It’s a common misconception that beard dandruff is caused by dirty facial hair. While dirt certainly doesn’t help when treating dandruff, it’s almost never the root cause. Most often, beard dandruff is caused by oily skin, dry skin, contact dermatitis, or seborrheic dermatitis. If you’ve reached the limits of your flake frustration, take a look at how to prevent and get rid of beard dandruff.
The General Rules
Ultimately, dandruff is a skincare issue, so you’ll need the right skincare routine to tackle it. No matter what skin type you have, you’ll need to wash, condition, dry, brush, and moisturizer your beard. The difference lies in the types of products you use, the ingredients they contain, and how often you have to do certain parts of your routine.
If Your Skin Is Oily
It may seem counterintuitive, but oily skin is often a sign of dehydrated skin and can produce dandruff on the scalp and in facial hair. This is likely because your skin is overproducing sebum (oil) to make up for the lack of oil on your face.
To start off, cleanse your face with a gentle facial cleanser or beard wash that contains salicylic acid. This acid helps remove the dirt, oil, and bacteria have that built up in your pores. About two or three times a week, take a beard scrubber and massage the cleanser or beard wash into your skin to gently exfoliate.
You’ll then want to use a water-based beard conditioner. Conditioners with petroleum or mineral oil bases can lead to more oil production on your face and, thus, more dandruff. Massage the conditioner through your beard, rinse it out, dry it with a clean towel, and give it a good brush. In order to pick the right moisturizing cream for your face, avoid petroleum and mineral oil, and look for a moisturizer with gentle, antiseptic, noncomedogenic ingredients.
If Your Skin Is Dry
Dry skin needs hydration and moisture. Hydration refers to the water content in your skin, and moisture is the healthy lipids and oils in your skin.
Your cleanser or beard wash should include ingredients that help draw water toward the surface of the skin for hydration. Look for cleansers with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin. Using a beard scrubber, gently brush the cleanser through your beard once or twice a week to exfoliate the skin underneath.
Your beard conditioner should contain ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil. Ultimately, you want something that will replace the sebum lost while you were washing. The same thing applies to your moisturizer. Those with dry skin are free to use beard balms and oils without worrying whether they’re petrolatum or mineral based. After you’ve cleansed and conditioned, rinse out the product, dry your beard with a clean towel, brush it, and moisturize.
What To Do if the Flakes Don’t Stop
Skincare consistency is the best way to stop dandruff from reoccurring. However, if you find that these tips for preventing and getting rid of beard dandruff don’t work, there’s likely something else going on. The cause of your dandruff may be contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction, or seborrheic dermatitis, a type of eczema. Either way, it’s time to get in touch with your dermatologist to see if they can determine and treat the root cause.
