Help Growing a Beard

spencergray · Post by **spencergray** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:19 pm

Hi,
I'm 21, been wetshaving for about 2 years. I have very coarse facial hair, more coarse than my dad and brother. I still have trouble with bumps after shaving, so I've been trying to grow a beard. Looking great, but I'm at the point where my skin is so itchy and irritated that I've developed red marks in the thicker areas around my chin. My friends say if I just deal with it, the irritation will go away with some time. I'd love to have a beard, but it's painful. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Spencer

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:01 pm

The terrible itch goes away after your beard gets some length. If you want a beard, then don't chop it off - wait for the itchy stage to pass.

(When it said "Help growing a beard", I couldn't avoid thinking it was a bit like "Help me get taller" or "Help me become a leopard")

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:08 pm

Hi Spencer -

Every man who grows a beard has to go through this irritation as the beard starts to come in. Give it a little more time and growth, and the irritation will cease.

Be patient, and I think you'll be pleased.

Good luck!

- Murray

Automaton-Tim · Post by **Automaton-Tim** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:28 pm

+1
Don't mess with a beard while it is growing out. We all have been there, the itching goes away. I usually grow a beard in the winter and then shave it off in the spring. The "tingling" sensation means that it is working, so let it grow.
You'll have to post a picture with your new mature look. I'm sure that you'll look great with a beard.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:13 am

As someone who sported his first beard at 18, the above advice is excellent. It'll tingle for a while, then it'll itch. Once you get past that, its fine. Just remember to condition it every few days to keep it soft, so the ladies don't complain about it being too scratchy.

otherstar · Post by **otherstar** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:50 am

I've found that using a little conditioner on my beard at any time during the growth process helps with the itching.

Scrapyard Ape · Post by **Scrapyard Ape** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:55 am

The only advice I can give you for maintaining a beard is (once you actually have grown one) to be ten times more fastidious with a napkin when eating than a "beardless" man. You will be surprised at how easily food particulate can become lodged in your beard. You can casually glance at food and crumbs will teleport into your facial hair... I'm not kidding.

ateace · Post by **ateace** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:47 am

This is such a friendly forum that you can even get help with NOT shaving.

Scrapyard Ape · Post by **Scrapyard Ape** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:59 am

ateace wrote:This is such a friendly forum that you can even get help with NOT shaving.

Just don't ask about...... well, I better not say. HAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!

Furrball2 · Post by **Furrball2** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:05 am

Scrapyard Ape wrote:The only advice I can give you for maintaining a beard is (once you actually have grown one) to be ten times more fastidious with a napkin when eating than a "beardless" man. You will be surprised at how easily food particulate can become lodged in your beard. You can casually glance at food and crumbs will teleport into your facial hair... I'm not kidding.

This goes double -- by the cube? -- when you have a cold and sneeze or blow you nose!

dave

D.Irving79 · Post by **D.Irving79** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:29 am

whats a beard ?

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:32 am

Heck, Dave, you aren't even old enough to have stubble yet, are you?

D.Irving79 · Post by **D.Irving79** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:34 am

paperpundit wrote:Heck, Dave, you aren't even old enough to have stubble yet, are you?

OUCH....hahahaha

javyn · Post by **javyn** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:59 am

You can try to take some Tribulus supplement. It's known to make your hair grow pretty fast, and seems to be all the rage on the world beard championship forums (seriously). I take it personally for energy to work out and sexual enhancement. Do a little research and see if you might like it. iherb.com has the best prices I've found.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:14 pm

John,

Do you find that works better than a diet heavy in cruciferous veggies?

javyn · Post by **javyn** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:37 pm

I couldn't tell you. I didn't give up vegetables once I took Trib. I'll give this warning though, it is best to cycle it. 5 days on and 2 days off or more. And watch the temper! One bad thing about Trib is it can lead to a very short fuse.

train36 · Post by **train36** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:52 pm

If you want to look semi shaved without the bumps and the beard than I recommend a nice t blade outliner/trimmer. I recommend and use often the Andis T-Outliner . Its a beard trimmer and outliner that cuts close and is gentle on the skin. It cuts down to 1/150" so it gets pretty close. When I am done shaving it leaves me with a 5 o'clock shadow. It is nowhere near as close as a blade but does a satisfactory job.

I too suffer from bumps and ingrowns and this helps . I don't shave that often now as I too have been wetshaving for a couple years and still breakout with bumps. I don't get nowhere near as many as I use to before I found the brush,cream and single edge razor. For me I get ingrowns and razor bumps. If I shave too close I will get ingrowns, if it is a tad to long than I get bumps. To find that precise perfect length when my hair grows in all directions and swirls I found to be next to impossible and got tired of terrible looking bumps in the process. The trimmer leaves my hairs a little longer than a razor and mostly with blunt tips so this problem is greatly reduced.

I have tried all types of razors but nothing worked, the best was the Gem and disposables. The only thing I have left to try is a straight which I will probably do eventually. If you have been in the selling/trade forum I have been putting a lot of stuff up for sale b/c I am only shaving now on special occassions. I wish I could shave everyday and envy people that can but I can't. For now its the beard trimmer, sorry for the long posts and good luck .

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:43 pm

Dan, did you try the bump fighter razors? The disposables pivot...it might work for you...

And whether or not you want the light scruff or a heavy beard, invest in the beard trimmer. I use it for my goatee all the time (but prefer to use a nose hair trimmer and a comb to trim my mustache).

Timpac · Post by **Timpac** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:45 pm

Beards definitely tend to itch a bit. The conditioner helps some and I actually liked using a little rose water witch hazel on my beard. Made it smell nice, kept it soft, and seemed to reduce the itching for some reason. I've been able to grow a real, full beard since about 18, and I'm now 25, so I've experimented with it all. It grows so fast that I get to play around. I'd swear I'm one of the few people my age that can pull off an almost standard mustache and soul patch without it looking weird.

Jukkie · Post by **Jukkie** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:40 am

You guys still get itching when you grow your hair out? I always thought this was something that you just grew out of

When I first got beard-thick hair growth I was about 14-15 (love those growth hormones we feed to beef cattle, eh?) and it definitely itched like crazy when I didn't shave. By the time I was about 17 though, I could go weeks without shaving and never feel any irritation.

Do people grow out of the "itchy beard" thing?

For that itching though, try soaking your beard in a bit of cold water to help reduce the irritation. Then soak your beard in hot water to soften up the bristles so they have more give to them and don't directly irritate the skin as much.