Research Says Beards Are Cleaner Than Shaved Faces

Remember how recently the media tried to tell us our beards had poop in them? Now they’re telling us that we may be more hygienic than our completely-shaven peers. Hey media outlets, how about you guys make up your mind?

According to The Telegraph, a new study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection found that “[completely]-shaven hospital staff were more likely to be carrying harmful bacteria – such as methicillan-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (better known as MRSA) – on their faces than hairier colleagues.”

The actual reasons behind these findings are still vague, with hypotheses stating that “It may be that the small cuts and micro-abrasions caused by an aggressive daily shave create gaps for bacterial [colonization]. Others argue that beards provide so much support for the growth of microbes that they may [harbor] powerful ‘good’ bacteria, too.”

What is even more interesting may be the fact that University College London’s Dr. Adam Roberts was recently able to grow over 100 different types of bacteria from beards, some of which actually showed potential to be developed in to antibiotics.

So rest easy, beardsmen – your beard isn’t full of poop anymore, now it’s just full of medicine.

Check out the full article at The Telegraph here.