SCIENTIFIC EFFECTS THAT HAPPEN WHEN A MAN GROWS
A BEARD
By NICHOLAS CONLEY
History - Science
SKIN CANCER FORCEFIELD
According to a study by researchers at the University of Queensland, facial hair reduces your sun exposure ratios by about one-third, compared to a clean-shaven face, and the ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF, ranges from 2 to 21. This means a beard protects you from about 90-95 percent of ultraviolet rays, thereby lowering your risk of getting skin cancer on your face.
SAVING TIME
An average man spends 3,350 hours of his lifetime shaving his beard. Hence, kicking shaving to the curb will restore over 3,000 hours to your life, so you can finally take on that project you've been dreaming of or at the very least, watch some more TV.
INCREASED ATTRACTIVENESS
A study by the University of Queensland, conducted on over 8,000 heterosexual women showed that 5 o'clock shadows were seen as better one-night stand propositions, whereas men with fuller beards were assessed as better long-term partners. Another study surveying gay men found that they also gave higher ratings to men with a healthy amount of whiskers.
INSULATION
According to dermatologist Anthony M. Rossi, wintertime beards are essentially all-natural scarves. According to reports, these hairy scarves keep the skin underneath 1 degree warmer than it is in unguarded areas, which might sound small but definitely makes a big difference.
SMOOTH SKIN UNDERNEATH
Having a beard protects the skin underneath from aging by blocking sun exposure, resulting in fewer wrinkles and liver spots. Sebaceous glands also work to keep your skin oiled up and moisturized — people usually rub this oil off pretty frequently by rubbing their faces, but not if they have a thick beard protecting their cheeks and thus preserving their skin's oils.