If you're just starting to take advantage of the bearded trend, you may wish you could skip past the awkward stubble stage to enjoy a full-grown beard. For many men, this process has been facilitated by the use of a homemade or commercial beard oil that's applied on a daily basis to boost hair growth and strengthen the hair's cuticle. Read on to learn more about how beard oil can help stimulate growth and the potential side effects of this treatment.
How Does Beard Oil Work?
Many commercial beard oils have a coconut oil base. This oil, unlike most, is solid at room temperature. When applied directly to the hair follicles, it can stimulate growth, and it has a mild scent that can stand on its own or be augmented by other fragrances. Because applying a thick layer of coconut oil on your beard follicles can clog the surrounding pores, it's usually a good idea to apply coconut oil-based beard oils at night and wash your beard thoroughly in the morning to prevent acne while still getting the full therapeutic effect of the oil.
Other beard oils have a lighter, less waxy base, like grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is packed with Vitamin E, one of the most important vitamins for hair growth. Not only does the direct application of Vitamin E help your hair grow faster, it can ensure that the hair that does grow is moisturized and protected from damage or breaking. Using beard oil regularly can give your beard a thicker appearance since each hair will have a light but protective layer of oil, which also goes a long way toward keeping wayward food particles or other debris out.
Should You Use Beard Oil to Grow Your Beard More Quickly?
Although beard oil is mild and generally harmless, there are a few skin conditions that can make the use of beard oil a bad idea. If you have any sort of skin infection (including a fungal infection like ringworm), using certain types of oil could worsen the infection or cause other issues. The same goes for psoriasis or eczema, so anyone dealing with these conditions should talk to your doctor before trying beard oil.
You'll also want to test the oil on a small part of your beard before applying it to your full face, even if you don't have a history of allergies or skin sensitivities. This "spot testing" will ensure you don't end up with an unpleasant reaction to one or more of the oil's ingredients. To learn more, contact a company like Beard Farmer.
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