5 week photos:








It's coming along well, although my cheeks aren't nearly as full as I thought they would be by now. Still committed to not shaving until Christmas so hopefully it will get better. I may have to sport a low-swooping beard instead of a full beard though.

I'm also developing some serious acne under my beard on my right cheek (my laptop takes mirror-image photos so it appears as my left cheek in the pics). You can't see it very clearly because of the lighting, but it's far worse than it appears in these photos. I've always had sensitive skin but I've been able to control breakouts by washing my face 2x/day and using salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide to control the acne. I haven't had a breakout in months, and I've never had it this bad. I'm sure it's due to the new beard. Probably a combination of irritation from the hair, excess oil/dirt around the skin, touching my face more, and inability to properly exfoliate and reach the skin while washing. Any tips from people who have experienced this? I'd really appreciate any help.