Beauty and the Beard

The following is excerpted from a February 20, 2013 article by James Thilman.

While both dead sexy and totally awesome, beards are also a boon to your overall health. Researchers discovered that men with beards and moustaches actually enjoy numerous benefits including, but not limited to, instant handsomeness.

A study from the University of Southern Queensland, published in the Radiation Protection Dosimetry journal, found that beards block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, thereby slowing the aging process and reducing the risk of skin cancer.

Got asthma? Pollens and dust simply get stuck in that lustrous facial hair. Additionally, all that hair retains moisture and protects against the wind, keeping you looking young and fresh-faced. What’s more, shaving is usually the cause of ingrown hairs and bacterial infections that lead to acne.

Have you tossed your razor in the trash yet?

To conduct the study, researchers left bearded mannequins, along with less attractive, follically-challenged ones, in the blistering sun of the Australian outback and then compared the amount of radiation absorbed by each.

Recommended Off-site Links:
The Amazing History of Beards – Greg Voakes (The Huffington Post, April 3, 2012).
The Troubled History of Beards – Daniel Lew (Damn Interesting, March 28, 2006).
Travels with My Beard – Rajesh Thind (BBC News, February 1, 2006).
Growing a Beard: The History and Philosophy Behind the Current Trend – Greg Brian (Yahoo! Voices, January 11, 2008).
Beards are Sexy
Sexy Men with Beards
Beards Are Beautiful

Image 1: Subject and photographer unknown.
Image 2: Hal Hunter (photographer unknown).
Images 3-5: Subject and photographer unknown.
Image 6: Photography by Travis Rock.
Image 7: Subjects and photographer unknown.