Doctor issues serious health warning to people who kiss men with beards
Sorry lads, but it might be time to finally shave that beard off.
There are plenty of women and men out there who simply can't imagine their partners without a beard or moustache, but they may soon have to face the reality of kissing a completely shaven face. The horror.
While patchy beards can reportedly be a sign of an autoimmune hair loss condition called alopecia areata, it might be the fuller, more luscious beards you see testosterone-fuelled lumberjacks and hairy Hogwarts headmasters rocking that might be the danger here.
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Some airlines are already ahead of the game and have banned pilots from having beards, and your partner might be the next to impose the strict rule if they are concerned about picking up a contagious infection.
Dr Myro Figura, an anesthesiologist from Los Angeles, has shared a video on Instagram explaining why you might want to avoid kissing someone with a beard, whether that's an innocent peck on the cheek or a full on snog, if you want to avoid picking up an infection or skin irritation.
He said: "Kissing somebody with a beard can cause an infection? It sure can.
"If not clean, the beard can harbour a lot of bacteria like staph and strep and when kissing the beard can cause breaks in the skin, allowing bacteria to enter and cause an infection called impetigo."
According to the NHS, impetigo is a skin infection that's very contagious but not usually serious. Anyone can get it, but it's more common in young children.
They say: "Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters, but the redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin.
"The sores or blisters quickly burst and often leave crusty, golden-brown patches." Apparently, it looks like red cornflakes stuck to your skin, which is enough to put anyone off breakfast.
It's worth contacting the doctor if you do contract impetigo, but unsurprisingly, that conversation is one that they might want to have over the phone.
So, if you can keep a close eye on your boyfriend or husband or situationship or whatever it is you're calling this sweet summer fling, and you know for a fact that they keep their beard in a healthy condition, then kissing privileges can probably just about be kept on the table.
But the next time you see a hunky bearded man, or woman, across the bar, you might want to sneak some questions about beard shampoo and conditioner into the conversation before you start locking lips.
Topics: Health, Lifestyle, NHS, Sex and Relationships, Instagram
James Moorhouse