Men often grow a beard simply because they think it looks cool. They never stop to consider the benefits of their facial hair, but there are many. A beard makes a man more confident and gets women to notice him. However, the health benefits need consideration as well when deciding whether you should grow facial hair.
A Beard Makes You Appear Older
Men might hear they have a baby face which no guy appreciates. With a beard, the same man looks two to five years older. When he shaves the beard, the drastic change often surprises others. They don’t see the same man when he removes the facial hair. Although some men find it difficult to grow facial hair and struggle with a sparse beard, products can help to grow a beard in less time. Look into Beard Care products designed to help you achieve this goal.
A Beard Makes You Appear More Intelligent
Survey men and women and ask them if men with beards are smarter. Quite a few people say these men are more intelligent than their counterparts. Although growing a beard won’t increase a man’s knowledge, others believe it does. Think back to ancient scholars. They had beards that made others look up to them. Research backs up the assertion that facial hair makes a man appear more intelligent. In 2016, the Journal of Evolutionary Biology published a study that showed women see bearded men as more intelligent than those without facial hair. Keep this in mind when going for a job interview or speaking in front of a large crowd.
A Beard Provides an Additional Layer of Protection
When a man grows a beard, fewer allergens and bacteria make their way into his nose, mouth, and respiratory system. As a result, he experiences fewer infections and viruses. The beard likewise reduces a man’s risk of acne. When a man doesn’t shave, there are fewer open cuts that allow bacteria into the skin to bring about pimples.
Protection from the Elements
Men find they no longer need to use as much sunscreen when they grow a beard. There’s no reason to use this product on the area of the face covered by hair, as the hair protects the skin from the sun. Oxford University conducted a study that found that a beard blocks up to 95 percent of the sun’s harmful rays. The beard likewise protects a man when the weather turns cold, as the facial hair keeps the man warm.
A Beard Make a Man Appear More Masculine
Men with a beard appear more masculine, as beard growth remains dependent on DHT and testosterone, both male hormones. Women and men alike view males with a beard as more mature, masculine, and confident. Men also state they feel more attractive when they grow a beard, and over 50 percent of the guys surveyed stated they receive compliments about their facial hair.
Women Love Men with a Beard
The Journal of Evolutionary Biology surveyed women and found they see men with a beard as more attractive and more masculine. Another study, one conducted by Neave et al., found that women see men with beards as aggressive, dominant, experienced, masculine, and socially mature. Any facial hair ranked higher with women than no hair at all.
More Free Time
Men often don’t realize how much time they spend removing facial hair. By growing a beard, they free up time for other activities. Men spend approximately five months out of their lives removing facial hair. Think about the things that you could do with that time, and it’s easy to see why so many are choosing to grow a beard now. They have better things to do with their lives. This doesn’t take into account the money they save on razors and other products associated with shaving.
Beards Enhance a Male’s Face
Men find they can change their appearance simply by changing the way they trim and shape their beards. For instance, a man with a round face looks great with a goatee as this draws attention away from the shape of his face. Men who are often told they are unapproachable find a rounded beard and longer hair provides them with a look that is friendlier in the eyes of others. Men with a baby face, in contrast, find short hair combined with a beard make them look older.
Beards Improve Relationships
Women find men with a beard more desirable and rate these men as better when it comes to being romantic partners. This is true for both short and long-term relationships. Romantic partnerships lead to an increase in the male’s testosterone levels, which then leads to faster beard growth. This becomes a beneficial cycle, one in which the man’s relationship boosts his beard growth, which leads to more partners. This increase in partners leads to more beard growth and an increase in testosterone. The beard grows more when this happens, and the cycle begins anew.
The Perception of Men with Beards
Research shows men with a beard are perceived differently than males without facial hair. In fact, the traits people associate with a beard are the same ones they associate with trustworthiness and reliability. Men and women perceive a male with a beard to be a person of authority, someone they can trust, a mature man with experience, and someone who is responsible. They feel he is confident and an expert they can turn to. The way others perceive a man influences how they interact with him, and every male should take this into consideration when deciding whether he should grow facial hair.
Every male should consider growing a beard. Although some men find it difficult to do so, help is available in the form of beard care products. Look into these products to grow the beard and to care for it once the facial hair comes in. A well-groomed beard adds to a man’s appearance, but an unkempt one is a turnoff. Make certain you care for your beard properly so you get the benefits of the facial hair with no drawbacks.