser not only helps to break down the dead skin cells but also soothes skin and makes it healthy. Generally, cleansers with lactic acid sound harsh but they can remove all the dead skin cells and act as a perfect exfoliating agent. One should lather the face and beard properly while in the shower to remove excess sebum present.

Moisturizing:

Moisturizing the beard is very important to get rid of dandruff. Moisturizer protects the skin and also rehydrates it after shampooing. When it comes to moisturizing, the first word that comes to your mind is lotion but it is very difficult to apply lotion to the beard. We can use beard oil in place of lotion when the point comes for moisturizing the beard.

A non-comedogenic oil is used for people who have acne-prone skin so that the pores do not clog. Argan oil is a good option. Moisturizer should be applied immediately after cleansing.

A few drops of natural oil should be rubbed between the hands and massaged in the skin under the beard. One or two drops should be applied in the starting and you can always add more if it doesn’t reach the skin properly through the beard.

How to prevent dandruff in beard?

The most important way to prevent beard dandruff from coming back is to keep your routine of regularly washing and moisturizing the beard. If the skin feels itchy and appears red, apply more drops of beard oil. Moisturizing regularly in winter is of utmost importance.

You can drop the use of the medicated shampoo when your dandruff is under control.

When to see a dermatologist?

If there is no change and still you have visible signs of beard dandruff after trying all of the methods, in that case, you must visit a dermatologist. The reason for this is that your skin condition may be abnormal, which causes dandruff and you may need prescription medication to get rid of this problem.

Nowadays beard dandruff is a common problem, but it is not a serious problem and can be easily treated with some simple daily routine. One should focus on both the hair of the beard as well as the skin underneath.

To know more about “how to get rid of dandruff”,click here!

Take Away

Similar to scalp dandruff, beard dandruff is a skin ailment that results in redness, itching, and flaky skin. This condition may develop as a result of a skin fungal infection. Following a hair routine that includes exfoliating, cleaning, and moisturizing will help you manage beard dandruff.

When picking a beard care product, always consider your particular skin type. To prevent your dandruff from returning after healing, you must keep up a preventative care routine.

FAQs

Q. How to remove dandruff from beard?

• Exfoliating - Eliminates the dry skin beneath your beard
• Cleansing - Some individuals even use shampoo at this point
• Moisturizing - dry skin is frequently the cause of beard dandruff, therefore it's wise to use skincare products that are suitable for your skin type

Q. What are the symptoms of beard dandruff?

Ans. Signs and symptoms of dandruff may incorporate skin flakes on your shoulders, beard, eyebrows, hair, and scalp. Infants with cradle cap have an itchy scalp and a scaly, crusted scalp.

Q. What causes dandruff in beard?

Dandruff may result from a number of factors:

• Malassezia, a yeast-like fungus that lives on the scalp oils of most individuals
• Skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis
• Sensitivity to products for hair care (contact dermatitis)
• Dry skin
• Oily, irritated skin