Study: Men’s beards carry more bacteria than dog’s necks

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When “Aquaman” hunk Jason Momoa recently shaved his beard, fans everywhere mourned the loss of his signature facial hair. However, according to a new study, men with beards are actually germier than dogs.

Yes, you read that right. In a recent study performed in Switzerland, it was found that men’s beards contain more bacteria than Fido’s fur. In fact, some of the men were found to have such high bacteria loads in their beards that they were at risk of becoming ill.

Jason momoa photo
Getty Images | Kevin Winter

 

“The researchers found a significantly higher bacterial load in specimens taken from the men’s beards compared with the dogs’ fur,” study author and professor Andreas Gutzeit told BBC News. “On the basis of these findings, dogs can be considered as clean, compared with bearded men.”

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Yikes! But before you look askance at bearded men, take into account previous research, which found that women believe bearded men to be more trustworthy — and to be better potential mates — than clean-shaven dudes.

That’s right. One 2016 study, published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, said that women see men with beards as being better relationship material. It also found that every single woman out of the 8,250 surveyed said that they preferred men with some facial hair (whether it be a bit of scruff, a full-on beard or something in between).

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It is also worth considering that perhaps this Swiss study is proof not that men’s beards are horrifically dirty, but that dogs are actually cleaner than we might believe.

If bearded men carry just as much or more bacteria than our dogs, then there’s no reason to feel guilty about snuggling our pups or letting them sleep on our pillows right next to us.

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If your man has a beard and you’re concerned about his hygiene, no worries. There are lots of awesome products on the market to help keep your dude’s facial hair groomed to perfection.

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Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo ($13.25 on Amazon) can help to scrub away bacteria and oils without harming your guy’s beard or impeding his hair’s natural growth.

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Or check out a combination beard shampoo and conditioner set, like this option from the Polished Gentleman. Scrub away germs while softening and smoothing the beard, all with a fantastic scent.

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There’s also this 3-pack of beard oils that offers conditioning and moisturizing to keep men’s facial hair looking healthy and well-groomed:

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And if you want to go all out, you can also get a full beard kit like the one below. It includes a shampoo, balm, oil, comb, scissors and several other items to help your beard looking neat.

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Although, let’s face it, when it comes to men like Momoa and Elba, a little beard bacteria isn’t going to keep the women away.

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About the Author
Bridget Sharkey
Bridget Sharkey is a freelance writer covering pop culture, beauty, food, health and nature.

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