There are some fashionable trends that have been very popular recently among men, and one of them is growing a beard. Today more than ever we see young men with thick and full beards.
But recently gathered information might make even the biggest beard lover in the world think twice whether it’s worth holding so much bacteria-absorbing hair so close to the mouth.
The KOAT TV channel, a local branch of ABC News, asked bearded men if they would be willing to check for bacteria in their beards. The news team trimmed some of the participants’ beards and handed the samples to microbiologist John Golobic for testing. And when Golobic examined the men’s facial hair – he was shocked by the results!
“I’m not usually surprised, but this time I was very surprised”, Golobic told KOAT.
Most of the beards contained normal bacteria that can be found everywhere. But in some of the beards things were much worse. Their beards contained bacteria found in human feces. And here’s the most disgusting detail – their beards were dirtier even than toilets!
Even though some of the bacteria do not cause diseases, Golobic believes the results indicate a frightening lack of hygiene in some men.
So is it time for the beard to go away, or is it just time to be more hygienic?
Here are some essential things you should do if you are not yet ready to trim your beard:
First of all, keep your hands away from your face. The last thing you want to do is spread fecal bacteria to your mouth or nose. Second, rub your beard well when you shower. And lastly, make sure you wash your hands often – certainly after you go to the bathroom.
So what do you think? Is it time for the beard to disappear?