Beard Grooming: Are Beards Clean or Dirty?

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Some men find beard as the coolest thing to have. There are women who like their men to sport beards because it will make them look manlier and tougher. There are also several celebrities who choose to cover their faces with hair like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.

However, there was a study last year claimed that beards are as dirty as toilet because they are packed with bacteria. The study may have provided a notion that a beard is unhealthy but the fad did not really die down as more and more men are seen with hair covering their faces.

Although the study mentioned that the bacteria found in beards could not have a significant effect to the person sporting it, the germs discovered are pretty serious. They added that, if it were to be found in the supply of water in a town, health officials will be called out to shut it down and disinfect.

Nevertheless, the debate whether it is dirty or not is still not over. According to a report by WebMD, an academic historian of medicine from the University of Exeter in England, Alun Withey, is currently conducting a study with regard to the hygiene history of men with facial hair from 1700 to 1918. Although he had only started the research, he is already going into a specific direction, in which he will reveal once it is done.

He is hoping that it will finally give an answer that will leave no doubts from anyone. Many men who are currently wearing beards refuse to believe that it is dirty and full of bacteria. Although it is sometimes smelly, they do not believe that it will affect their health.

The recent trend of beard these days is inspired by the explosion of the hippies in 60's. There were so many bands during that time and, in the 70's, that made the facial hair as their signature look.

Withey would even agree that the trend will never end and the argument whether it is bad or not is just part of its popularity.

According to a recent report by the BBC, there is a new claim that antibiotic can be found in men's beard. It is reported to have a type of bacteria that can be found in some antibiotic people are using now to fight off certain diseases.

There are indeed many speculations surrounding this trend but, one thing is for sure: nobody has ever died from a disease because he sported a beard.