Do Acne Scars Prevent Beard Growth? Find OUT

Do acne scars prevent beard growth? When I was going through puberty, my beard showed up gradually. At the same time, my face started breaking out with acne and I was so worried that it may affect the beard growth. Luckily it didn’t happen.

I was very relieved, but then there were some issues with clogged pores that occurred when the acne got better. Both of them are related and do affect your beard growth a bit. But doesn’t beard growth only depends on genes and hormone?

Well, you will find the answer below along with some treatment tips as well.

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How Acne and Beard Growth Are Related

You may notice that both beards and acne appear on the face at a certain age, during puberty. There are so many hormonal changes when puberty hits you. Out of all of these, the rise in the androgenic hormone rises causes the most change in terms of facial hair. 

Due to this hormone, the vellus hair will turn into terminal hair. Let me explain, because I know those are some confusing terms. 

Hair that arises during childhood on a person’s body, that is this light-colored, thin, soft, downy, and barely noticeable is called vellus hair while terminal hair is long, thick, and pigmented, grows on the face, scalp, and pubic area. That thick hair on the face is the beard you’re trying so hard to evenly grow!

Now, what’s the reason behind the acne? Actually, the same hormone responsible for the beard is also responsible for acne. It accelerates the sebum oil production in your face, the spill-over oil is deposited in the skin pores and the dead skin cells pile up into this layer, causing acne.

That means they both emerge because of the same reason, still, they may not affect one another, or maybe they do!

The Misconception

Many think that acne or clogged pores created by it prevent the growth of a beard. At least, I used to think that, then when it came to my turn, all of my misconceptions disappeared.

I saw my beard grow instead of having acne marks. Later I learned the actual reason behind this facial hair growth. Your genes and age are the main reasons along with the hormone. If you have a potential gene for growing a beard, it will appear as thick and dark hair on your during your puberty stage.

The exceeding production of androgenic hormone excites hair follicles to turn into a handsome beard. So, it seems that acne has no real effect on beard growth. Still, there are some consequences if you grow a beard and have acne at the same time.

Itchiness

The itchiness you feel around your pimple under your facial hair is caused by dryness, plain and simple. When the acne heals, or there is any type of infection on your skin, it will usually itch, and it doesn’t affect beard growth at all. Try to avoid scratching. If it really bothers you, apply aloe vera gel such as Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel to root out this problem. Also, popping up the pimple isn’t a good idea at all.

To improve dry skin use cleansers such as Nivea Men Face Wash that will help to remove bacteria and extra oil originating from the sebaceous gland. This oil cannot reach the surface and is captured by the pores. Using moisturizers containing non-comedogenic ingredients like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Face Moisturizer is a daily activity I follow. You can try this one and try not to wash your face more than once a day.

Infected Pimple Issues

Popping pimples can actually lead to infection.  I used to do this deliberately knowing it isn’t the right thing to do. But weird thing is that I thought the pimple would get better in this way. Anyway, this infection causes a burning sensation and pain, which makes it harder to grow a beard.

In the acne healing period, your old skin will peel off and new skin will be formed. Infections occur easily during this time besides wrinkles and redness of the skin. The aloe vera gel and moisturizer like the aforementioned one are very helpful regarding this problem.

Clogged Pores

Clogged pores are the result of acne, that somehow seems to be a barrier to your beard. Technically, these pores create itchiness and inflammation, and that brings up skin problems to your beard line. To get rid of this, you can gently scrub on your face with an exfoliator or scrub containing salicylic acid such as St. Ives Face Scrub Acne Control. Well, I am grateful to it as I was suffering from clogged pores for a long time. Just try to continue the product you use until it solves your problem. Never scrub roughly on your face otherwise it will cause irritation.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Grow Full Beard from Patchy Beard

Ways to Smoothen Your Beard Growth

Regulating your diet chart can control acne growth a bit as a hormones’ activity is unchangeable. Brown rice, blueberries, tomatoes, apricots, sweet potatoes, orange fruits, nuts, etc. are effective for acne treatment. There are some foods you must avoid if you want to prevent acne, dairy products, protein powder, chocolates are some of them.

I used to put on honey and cinnamon face masks like Papa Recipe Honey Mask Sheet that reduces acne scars by its antioxidants. Taking a zinc supplement (e.g. Garden of Life Raw Zinc) along with a face mask works more from both inside and outside. In the case of bacterial infection and inflammation, tea tree oil (e.g. Senselab Tea Tree Oil) is a great choice and it’s beneficial for the skin too. Changing hormones isn’t possible, so you can apply one or more of these tips at the least.

So, basically, acne or clogged pores don’t prevent your beard growth but create several problems in this journey. Treating your acne with any of these techniques will lead you to a smooth experience with a thick and excellent beard.

ALSO CHECK: How to Grow Beard Faster and Thicker Naturally

Bottom Line

Acne scars don’t prevent beard growth. Hormones, gene, and your age do. Though clogged pores and diet have some effects on beard you can reduce them by maintaining a healthy and organized life. Now that you know the secret, no one can stop you from growing your beard, and soon you will feel smooth skin too. If you have anything to ask feel free to put that on the comment box.

Sources

• Quora, Will acne scarred skin prevent beard growth?