Have you ever wondered why your beard hair tends to be more coarse than the head on your head or your body? If left to it’s own devices, your beard can take on a very rough texture. When I go a few days or weeks without attending to my beard, I hit a wall of complete irritation and discomfort. If you add in season factors like cold or dry weather and beard itch can drive you crazy. In this article, we take a look at the science behind coarse hair, why we may have evolved this way, and explore products and grooming strategies to combat these challenges.