Beards and Ingrown Hairs

Women can’t resist a man with a nice beard! Let’s face it, a well-groomed beard takes time and patience.

Still, no matter how much effort you put into making it look good, you may face pesky ingrown hairs. Not only are they painful, but they can also affect your self-confidence.

While you will more than likely get them occasionally no matter what, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to prevent them.

What is an Ingrown Hair?

Ingrown hairs occur when strands of hair grow into one of the skin’s pores. Theoretically, each of your facial hairs should protrude from your skin and grow outward.

However, sometimes a hair will penetrate the skin only to go back in. This allows the hair to grow downward or even sideways, thus forming an ingrown hair.

After an ingrown hair has begun you’ll notice the surrounding area will become very inflamed. The inflammation is caused by dead skin cells coating the skin around the hair as it continues to grow under the skin.

The skin cells clog the pores and the hair cannot escape, thus allowing bacteria to grow inside the pore.

How do you Prevent Ingrown Beard Hair?

While this issue can pop up at any time for seemingly no reason, it’s usually due to poor skin and beard maintenance.

Having a beard is a commitment that you’ll spend the necessary time daily taking care of it. Here are the best ways to prevent ingrown beard hairs:

• Exfoliate Several Times Per Week: Gently scrub the skin under your beard to remove all the dead skin cells in the shower. You can do this by using your fingertips or a beard brush. For best results especially if your beard is thick, you can buy beard softener and beard wash.


• Keep Your Skin Moisturized: A big part of keeping dead skin cells from entering your pores is reducing the number of dead skin cells on your face. This is easily accomplished by keeping your skin moisturized with utility balm or beard oil. Beard oil is a great product for preventing beard dandruff which can lead to ingrown hairs.


• Shave in the Right Direction: A common misconception among men is that it’s best to shave against the grain. While this will get you a closer shave, it can also lead to ingrown hairs. If you shave in the same direction your hair grows, it will reduce irritation and decrease your chances of ingrown hairs greatly.


• Open up Your Pores Before Shaving: It’s a great idea to warm your face with a warm cloth before shaving. The heat will open your pores, which will help release dead skin cells and dirt. Alternatively, rinse your beard with warm water – this too will open up the pores ready for a clean and effective shave. After you finish shaving, use a splash of cold water to close your pores, as this can prevent your freshly shaved skin from getting clogged.


• Use Fewer Strokes While Shaving: Repeatedly going over the same area with a razor is bad for your skin and can lead to razor burn. Try to limit each area to one stroke, or two at the most.


• Change Razor Blades Frequently: It’s best to use razor blades just a few times. They get dull faster than you think, and this can lead to irritated skin which can cause ingrown hair.

How to Treat an Ingrown Hair

While the tips above will help prevent ingrown hairs, how do you treat one that you already have?

The process will take a few days, but you’ll simply apply a hot compress to the area two times per day for 15 minutes each time.

Once you’ve done this for a few days, you’ll notice that the inflammation has gone down and the pore has opened up, therefore allowing the hair to protrude through the skin once again.

In the end, no man wants to deal with ingrown hair in his beard. Following the tips above will greatly reduce your risk of getting one. Just remember to take the time to maintain your beard by keeping your face clean and moisturized.