How long does beard itch last?

Growing a beard sounds so easy – you just have to stay away from trimmers and razors. At least, that’s what you are led to believe, right? There’s a little phase during the growing process which separates the bearded men from the boys – THE ITCH! – but how long does beard itch last?

A survey of 200 reported that the itch lasted for up to 3+ weeks before the beard became comfortable on their faces! The good news is that some men report never having significant beard itch during growth.

Now that is a long time to have something making you scratch and notice every single movement your face and neck make. Luckily there are some tips and tricks to making sure you last the time it takes to enjoy a bearded life.

I know that there are many men who are hesitant because they want to grow a beard but do not know long beard itch lasts and whether they are going to survive it.

Here’s our list of tips that will help you overcome the beard itch no matter how long it may last for you!

Be patient through the itch…

Each positive change in life takes a little time, so, learn to be patient and do not lose hope if your wanted results don’t come quickly.

Each beard grows differently and so where you experience itchiness or for how long will be unique to you! On average, facial hair grows 1/2 an inch for 30 days, so if you want long beard it will take quite a long time.

Want more info on beard growing times? Check out my ultimate guide on how to grow a beard by clicking here!

The symptoms of impatience

Patience is a virtue! And if you are not patient here are the symptoms that you can expect to experience:

  • Shallow breathing.
  • Muscle tension, including hand and fist clenching.
  • Jiggling/restless feet.
  • Irritability.
  • Anxiety/nervousness.
  • Rushing and making snap/quick decisions without thinking through the consequences.

If you are experiencing these symptoms while trying to get through your beard itch you’ll need to address any particular weaknesses that could cause you to make the snap decision to shave off your beard!

How to be patient

If you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms of impatience with your beard growing, here are a few techniques that will help.

  1. Take deep slow breaths – this will help you slow your heart rate, relax your body and help get you out of this negative headspace. You may need to do this several times!
  2. Consciously relax your muscles. Start at the top of your head and do a ‘body scan’ all the way down through your body to make sure that all your muscles are relaxed.
  3. Slow down. Sometimes life and social media can think that we need to live our life at 100 miles per hour. Reminding yourself to slow down will help you convince yourself to be more patient.
  4. Use mindfulness meditation. Some people become impatient because they are perfectionists. I love mindfulness meditation for this and have found a great improvement in my personal life by using this form of meditation.

Remember that, although many people are naturally patient people when it comes to growing a beard, the rest of us need to practice patience. The more you practice patience the easier it will become.

Shave your beard lines to stop the itch!

One of the common misconceptions about bearded men is that they are just unkempt and lazy to shave. Although many people recommend not touching your beard as it grows for the first 6 weeks. Sometimes that advice can stop people in their tracks.

Some men notice that their worst itchy areas are around the neck. That is certainly where the worst is for me!

So, by simply trimming in the neckline on the first 2 weeks can really help to get rid of most of the itch! But don’t cut in your neckline too high too early. You’ll kick yourself and it’ll look amateurish. If you’d like more help, I’ve written a blog on how to trim your neckline (and other parts) – click here.

There are also a couple of other grooming techniques that you can do earlier than the average beard grower which may help with your beard itch!

Wash your face regularly to reduce the itch

Good hygiene is very important for keeping your itchy growing stage to a minimum.

You should consider washing your face twice a day, in the morning and before you go to sleep to unclog hair follicles. Buy special face cleanser and massage your face with it, in order to remove oil and impurities that could be trapped against your skin and cause itchiness. After massaging the face use cool water to rinse it from the face and then pat it with a dry towel.

Be sure to buy a mild or pH balanced soap to keep your skin as healthy as possible. Following up with a good beard conditioner will help you keep the hairs on your face soft so that they are less likely to cause any itching during that annoying first three weeks.

If you find that a simple washing and conditioning isn’t enough you may have to step it up to a facial exfoliant.

Exfoliate your face

Regular face exfoliation is important whether you want to grow a beard or don’t. Exfoliation removes dead cells from your skin so that your skin is fresh and anything trapped against the skin is removed.

Apply your chosen exfoliant on wet skin after you finished washing, and massage gently for a few minutes. After that, rinse your face with warm water and pat it with a dry towel. Repeat this process at least twice a week if you want to see the results.

Speed up the growth of your hair

To shorten the amount of time that your beard may be itchy you may want to consider options that you have to grow your beard faster.

I’ve written in much more detail about how to grow a beard if you can’t. And you can check out that blog article by clicking here.

Any foods that increase the level of testosterone or Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) will help in increasing the rate of your beard growth. These are a couple of natural ways that can increase the levels of these important beard-growing hormones in your blood.

Exercise

Leading a healthy lifestyle is crucial for the well-being of your whole body in general, and it can leave positive effects on your beard as well.

To boost testosterone your should focus on resistance training – but don’t ignore cardio completely!

  • Focus on weights. For the biggest boost to testosterone weights and resistance training, maybe a load better than cardiovascular activities – like getting on the treadmill.
  • Do get in some cardio. Cardiovascular activities also play an important role in boosting your testosterone levels. There are secondary effects that can help boost testosterone levels. Aerobic exercise is beneficial for weight loss and needs to be accompanied by strength training with weights or resistance training.
  • Work with an expert. If you haven’t exercised in a while or are new to exercise, it might be best to start with the help of a personal trainer to determine the best exercises for your low testosterone symptoms.

The final word

There isn’t much you can do to get around the fact that growing a beard goes through an itchy stage. Practicing patience, grooming and maintaining your beard properly will help shorten the time your beard will go through an itchy stage. But on the other side of it lies the beard of your dreams. Don’t lose sight of that!

You can get through it! I believe in you!

The Author


Andy Stapleton

Andy is a writer and YouTuber with a PhD in science. He has written and/or produced videos for Science Alert, COSMOS magazine, and Australia's Science Channel among others. He is an avid beard grower and after many years of growing and trialling different beard styles, he started this blog to share the tips, tricks, and science that he has learned along the way!