Beards are Good For You: Science Says Facial Hair Makes You Healthier and Helps Prevent Aging

Attention, ManMakers! For your fun fact of the day: beards are good for you! A recent scientific study from the University of Southern Queensland says that beards are better for your skin, and can help prevent asthma and allergy attacks.

The World Observer reports,

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.

Of course, this hits upon a certain degree of obviousness. There’s a reason men have beards in the first place, and nature isn’t known to do things frivolously. But, this causes me to reconsider my beard-in-the-winter/clean-shaven-in-the-summer approach I’ve taken over the last few years, especially since I spend so much time outside in the warmer months. Cut back on skin-aging UV rays and prevent allergy attacks? Win-win for me. 

Beards Keep You Young, Healthy & Handsome, Says Science [The World Observer]

(Thanks, Capree!)