Carrying a neat, full beard is not just a male fashion attribute. It is also a healthy gesture that protects men from both attacks of pollen, UV rays and even aging of the skin.
The beard would protect against skin cancer
These are Australian dermatologists who have just looked at the hairiness of these gentlemen. Like everyone else, researchers at the University of Queensland noted that men with beards and mustaches had a third of their face that was not exposed to UV rays. But they continued their research using a radiation dosimeter, that is, a device that measures the ultraviolet radiation that passes through the beard. They thus noticed that a beard blocks 90 to 95% of UV rays: “It’s a bit like an SPF index, the more the beard is provided, the higher the index”, explain the dermatologists. “The UV rays strike in a straight line. But when they strike the beard, the rays break down and do not reach the skin.”
But, in this period when the pollens begin to disseminate in the air, the beard (and the mustache) have another utility: they indeed prevent part of the grains of pollen which circulate in the air to penetrate in the ways upper airways, and thus protect men from asthma attacks caused by allergens.
Moreover, by serving as a protective barrier against external aggressions, the beard also allows the skin to remain hydrated… and therefore to age less quickly. “Beard hairs not only protect against UV rays, they also act as a barrier to cold and wind, just like a scarf would.”
>> Read also: 4 reasons to protect yourself from UV rays in the city
