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Combing Through the History And Psychology Of Beards

Connecticut Public Radio | By Colin McEnroe
Published May 2, 2013 at 2:40 PM EDT
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Good news for bearded men published in the journal Radiation Protection Dosimetry  found that beards block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, reducing the risk of skin cancer.
 
Additionally, beard hair slows the aging process of skin by retaining moisture and protecting against the wind. What’s more, shaving is usually the cause of ingrown hairs and bacterial infections that lead to acne.
 
Bad news for bearded men: a much older study found that harmful bacteria can grab a foothold in beards. 
 
Confusing news for bearded men: A new study from the journal Evolution of Human Behavior says that men are their most attractive with a ten-day stubble rather than being clean-shaven or fully bearded.
 
Beards are confusing. You have to have one to be a wizard in Middle Earth. You can't have one and be president in 2013.
 
To donate to Mayla Embry's leukemia fund, click here and enter the email imnskp@gmail.com. Thank you!
 
 
Leave your comments below, email us at colin@wnpr.org, or tweet us @wnprcolin.
Colin McEnroe
Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. Colin can be reached at colin@ctpublic.org.
See stories by Colin McEnroe

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