Whether or not your beard is flaking, it can still itch from time to time. There are many factors that can trigger an itchy beard. We'll cover some of the most common ones.
Early Growth Beard Itching
If I had a nickel for every man that said, "I've tried to grow a beard, but it just itches too much..." then I would jingle like a Christmas sleigh. Why I wouldn't put these fictional nickels in a jar like a sane person, I don't know. The point is, I would have a lot because I've heard it many times.
Here's the deal, when your beard is first coming in, it itches. For some of us with a faster growth rate, the itching period for a new beard may be a week. For others, it's an issue for several weeks. Your pillow aggravates it at night, and you find yourself scratching it because it's a new sensation, which leads to more itching.
Don't think that this is a permanent state, however, Once the beard comes in, it may itch from time to time but it's not like wearing a wool sweater on your face.
Dry Skin Beard Itching
Another factor making your beard itch is dry skin. For a good portion of your life your face has only had to worry about keeping itself moisturized. Now it has to keep your evergrowing mouth-mane hydrated as well and it's too much to handle. The result: dry, irritated skin.
Drinking plenty of water will help immensely, but so will a high-quality beard oil. We happen to know someone who makes such a beard oil.
Oily Skin Beard Itching
On the flip side, and actually more common, is oily skin along with the rapid shedding of skin cells. This is known as seborrhoea, and results in the dreaded beardruff.
As your skin works to quickly create new layers, the old dead skin cells pile up, irritating your skin and leading to an itchy beard. We believe our beard oils can help restore balance to your skin and fight the bacteria and fungi which often causes seborrhoea.
Allergic Reactions to Detergents Cause Beard Itching
We really shouldn't be surprised when our laundry detergents lead to allergic reactions. In most cases, they are anything but natural and our body has a way of letting us know. You might think that if your detergent was a factor, the rest of your body would break out in welts, but it doesn't always work like that. People often have reactions in localized areas of the body: underarms, inner thighs, neck, etc.
Run your pillow case through a few cycles of hot water and a new, all-natural, odorless detergent and see if that helps.
Final Thoughts
An itchy beard should never be the norm. Our bodies often display discomfort as a signal for us to change something. Growing hair on your face is natural, but much of the world we experience is anything but natural.
Part of being a responsible beardsman is taking care of your beard, which starts with taking care of your health, holistically. You might be surprised that the efforts you take to care for your beard will have positive benefits in other areas of your life.