On the occasion of World Beard Day, it is an opportunity to focus on its association with the mask, in times of health crisis. If it is too long, the beard prevents the mask from playing its role of filter and the droplets, at the origin of aerosol infections, escape.
- A 3-day beard is not a problem, but a longer beard prevents the mask from filtering micro-droplets.
- In the medical environment it is often obligatory to shave.
- It is important to wash your beard and trimmer thoroughly.
Wearing a mask is compulsory at work, with some exceptions, in closed places as well as in most cities in France. Many bearded men wonder about the effectiveness of their mask placed on their sometimes voluminous beard. “It depends on the beardanswers Catherine Oliveres Ghouti, dermatologist and member of the board of the national union of dermatologists, at Why doctor. If it’s a 3-day beard where the hairs are short, there’s no problem. If the beard is longer, with hair that prevents the mask from coming into contact with the skin, then it is no longer effective.”
Encourage men to shave their beards during the pandemic
The problem for people with large beards is that the mask no longer sticks to the skin and allows the micro-droplets, which cause aerosol infections, to pass through. “In China, they did a test with two buses, one where people wear the mask and the other where not everyone has it with each time an infected person placed in the middle rowsdevelops the dermatologist. By simply talking to her neighbor, she infected 28 out of 63 people on the bus where not everyone was wearing the mask. This confirms the role of droplets in the transmission of the virus.” The latter pushes the comparison with public transport where people are often very close. “In the subway or the crowded bus, we are all very close. If a person has a big beard and he speaks, viral particles will escape and he will potentially infect other people..”
Should you therefore shave your beard for the mask to be effective? In Quebec, caregivers have been asked to shave their beards for hygiene reasons. An obligation already present in the United States for several years. In France, health personnel are simply encouraged to shave their hair, without being obliged to do so. “In surgery, it is mandatoryrecalls Catherine Oliveres Ghouti. In beard hairs are found germs, fungi, sometimes food particles so in operating theaters beards are not allowed as they could cause infections.” As far as citizens are concerned, there is no obligation on them. “What is needed is to explain and encourage people to shave in the current health contextshe pleads. It would be better for men to wear a short beard and wait for the end of the pandemic to let it grow back.”
Take good care of your beard
Not all masks are created equal and some may be more suitable for longer beards. “The FFP2 mask, due to its shape, seems better for bearded people because they are more fittingsays the dermatologist. That said, no mask is perfectly suited to beards that are too long and their protection will not be optimal..” The latter pleads for bearded men to respect a physical distance greater than what is currently recommended, i.e. one meter.
Whether during this pandemic period or the rest of the time, the beard must be regularly maintained. “You must wash your beard well with soap in the morning during the shower by running your fingers through the hairsexplains Catherine Oliveres Ghouti. You also have to prune it regularly and be careful when you eat not to get it everywhere.” The mower, too, should be washed regularly. “When you mow, you deposit sebum (the fat of the skin, editor’s note) and small pieces of skin that peel without you noticing.she describes. Germs can get on the mower and can cause infection later.” For this, one can use a cotton soaked in alcohol at 60 degrees and use water and soap.
