Do Beards Have Health Benefits?

The idea that any hair styling choice could offer health benefits seems like quackery at best – but we can confirm that choosing to wear a beard does offer some positive outcomes to wellbeing and wellness.

How on earth can a having a beard contribute to your health and wellbeing, you ask? Here are just a few ways...

1. Protection from UV and Prevention of Skin Cancer.  A beard is able to block up to ninety-five percent of the harmful UV rays from the sun, and this translates to a reduction in the most common skin cancers developing on the lower face. The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma (BCC); the vast majority of these appear on the face, neck or head. Your beard protects the lower face from developing skin cancer. Obviously, a denser beard will offer much more protection than a trimmed one.
2. Reduced incidence of shaving-related infections. Ahh, shaving rash. We all know it well. It not only looks and feels unpleasant, but it can lead to folliculitis. This is caused by skin-infecting bacteria and can be itchy or become sore. Spread from bacteria from the nose by razors, it causes ingrown hairs, bumps, irritation and cuts. It’s not easy to combat once it has developed. Skip the razor, and you won’t have a problem!
3. Fewer blemishes.  Shaving exacerbates issues such as acne and folliculitis, by irritating the skin and helping to spread harmful bacteria. If you don’t shave, you eliminate the risk! And if you have acne scarring, a beard will cleverly cover the damage.
4. Fewer allergy symptoms. Those hairs inside your nostrils are there for a reason (as annoying as they can sometimes be when they sprout outside the confines of the inside of the nose). These little hairs trap allergens and pollutants which, if inhaled, can harm your nasal passages, sinuses, throat, and lungs. Your beard works the same way – trapping microscopic nasties and preventing them from entering your nose and mouth. As long as your beard is kept clean, it is the best filter for bacteria, pollen, viruses and other allergens you can have, short of wearing a surgical face mask. You can even expect fewer asthma symptoms.
5. Natural skin moisturiser. The sebaceous glands in our skin work to secrete natural oils which keep the skin from drying. A beard helps to keep these natural oils in place, and also protects the face from exposure to dry air, wind, and other environmental conditions which dry the skin out.
6. Less signs of ageing. Many people believe that a man with a beard looks older. But after a certain age, if a guy shaves his beard, he can actually look older without it! Additionally, having a beard protects the skin and slows the ageing process on the lower face. Guys who have had a beard for a significant part of their younger lives can expect fewer wrinkles and fewer age spots in the area.