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Topics: Health, TikTok, Sex and Relationships
Joe Harker
Topics: Health, TikTok, Sex and Relationships
As colder temperatures roll in there's a big temptation among many men to grow a beard and acquire a spot of chinsulation to ward off chilly weather.
We are of course also in the month of Movember, so there'll be plenty of lads doing their best to turn a few scraggly hairs into a proud soup-strainer.
However, before you embark on this voyage towards a face full of follicles you might want to heed the warning of a doctor who's suggested that your beard might put people off wanting to kiss you.
Dr Muneeb Shah, a TikToker calling himself the 'Derm Doctor' because he hands out advice on skincare, has been warning people about the dangers their beards might pose to their partners.
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Responding to a video from a woman who said she'd 'kissed a guy with facial hair' before revealing red spots on her chin, the doc advised blokes to 'clean your beards'.
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Don't worry guys, your fuzzy chinstraps don't need to be scythed down in a shaving session that'll leave you barely able to recognise your own face.
Instead, Dr Shah explained that facial hair can be home to lots of bacteria and that when someone rubs their face up against it, such as when they're kissing you, it can lead to tiny cuts in the skin which can set you on the path to an infection.
If you want to kiss a bearded bloke then you might end up with something called 'impetigo', which the NHS says is 'contagious but not usually serious'.
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It'll bring you out in a bit of a red rash which you can treat with antibiotic cream or tablets depending on how serious it is.
So there you go fellas, make sure your beard is going to be clean if it'll be coming into contact with someone else's face and also just in general because hygiene is important.
Before you go reaching for the razor there are benefits to growing a beard beyond keeping your chin warm.
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Dr Karan Raj explained that a study of faces in hospital found that bearded people were actually cleaner than those clean-shaven, and could soften your skin by stopping you from touching it all the darn time.
A bit of facial fuzz can also be a barrier that reduces your risk of sunburn and skin cancer, though this shouldn't be an excuse to ditch the sunscreen.
Meanwhile, if you're one of those who'd like to grow a beard but can't then the reason is probably down to your genetics, some of you just aren't born with the means to sprout a glorious spot of facial hair.
The idea that you can shave your way to a better beard is also for the birds, contrary to what you might have heard shaving hair off doesn't make it come back stronger.