Maintaining your beard usually comes with a few “ouch!” moments once in a while. This could be because your beard trimmer is acting up, you didn’t use the trimmer correctly, or any other reason.
Whatever the cause may be, having a trimmer suddenly yanking your hair is not a pleasant experience. Unless you cherish the cave man’s look, you definitely need regular trims. However, what do you do about a beard trimmer that pulls your hair?
A beard trimmer that pulls your hair needs to be cleaned first. Oftentimes, cleaning could solve the problem. Maintain a regular schedule for oiling the trimmer and checking the teeth to prevent, or at least, minimize hair pulls. Ensure that you know how to use a beard trimmer correctly, and that the trimmer is right for your beard length. Replace the trimmer if it is bad.
To know exactly what to do about a beard trimmer that pulls your hair, you need to discover first why it does so in the first place. If you can find the reason, it will be a lot easier to determine your next course of action.
If you find out that your trimmer is bad, for example, you will save yourself time and lots of groans by simply buying a new one instead of doubting your techniques or getting frustrated about cleaning the trimmer excessively. Let’s take a quick look at why your beard trimmer acts up and tugs at your hair.
Possible Reasons Your Trimmer Pulls Your Hair
Beard trimmers can pull hairs for several reasons. Before you throw away your trimmer or buy a new one, go through this small list to see what you can do about it.
1. Your Beard Trimmer is Not Well-Maintained.
Perhaps this is one of the main reasons for many of the issues users have with trimmers. There is no way your trimmer will perform as expected if you don’t clean it regularly. You put your trimmer through a lot every week; the least you can do is to show it some care.
Without proper cleaning and oiling, there’s going to be a buildup of dirt, dead skin, lather, and strands of hair. With all these residues, it will be surprising if your trimmer doesn’t tug at your hair!
Here’s an excellent approach you can adopt for maintaining your beard trimmer. It is called the T.O.P.C. method. This approach helps you quickly identify the problem that is causing your trimmer to pull your hair. Check out this concise post to learn more about this easy-to-follow T.P.O.C. method.
2. You Have a Low-Quality Trimmer.
Trying to pinch pennies doesn’t really work when it comes to buying a trimmer that actually works. Here’s the thing with trimmers (and any other product for that matter!)—you get what you pay for.
Does that mean you have to spend tons of cash for a decent trimmer? Of course not! However, a low-quality trimmer will yield poor output. When choosing trimmers, make sure you strike the right balance between affordability and quality. If possible, avoid trimmers with slow motors because they tend to pull hairs.
3. You are Not Using the Trimmer Correctly.
Beard trimmers can pull your hair if you use it wrongly. Unaligned blades, wrong adjustments, and incorrect handling techniques can make a trimmer perform at a lower quality than it should.
If you are transitioning from using a shaving blade to an electric shaver, it may take a while to get used to a trimmer. A razor delivers closer cuts than an average electric trimmer.
If you’re new to beard trimmers and experiencing frequent hair pulls, it could be that you are forcing the electric trimmer to work as a traditional blade. If you are sure you have a high-quality trimmer, and the settings are all done correctly, but you still experience hair pulls, perhaps all you need is to learn the correct way to use the trimmer.
4. The Trimmer is Not Suitable for Your Beard Type.
You are not alone if you choose a trimmer based on reviews, only to discover that it isn’t giving you the desired result. The problem may not be from the trimmer, but from your beard type. Before choosing a beard trimmer, it is a good idea to do a bit of research first.
What type of beard do you have: thick, full, curly, coarse, or wiry? How sensitive is your skin? To prevent an otherwise excellent beard trimmer from pulling your hair, you would need to know your beard type first; then you choose a trimmer that suits you.
5. Your Beard is Too Long.
Keeping a long beard is a matter of personal choice; however, keep in mind that many standard electric trimmers can only give you good trims if your beard is not too long. Your trimmer may skip a few spots when you are cutting a long beard. Applying more pressure on the trimmer to cut the missed hairs can result in discomfort.
If your trimmer is pulling your hair, check to see if the trimmer supports long hair. If it doesn’t, you may need to cut your beard short with scissors before using the electric trimmer.
6. You are Confusing Trimmer Functionality.
Some beard trimmers are designed to function under wet conditions. Others are meant explicitly for dry use. If you mix things up and subject your trimmer to unsuitable conditions, it can develop a fault.
However, your poor trimmer won’t take it lying down! It may be a small piece of metal and plastic, but it will retaliate by pulling your hair right out of your face!
If you are unsure about shaving conditions or want a trimmer that works well for both wet and dry shaving, consider getting yourself a hybrid beard trimmer.
7. Your Trimmer is Too Old.
How long have you been using your trimmer? Regardless of how great a product is, we will all run into wear and tear at some point, as we all know. Beard trimmers are among the most frequently used personal grooming items for many men.
If your trimmers start acting up after a reasonably long time, it is a clear indication that you need to replace it.
8. Your Trimmer is Bad.
Wrongly adjusting or setting a beard trimmer can cause it to pull your hair during use. However, when a relatively new trimmer rips hair off your face, despite several adjustments, it is simply a bad trimmer.
Your best bet would be to return it if it is still within the warranty period; otherwise, you should probably throw it away and buy a new one.
How to Stop a Beard Trimmer from Pulling Your Hair
If your beard trimmer pulls your hair instead of cutting, don’t be too quick to throw away the blades or the entire trimmer. There are a couple of simple options you can take to prevent hair pulls. Buying a new beard trimmer should be your last option.
Here are some simple things you can do if your beard trimmer pulls your hair:
1. Clean Your Trimmer Frequently.
Cleaning may seem like the obvious thing to do after each use, but you’ll be surprised to know the number of people who don’t do this. It’s a lot easier to return your trimmer to its case right after a shave, right?
However, that’s the exact behavior that can lead to problems later. A traditional razor may endure such treatments, but an electric trimmer needs to be in tiptop shape always if you want it to give you the best shaving experience.
Remember the T.P.O.C. method mentioned earlier? Adopting it could stop beard trimmers from pulling your hairs.
2. Replace Old Parts.
Hair pulls can result from weak and worn out parts, especially the blades. Replacing blades and other old parts can stop the problem. And by the way, don’t just throw away old blades. The proper thing to do when your blades are worn out is to recycle them.
3. Provide Adequate Power.
Whether you have a rechargeable trimmer, one that uses disposable double-A batteries, or even a corded type, make sure it has the correct power supply. Get new disposable batteries if the current ones have become weak.
If you have the rechargeable variety, charge it fully before use. And, if your beard trimmer comes with a cord, make sure it is connected to the recommended voltage when you use it.
4. Learn the Proper Techniques.
No matter how fantastic a tool is, it is worthless in the wrong hands! It doesn’t matter how much a trimmer costs, even high-end products cannot give you the best shaving experience if you don’t know how to use them. Learning how to use a beard trimmer correctly is not a difficult thing, thanks to videos like this one:
5. Use the Right Beard Trimmer.
As mentioned earlier, incompatible trimmers can give you painful pulls. If you’ve determined that your trimmer is the wrong type for your beard, it would be best to find one that works for you and use it.
Continuing to use a trimmer that is not compatible with your beard in the hope that somehow you’ll magically adjust it to suit your beard, is hoping in vain! There is no magic, hoping, or believing when it comes to these cute little hand-held electronic devices. It either works, or it doesn’t. If you force it, you may not get only hair pulls, but also skin irritation.
6. Comb Full Beard Hair Before and During Trimming.
Something as simple as combing your beard before trimming can help minimize hair pulls. This is particularly true for those with long beards. It may not be your trimmer or your beard type that is causing the issues; it could be a few tangled hairs that need to be straightened out before and during cutting.
7. Use the Correct Attachment.
Many electric trimmers come with a couple of attachments designed for different hair lengths. Switching between different shaving guards can prevent hair pulls.
8. Organize Your Trimmer and Accessories
Many beard trimmers come with different components that give you more flexibility. Find a special container to store the trimmer and all its accessories such as guards, heads, charger, oil, and the likes.
It makes perfect sense for trimmers that are handled properly to perform excellently. Regardless of how inexpensive or costly your beard trimmer is, take pride in it. After all, you spent time and money to find a suitable one for your beard type.
A Few Beard Trimmer Recommendations
Unfortunately, you will have to get an entirely new beard trimmer sometimes. No one enjoys throwing away money, especially if you haven’t been using the product for a long time. To prevent this from happening, you have to choose a good beard trimmer carefully.
However, as you probably already know, it can be quite overwhelming when trying to pick just one trimmer from the myriad of options on the market. With every brand claiming to offer the best product, it can be tricky to make a good choice.
Thankfully, there are a handful of brands you can trust when it comes to beard trimmers. Andis, Wahl, and Philips Norelco are among the top, well-known, and dependable names.
If you have sensitive skin, you will want to avoid hair pulls by all means, which is why this cordless Andis trimmer could be the right option for you. It has a carbon-steel T-blade designed for precision close cutting. It works really well for dry shaving. It may be a bit pricey compared to the other products recommended here, but, if you have the cash and want to avoid hair pulls, by all means, it is best to shop for quality!
A more affordable, but equally great option is this Wahl product. Its self-sharpening precision blades are designed to give you a good trim, regardless of your hair length. It is meant for dry use only. You shouldn’t experience hair pulls if you stick to its intended usage.
Lastly, consider this highly rated and well-priced Philips Norelco Hybrid trimmer with skin-friendly blades. It is designed to give you trims at any length you wish. You can use it in the shower, with foam, or dry. You won’t have a hard time cleaning this product after every trim.
How to Choose a Good Beard Trimmer
I know not everyone reading this will want to choose the products mentioned above. Maybe they are not quite in the right price range for you, or you just don’t like the brand name! In any case, you can choose your preferred trimmer. Here are a few tips to help you make a good choice.
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Beware of Too Many Features and Attachments.
Attachments and features are great—they give you flexibility and more functionality. However, products with plenty of accessories at a smaller price tag may give you subpar performance.
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Choose Relevant Options.
Avoid buying trimmers just because they offer multiple options. For example, if you need only two or three guard options, look for a trimmer that offers that option for a good price instead of buying stuff that you hardly need.
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A Budget-Friendly Trimmer can be a Good Choice, Too.
It may not be the best use of your cash to buy expensive trimmers, especially if you are not a professional barber. There are some great budget-friendly options available out there, too.
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Prioritize Quality Over Quantity.
If there’s one thing you should always keep in mind, it is this: shop for quality! You don’t want to get the “best deal ever!” only to experience a less-than-pleasant shaving experience.
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Buy Trimmers that Work for Your Beard Type.
The market is flooded with an overabundance of trimmers. They don’t all work the same way or for all beard types. Know what your beard type is and your desired length, and then choose something that is compatible.
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Consider the Product Warranty.
If you buy a beard trimmer, and it pulls your hair or doesn’t work as advertised, you should be able to return it. Buy products with a reasonable time limit in their warranty policy.
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Focus on Product Performance and Not Just the Brand Name.
While it is a great idea to buy from trusted brands, evaluating the manufacturer alone without being mindful of a particular product can lead to a poor buying decision. If a trimmer is giving you issues, return it.
If the problem persists, don’t stick to the brand. Look for another excellent product, even if it is not from a popular manufacturer.
Conclusion
Besides the pain you would feel when your hair is pulled by a trimmer, it can also cause irritation and acne as a result of ingrown hairs. In some extreme cases, an infection can occur when whole hairs are continuously pulled from your face, especially if you use a dirty trimmer or your skin is exposed to germs.
You can find a beard trimmer with fantastic qualities. You can also stop a beard trimmer from pulling your hair. It all revolves around simple techniques you can include in your routine.
Buying a trimmer with excellent quality alone will not stop hair pulls magically. You need to combine quality and regular maintenance. The simple act of removing hairs from the blades after every shave can make your trimmer perform better, last longer, and give you the shaving experience you’ve always wanted.