Yes, they can!

Beards of any size, shape and colour can get beard dandruff. Although when referring to beards it is often called beardruff.

Beardruff and dandruff are similar and the effect it has on the skin under your beard can be mild in most cases to requiring a medical assessment by a doctor in severe cases.

Not to fear my bearded brothers, most beardruff is of the mild variety and can be managed with proper, regular beard care and maintenance! Rest assured my bearded friends, it has never been fatal and I was not able to find any sources that sited beard dandruff as the cause of death, of anyone.

In its mildest form beardruff shows up in the form of a mild skin flaking and your beard can be itchy because of it. This can occur more in cold whether and can be common in cold climates if not kept in check. The skin under your beard can become redder and irritated if you continue to scratch, which can then become painful and in rare cases, your beard can get infected. However, as you will read later in this article, beard dandruff can come out of no where and can affect any man who is growing a beard.

In any form, beard dandruff can be like an itch you are not able to completely scratch or relieve until the condition is treated. Trust me, the itch can become maddening overtime if not addressed. I have been there on more than one occasion and until I was able to get some relief, I thought I was going to lose my mind! A mild itch now and then is not always an indication of beard dandruff or a sign that you have a problem. Allt beards will itch now and then, but can easily be relieved with a soft scratch. If this is not working and you continue to scratch your beard constantly, check for beardruff.

Dead and Flaking Skin

Dead and flaking skin is the most common cause of beard dandruff. It sounds worse than it is, but as I mentioned earlier, the itch can be mind numbing. Dead and flaking skin, plays out just like it sounds, your skin will shed more skin than usual and the result will be an itch and discomfort. You may also notice little white flakes that appear on the front of your shirt, just under your beard. Black shirts make spotting beardruff easy.

The quickest way to deal with dry skin under your beard is using a quality beard oil or beard butter.

Beard oil will get to the problem spot quickly and provide almost instant relief and the same can be said for beard butter.

The best way to prevent this type of beard dandfruff is to use a premium beard oil or beard butter everyday and keep your beard and the skin under it clean. Depending on the size and thickness of your beard you may need to reapply beard oil a few times throughout the day. Although once or twice a day should work for most men.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Dry and dead skin should not be confused with Seborrheic Dermatitis can also lead to scaly, flaky, red, and irritated skin. It can be itchy and very painful at worst and almost undetectable under a thick beard at best. It is a type of eczema.

Beard products are not going to be able to treat this condition and you will likely require a trip to the local pharmacy for relief.

At this time no one really knows the exact cause of this condition but there are known triggers.

Some of these triggers can be:

• stress events or stress recovery
• Harsh chemicals
• Recovery from surgery other urgent event like heart attach or stroke

Essentially, Seborrheic Dermatitis can be brought on by anything. Even cold weather or a change in season can bring on this condition. In almost all cases its symptoms appear quick and unexpectedly. Although if it does appear in a mild form and you are able to start treatment early, all the better.

Some foods have also been known to trigger this condition, I would list them but it can be extensive. As mentioned above this condition can be brought about by a reaction to almost anything.

Malassezia fungus

Malassezia or Malassezia folliculitis (fungal acne) is caused by an infection in hair follicles. Malassezia can easily be confused with acne, but it tends to be more severe and can be more painful than common acne. Although let’s face it, a sever case of acne is terrible. Having been affected as a new high school student back in the day by a sever case of acne, I can relate.

But I digress.

Malassezia appears similar with itchy red bumps on the skin under your beard. Depending on the size and thickness of your beard they may be hard to notice, but over time as the symptoms progress it will become unavoidable.

Malassezia is commonly caused by sweating, so keeping your beard clean and free of sweat while experiencing this condition is critical.

Again, like Seborrheic Dermatitis, an anti-fungal oil will be the best treatment.

Some men will be more prone to Malassezia or the “sweat allergy” as it is sometimes called.

Best Ways to Avoid Beard Dandruff (Beardruff)

Keep your beard and face clean. Simple as that.

Use a quality beard soap to keep your beard clean, shiny, healthy, and smelling good! This is a good start to each day!

Don't use hair shampoo or hair conditioners on your beard. I also don't recommend washing your face or beard with regular body soap.

If you have a beard, it is always best to wash your whole face and beard with a quality beard soap. The oils in a premium beard soap will be beneficial to your entire face.

Activated charcoal beard soap will provide the best of both worlds. Deep cleansing with premiums oils and butters. It's a win, win!

A quality beard oil is excellent at treating the skin under your beard and it will also help to provide much needed sebum replacement as your beard grows.

Beard oil is excellent at keeping common dry skin under your beard, under control. You beard will also look healthy, shiny and if the beard oil is scented, smelling wicked.

Beard butter is a wicked (pardon the pun) alternative to beard oil. A premium beard butter can provide incredible treatment for your skin, and it will give a shine and the appearance of fullness to your beard. Beard butter is my recommendation for the best all in one product for a small to medium sized beard. Larger beards will almost always need to be tamed with a premium beard balm.

If you have a large or just a hard to tame beard, you will want to use a beard oil and a beard balm. Beard balm has bees wax that will help tame the most ferocious beard.

I don't recommend using beard butter and beard oil on new or short beard. This might make your skin to oily and clogged pours and acne can be the result. Using one or the other on there own is great for short, but again, using both at the same time is not recommended.

Remember to much of a good thing can sometimes be a bad thing and the same is true with beard products.

Eating right is the key to everything. You can't build up on a bad foundation and a good quality diet will help you build and maintain a solid foundation that will support your growth for years to come.

Again, some foods have been known to trigger beard dandruff conditions. Although tracking the food down that is causing the reaction can be daunting, in the end, it may be worth it. Patience and a good process of elimination will work best!

Not getting enough water in your system can cause your skin to become dry. This will not be a problem for most folks, but it is still worth mentioning.

In Conclusion

Keeping your beard clean and treated properly can go a long way in avoiding beard dandruff. The most common beardruff, which is usually a result of dry, flaking skin, can be treated with regular use of a good beard oil or beard butter. Improvement and relief can be seen and felt almost immediately. Whether it’s a tidy goatee or a beard full enough to earn you an honorary place on a logging crew, your facial hair deserves to look and feel good. Wicked Beard Company has you covered for all your beard care needs!

Having said that there are other fungal related skin issues that can cause beard dandruff and unfortunately can be painful.

A fungal cream will get rid of 99% of fungal cases.

The takeaway here is that there is nothing to worry about and beard dandruff will happen to almost every one that grows a beard. I have had it and made it through completely unscathed and my beard is healthier than ever!

If you have it, hang in there my bearded brother, it gets better.

Stay healthy and stay wicked.