Beards Make You Healthier And More Handsome, According To Science

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Modern beard owners take special pride in their chin tresses, grooming their beloved beards with the latest oils and scented products.

It seems like it’s time well spent as researchers from The University of Queensland have revealed how beard owners could be hiding a number of health preserving benefits in their facial bush.

According to their research, one of the benefits to having a beard, is the built-in protection from 90-95% of harmful UV rays from the sun.

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The man who led the study, Professor Alfio Parisi, claims face fuzz has a UV protection factor of 21.

Professor Parisi made the following statement in the Radiation Protection Dosimetry journal:

While beards will never be as sun-safe as sunscreen, they certainly are a factor in blocking UV rays.

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Parisi and his team made this discovery by conducting an experiment using mannequins.

A number of mannequin heads were left out in the boiling sun, either with full beards, partial beards or bare faced.

The heads were rotated accordingly to make sure each was exposed to the same amount of sunlight and scientists found they were then able to measure the level of radiation absorbed in each.

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Beard blockage of the sun light is said to slow down the ageing process, ensuring the skin beneath stays young, supple and wrinkle free for longer.

The fuzzy shield could even help reduce the risk of skin cancer.

However, this study does specify the need for a full on Viking beard to get this level of protection – basically, the sun isn’t going to be scared off by your half arsed designer stubble.

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It isn’t just the sun beards are keeping at bay – the might of harsh, face stinging winds are no match for a lush thicket of bristles, further ensuring your skin stays soft as a peach.

Face fur also protects eyes, noses and mouths from pesky sneeze-inducing irritants such as pollen and dust – perfect for when hay fever season comes around.

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Basically, beards keep you at your warrior best whether you are pillaging a village or just trying to avoid gross sunburn peel. Valhalla!

Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.