If you’ve ever wondered why men grow beards, you probably know there are multiple psychological, social, and sexual trends associated with men’s facial Hair. For example, researchers say that men with beards are more appealing to ovulating women. Perhaps women find bearded men more virile than clean-shaven counterparts. If you have a Beard or you’re thinking of growing a beard, let’s explore some of the benefits of a beard, beard health, and fashion trends related to facial hair.

After all, part of sporting a cool beard is distinguishing yours from the crowd. Researchers theorize that as more men decide to grow a beard, potential mates may find them less attractive. University of New South Wales Sydney researchers report that, if attracting a potential mate is one of the reasons you want an awesome beard, your next steps might involve trimming or styling your beard.

Regardless of the research, if you have questions like “Should I grow a beard?” this article hopes to answer some of your questions now.

Benefits of Growing a Beard

Here are several of the amazing benefits of growing a beard:

1. Prevents skin cancer:

Yes! Growing a beard can protect the skin it covers with ultraviolet protection factors between 2 – 21 UPF. A beard also protects some (about a third) of your beardless skin. Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia say that’s a “good” level of sun protection. Bearded men tend to reduce UV sun exposure by about a third. Even if you’ve got a cool beard, continue to use sunscreen. When you’re in the sun, wear a hat, sun-protective clothing, and sun shades.

Although tanned skin and an awesome beard look great in the moment, chronic exposure to UV rays can also cause brown spots, wrinkles and saggy skin over time. Too much sun can make you look older. When you’re young, growing a beard can make you look a bit older. When you’re older, you’ll want to look younger.

Don’t forget regular skin checks at the dermatologist. He or she maps any suspicious spots and lesions to protect you from skin cancer.

2. Reduce asthma and allergies:

Growing a cool beard can reduce allergies and possibly improve your daily health. If you’re allergic to dust, pollen, dogs, or cats, these allergens enter the body through your nose and mouth. At that time, you’ll sneeze, cough, have difficulty breathing, or need to manage a runny nose. Here’s why growing a beard can help.

Facial hair creates a barrier for allergens. In many cases, particles get trapped in your facial hair. They’re less likely to enter your mouth or nose. Although you’ll still breathe particles in once they’re on the beard, you might not take in as many particles at once. And, if allergen particles are in your facial hair over time, your body may develop immunity to them. You’re then less likely to have an allergic reaction to these substances in the future.

However, please continue to keep your beard hair clean. Not washing facial hair can cause illness and have negative social effects.

3. No ingrown hairs

Grow a beard to get rid of beard itch and ingrown hairs. Growing a beard means you have more freedom from shaving. If your facial hair is thick or wiry, and if your skin is oily or sensitive, you may be prone to developing painful ingrown hairs.

Men with dry skin report that growing a beard tends to have a moisturizing effect. This fact can also reduce the tendency to develop ingrown hairs.

Growing a beard doesn’t mean you’ll never have ingrown hairs. Take these steps to prevent them:

Brush or comb your beard after the daily wash.

If your skin is dry or sensitive, spritz your beard with a few drops of organic tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is moisturizing, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. If desired, add a little grapeseed or olive oil to the tea tree oil and dispense with an atomizer or pump.

Buy a gentle exfoliator gel to remove dead skin cells and free your whiskers. If hairs can’t push throw dead skin cells, the probability of developing ingrown hairs in and around your beard increases.

4. Prevent acne

Shaving your face every day causes abrasion. If your skin is sensitive and oily, or you’re acne prone, scientists say that shaving is linked to acne and folliculitis. When hair follicles become infected, you have folliculitis. When a hair follicle becomes infected, you may believe it’s acne. If you’re scraping a razor blade over your follicles each day and you’re dealing with folliculitis, it may be difficult to heal the condition without medical intervention.

Growing a beard promotes skin health. Your follicles won’t be irritated each day and common bacteria won’t have a chance to grow in tiny microscopic abrasions caused by shaving.

Of course, growing a beard doesn’t guarantee you won’t have acne or have an occasional ingrown hair from time to time. See your dermatologist to treat the condition.

5. Save time shaving

Some men never shave because they prefer to wear a beard. Others don’t shave each day. Scientists report that some women like the look of stubble. This preference transcends fashion. Women may be genetically programmed to like the look of deep stubble.

Practically speaking, it takes most men a lot of time to shave. Let’s consider how much time the average man spends shaving. If he shaves quickly and spends about three minutes a day from lather to rinse, he’ll spend more than 35 days of his life shaving (and that figure assumes he takes Sundays off).

If he shaves every day of the week, the amount of time he spends shaving increases to 45 days of life.

If he gets 5 o’clock shadow and doesn’t grow a beard, he’ll spend even more time shaving.

There’s a fun fact comparison, however. The average woman spends 72 days of life shaving her legs! American Laser Centers says the calculation assumes the average woman shaves her legs 12 times per month.

Really?

Both men and women should consider the alternatives to shaving. With all the benefits of growing a beard for men, the obvious choice is “Grow a beard–it’s the look nature intended.”

6. Make you look more attractive to women

Dr. Barnaby Dixson, a world-renowned beard researcher, concludes that women are more attracted to men with facial hair. He believes that bearded men are considered more “rare” by female eyes. Rarity, he says, causes the potential mate to perceive the bearded man as more attractive than the field of clean-shaven men.

However, it’s possible that women find bearded men more attractive than clean-shaven men because he looks attractive and healthy. He’s got more free time to spend with a mate, friends, and children. Whether he’s a student, employee, or entrepreneur, he looks hotter to women than men without facial hair.

A study published by the “Official Journal of the Human Behavior & Evolution Society” says that the kind of facial hair you wear impacts others’ perception of you:

• Clean-shaven, low-stubble males were considered the least attractive
• Heavy stubble is considered the “most attractive” look for a man by women
• Men liked the looks of other men with full beards
• Both men and women perceived bearded men as the healthiest males
• Full-bearded men were perceived as having the best parenting skills by both men and women
• Bearded men are also perceived as more masculine

Take a moment to compare photos of bearded and clean-shaven men. If you’re like most, you’ll conclude, “Growing a beard can improve my looks.”

Not every man can grow a lush, healthy-looking beard, however. If you want to grow a beard and nature didn’t give you enough whiskers, it’s possible to get hairs transplanted into your beard. The process takes time and money. If you’re willing to give it a try, prices start at about USD10,000 in New York. The procedure is also popular in London, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration in the UK. Expect to pay slightly higher prices in London to get the beard of your dreams.

7. Keeps you warm and prevents colds

Today’s man likes the look of a full beard. Studies seem to show that women and men prefer facial hair because it’s in our biology. Beards may help men stay healthy and avoid disease.

That’s important information for the woman in search of a mate because, at first glance, she’s likely to be shallow. She wants a healthy, attractive man to love.

Growing a beard is also natural insulation for your face and neck. If you enjoy winter sports and the outdoors in general, you might not need to wear a scarf if it’s cold and windy outside. A full beard protects your throat at all times.

Wearing a beard can protect the owner from catching a cold. Because your beard keeps you warmer in cold weather, your body isn’t as affected by blustery cold winds. Your immune system won’t need to kick in to stabilize the system.

If you’ve ever wondered why people refer to the common cold as such, here’s a partial answer: Yale University researchers report that viruses responsible for the common cold thrive in colder temperatures. These viruses multiply faster in cold air. That’s why these viruses prefer the nose to inner organs in the host’s body.

Good Grooming and Growing a Beard

Growing a beard includes good grooming. It’s not chaos theory. You’re still required to wash, comb, and trim your beard and mustache. If your beard is unruly, consider a beard-taming cream or gel product.

Don’t forget to shave some areas. There’s an ongoing debate about shaving the neck and cheeks. Use a moisturizing shave cream if your skin is dry. To avoid razor drag, buy a lubricating shave gel.

Growing a beard can change your outlook and others’ perspectives about you. There are so many reasons to grow an awesome beard, why not agree to enjoy more free time and amazing sex appeal?