I've never really attempted to grow a beard until now at the age of 55. I'm on lockdown at the office so appearance isn't that importance so I thought I would give it a go. Eight days in and it's itchy at times. Does this phase go away?

Any tips? Lotion, creams available to ease the itch?

I really want to give it a good chance.

I don't have much gray hair but man the beard is really gray.

A lot of guys use oil and balm in theirs to style it, but the only thing that I have ever used is beard shampoo. Normal shampoo makes the itching worse - but yes the itching will go away. If they itched all the time the bearded folks would all be clean shaven.

I just use a beard shampoo that is carried by Target, but if you want to go all in they have some really fancy and expensive stuff typically at beauty supply stores (or online in this environment). Probably some other folks can chime in on what they advise you to use - my main point is just to use some type of beard shampoo.

I'm three weeks in now and the itching has subsided some. Not sure if I'm gonna keep it. Probably going to give it another week. My wife isn't fond of it. I do think it looks better than I thought it would.

Good topic. I'm almost 3 weeks in, which is longer than I have ever gone before. Seems like there was a tipping point at about 2 weeks where it was looking bad, but now it's looking better as it grows out and looks fuller. If the itching continues, I may end up shaving, but the feedback here is encouraging. May think about the beard shampoo at some point.

Should this stay at home mandate be extended to June 1st, I am giving myself a Mohawk haircut. I always wanted one. My wife says it will look like crap because of my receding hairline and my bald spot. I told her I will just have to do a bald spot comb-over. AckAckAckAck!!!!! Will let you know how this turns out.

As part of a play, I shaved my head to the skin. My wife was disappointed, because she was eager to make fun of me, and it turns out I've got a pretty perfectly shaped head. My naturally darker skin tone kept me from glowing white. All in all, it was decent.

I've got the high end "balding" (it really gets down to stubble - you'll still need a razor) clippers. I usually maintain a #2 guard on the sides and #6 on the top.

Mr Tulip said:

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As part of a play, I shaved my head to the skin. My wife was disappointed, because she was eager to make fun of me, and it turns out I've got a pretty perfectly shaped head. My naturally darker skin tone kept me from glowing white. All in all, it was decent.

I've got the high end "balding" (it really gets down to stubble - you'll still need a razor) clippers. I usually maintain a #2 guard on the sides and #6 on the top.

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Daddy Warbucks or the King of Siam?

ABC BEAR said:

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Mr Tulip said:

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As part of a play, I shaved my head to the skin. My wife was disappointed, because she was eager to make fun of me, and it turns out I've got a pretty perfectly shaped head. My naturally darker skin tone kept me from glowing white. All in all, it was decent.

I've got the high end "balding" (it really gets down to stubble - you'll still need a razor) clippers. I usually maintain a #2 guard on the sides and #6 on the top.

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Daddy Warbucks or the King of Siam?

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I am thinking King Ramses/ Yul Brynner from the Ten Commandments.

It was actually "Calendar Girls". The driving plot point in a show with a mostly female cast is that one of the ladies' husband dies of leukemia. There's a killing joke and reveal scene that just wouldn't work if I'd tried a bald cap - not to mention they're expensive, time consuming, and more hilarious than serious.

I can tell you that maintaining a skinned head would run into some money. For a guy who only got a haircut once every 8 weeks or so, shooting up a $4 razor cartridge every 10 days got pricey quick!

Same hair conditioner people have in their shower can be use every day for a beard.

That's what I do.

Also, I use beard club wax probably once a week...and if i'm going out on a weekend night.

My beard is more "Irish"...reddish color and it kind of curls out...doesn't fall down straight liking a vikings beard. So i have to trim it a lot or its starts looking like a leprechaun.

Stick with it...it won't itch after week 3.

Redbrickbear said:

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Same hair conditioner people have in their shower can be use every day for a beard.

That's what I do.

Also, I use beard club wax probably once a week...and if i'm going out on a weekend night.

My beard is more "Irish"...reddish color and it kind of curls out...doesn't fall down straight liking a vikings beard. So i have to trim it a lot or its starts looking like a leprechaun.

Stick with it...it won't itch after week 3.

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Excellent, week 3 ends today! Probably (hopefully) will never have this opportunity again (until I retire), so I'm all in.

About the same age as the OP. Had a beard at BU. Looked full on Irishman with a fairly red beard. Clean shaven since the late 80s.

Said what the heck about last Thanksgiving. Came in almost 100% gray ! Back to clean shaven.

I grow hair faster than a chia pet in the Amazon, so while I don't *think* I have a beard, I looked in the mirror the other day and it's not gonna fix it self. Another two weeks and it's probably a good start. I don't trust people to cut my hair unless they do so for a living, so that's the other problem. I wear a lot of baseball hats. Two months without a hair cut for me is like six months for anyone else. Not proud of that.

btw, Vitamin A works. First time I grew a beard, I took it for a week. Regretted it. It made the constant growth model an exponential growth model. So i quit that.

http://www.thebeardly.com/ Good site.

In general, just buy a good trimmer and hit the obvious spots, sideburns, neck, moustache.

Send us a pic. Lolol I'm sure it will look.........