I sport what is commonly referred to as a goatee (but which is actually a Van Dyke, if I remember my beard styles 101).
At about the 3 week mark, my beard, specifically under my chin, starts to itch like nobody’s bidness. I know it’s not the clipped end of the hairs rubbing my skin, since I looked very carefully, and they’re not touching. But then when I clip it or shave it off completely, it doesn’t itch again until about that 3 week mark.
So why is it itching? For the record, I also shave my head, and that never itches when it grows in.
Mine starts itching at about day 4. Try using Head & Shoulders “intensive treatment” shampoo, with selenium sulfide. It’s the one in the dark blue container. Use it every day.
Could be new growth. The first stage of the beard is existing hair growing out but sooner or later the new stuff starts popping out. Usually it gets knocked down right away when you shave but when you don’t it get’s it’s chance to grow. Don’t panic, it will pass.
I’ve heard that there are these little mites, usually found in danker areas of the body, that sometimes spread to the lower headal area. What’re they called?
That could make sense. My goatee doesn’t itch at all (had it for several years) but the rest of my neck does if I don’t shave for several days. Like the OP said, it doesn’t appear to be rubbing, but it itches like hell, that’s how I know when to shave.
Hm, I doubt it is crabs / mites, etc. Beard does itch when it reaches a certain length, but stops again when it grows longer. I would have thought more of you people were familiar with that. I personally get it a bit earlier than the 3 week mark, but beard grows at different speeds, so that’s not important.
As to what causes it, my best guess is that the hairs have just the right length to turn over, and point inwards towards the skin, thus itching it. Another theory is that the length allowed stuff to be caught in it just near the skin, which then itches it in some way. If it was longer, the “stuff” would get caught further from the skin.
mr. jp, I think you were whooshed on the crabs thing.
More likely is the fact that shaving exfoliates, removing dead skin cells. When one doesn’t shave for a while, those dead cells pile up, and scratching removes them.
Because as the beard grows out the crabs have more places to hide thus leading to a larger concentration of dead skin eating symbiotes. *
The fuller the beard gets, the larger the population gets until it reaches a point that advancements in civilization create birth control. **
It is purported that Charles Darwin himself had a population of crabs roughly the size of the population of New Jersey, with roughly the same level of advancement in civilization. ***
Take a hint from Allah and wash, water alone will do, your beard five times a day.
Everytime, after you go wee wee or poo poo, whilst you’re washing your hands
splash water upon your beard, er, Goatee, er, Dick, er, Van Dyke …
