The Beard Myth(s) you thought were true – Beards, regardless of individual opinions seem to have come to stay; hence, making it’s grooming one topic most desired amongst young and old men alike. In a bid to know all we can about beards, we tend to pick many junks that are better left unknown. Here are common myths, and misconceptions you shouldn’t have known about beards.
BEARD MYTH ONE: BEARD GROWTH RUNS IN THE FAMILY
I want to believe I have a brother that has been directly affected by this myth. He had expected his beards to grow really fast since he comes from a family of heavily bearded people. yet, we still await the first studs of hair growth on his face. Though the myth that holds that beards run in family seem very realistic, it’s important we know that facial hair growth is actually a response to the production of testosterone. Beard growth is determined by how the body processes testosterone and this processing is genetically determined.
BEARD MYTH TWO: HAVING A SHAVE MAKE HAIR GROW BACK THICKER
I cringe when I think of the tenacity with which grown men, in fact, do this, all in an attempt to grow a thicker facial hair. The saying, ‘appearance is fickle’ applies here more than anywhere else. It’s important to note that the fact that hair APPEARS to be thicker doesn’t mean it is actually thicker.
What exactly happens? When the tip of the hair is sliced off in the process of shaving, the remaining hair may appear thicker, darker, and coarser than it was initially, but it doesn’t really help out in the regrowth of hair. The truth remains that there is no evidence to prove that hair grows faster when shaved. Ever thought that females who carve their brows every other time should have it enough to be woven after a while if hair removal promotes growth?
BEARD MYTH THREE: KEEPING A BEARD WOULD AFFECT YOUR CHANCES AT A JOB INTERVIEW
I can’t disagree less. Asides from the fact that your beards would most like create an impression on the heart of your interviewers, ensure you are remembered, and give you better chances at getting the job; the assertion that keeping a beard would make you lose a job you should have got is not absolutely true. Most employers would love to have their employees look smart, neat and presentable, and once you’re able to achieve that even with your beards, you’re good to go. I believe the excuse of beard growth for not getting a job is quite a frivolous one in covering up incompetency for a job. Except for times when a company has a strict ‘no beard policy’ (which would be discussed at the interview) as in food companies; growing a beard does not affect your chances of nailing a job interview
BEARD MYTH FOUR: KEEPING A BEARD WOULD MAKE YOU LOOK DIRTY AND UNKEMPT
Neglecting your beards would make you look dirty, unkempt, untidy, homeless, undesirable, and what have you; but would grooming your beards make you look good? Yes. When you’re good at your grooming department, you can achieve this mature, clean, ‘I-Know-What-I’m-Doing’ look with your beards. Whether or not you look unkempt with your beards is dependent on how well you can tend to the growing jungle on your face – which is quite expected- as it does not pertain to keeping beards alone. It might take a little effort here and there, but joining the beard gang is definitely not equivalent to joining the dirty gang.
BEARD MYTH FIVE: CHOOSING TO HAVE LONG BEARDS HAS A SPIRITUAL UNDERTONE TO IT.
Movies and the media have helped to fuel this particular myth. Whenever a cleric or anyone with some spiritual authority is presented; they are portrayed with the long beards as an emblem. Many religions of the world encourage their men to keep beards, prophets keep beards to show that they have received the call, even Jesus and many of his disciples were depicted as fully bearded. As much as spiritual fathers love to keep hair on their faces, it doesn’t signify any spiritual undertone.
BEARD MYTH SIX: GROWING A BEARD WILL CREATE PROBLEMS WITH PASSPORTS AND OTHER IDs
Many are of the opinion that since they did not have beards when they took pictures for their identity cards and passports, they might have some identity issues if they decide to keep beards. Growing a beard does not amount to a significant change in the look of recipients. As long as you can still be identified as the one in the photo, there are no problems. We should also note that immigration officers are trained to look out for features that transcend the presence or absence of facial hair. There are no rules preventing men from keeping beards after they have secured a passport. However, if this ever sprouts a problem, just a razor will take you back to your previous look.
BEARD MYTH SEVEN: SOME PRODUCTS CAN HELP PERMANENTLY INCREASE THE DENSITY OF YOUR BEARDS
There are products that can help in maintaining the hygiene of your beards, the colour, but it’s mythical to think that any product would increase the density of your beards. The different supply of testosterone in different men determine the growth of the beards. Some products claim to help in the density and coverage of beards and help kick-start the process for young adults who cannot wait to begin the process. Though some of these products have recorded successes, the significant retrogression when you stop using the products is one to note! Patience will do you a lot of good while grooming a beard.
BEARD MYTH EIGHT: ALL LADIES LOVE THEIR MEN TO HAVE SOME FACIAL HAIR
Of a truth, some ladies love them beard gangs! But if you’ve related well enough with ladies, you’ll know they are an unpredictable bunch, and one manual sure doesn’t work for all. In fact, one manual doesn’t work for one. A friend of mine, lady, once said she loves beards on guys, especially with a tint of grey, while another doesn’t even want to be seen with a guy with beards on. If you’re considering keeping a beard just to win a girl’s heart, you might want to reconsider. Regardless of how trimmed and clean it looks, some girls would just rather not be in the same room with you, and she might be one! If at all you’re going to be keeping a beard , ensure it’s guided by the right motives that can help maintain your focus through the journey; it’s also important that it suits your self-image. Think about it, you won’t want to keep shaving off and allowing your beards as the girls come and go.
BEARD MYTH NINE: YOUR BEARDS WOULD BE FULLY GROWN IN ‘X’ PERIOD OF TIME
Genetics determine how long and full facial hair can be. This indicates that it differs from person to person. The only way to know when your beard is fully grown is to actually leave it to grow until it starts shedding! Beard hair is somewhere between androgenic hair (body hair, which takes at most two months to reach its breaking point), and head hair (which can grow for as long as six years). This suggests that beard hair can grow to its full length from two months to six years. So here’s a little advice, don’t give up after two months, you can still afford your beard a good long life ahead of it.
BEARD MYTH TEN: IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE COVERAGE IN YOUR 20s, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL FORGET EVER HAVING ONE
It can get really depressing if after facial hair shows up, you don’t get the coverage you desire, and you’re almost hitting the age 30. Don’t lose hope. Many men have the testimony of better coverage, coarseness, and thickness that happened in their 30s, 40s, and sometimes 50s. some only manage to achieve a circle beard, leaving the sides out; which eventually fill out in their 30s and beyond. Some men do not even have anything happening on their faces until they are in their 30s.
AMAZING FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEARDS
POSTMENOPAUSAL ARE PRONE TO GROWING FACIAL HAIR
That statement seem to reek of testosterone! As much as facial hair can be one to look out for on teenage boys, it’s can be an unwanted development for postmenopausal women. Hormonal changes – the increase of men hormone (testosterone), and the loss of oestrogen could result to the growth of facial hair at menopause.
All ladies produce relatively low androgens (male hormones), however, some produce more than required even in their premenopausal stages, casing a sprouting of facial hair. So, the next time you see a lady with the facial hair, don’t be quick to judge that he’s done with being fertile.
THE CIA ONCE TRIED TO HURT FIDEL CASTRO’S IMAGE BY MAKING HIS BEARDS FALL OUT
Fidel Castro, that former Cuban President, that was said to survive 638 attempts on his life and reputation by the CIA, also survived an assassination attempt on his beards! Strange right? But true! It was said that the CIA plotted to get thallium salt into his shoes or cigar in order to make his hair fall off, including that of his beards. If you’re in doubt on the importance of beards; here you got one! one beard was once a target of the CIA in history.
BEARDS ARE SAID TO INCREASE SOCIAL STATUS
Ever sighted a man and thought him to be wealthy and responsible? Check well! You might have just sighted a man with beards! Beards just seem to augment social status, as the sight of it creates an image of a man who has got his life together and controlled.
According to the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, it was stated women who are looking for long-term males companion find beards more attractive because ‘it shows a man’s ability to compete for resources’.
ABRAHAN LINCOLN WAS ONCE JUDGED AN INCOMPETENT AS PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T GROW A BEARD.
Eleven-year-old, Grace Bedell, saw the fact that Abraham Lincoln would not keep a beard too great to be ignored if he was going to President, and wrote to tell him exactly that. She told Abraham Lincoln that he would look good if he had some hair on his thin face and that ladies love whiskers as this will make them to convince their husbands to vote for him as the President.
Guess what? Lincoln replied to the letter, and in less than a month of the reception of the letter, he had a beard!
POGONOPHOBIA is the word for phobia for beards.
With so much love for beards in the air, there exist people who can’t even stand to see it. Pogonophobia is the word for the extreme dislike for or fear of beards. Etymologically, it was derived from the Greek words ‘pogon’ for beards, and ‘phobos’ for fear.
HAIR TRANSPLANT WAS A MAJOR
In 2014, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Society, 13956 men around the world had HAIR TRANSPLANTS to enhance their beards. As anyone would expect, these beard transplants are most common in Asian countries.
THE LOWER THE INCOME, THE MORE THE BEARDS
Beards are more common in crowded cities where average incomes are lower. In this environment, where money is scarce and there is more competition for males, men may feel they need to ramp up their masculinity, hence the need to keep beards. Emasculation here would equal to shaving off their beards.
BEARDS WERE ONCE TAXED!
Exactly! People were taxed for keeping their own hair on their face! Peter the Great demanded a clean shave for all and for those who wouldn’t comply with this, he taxed them – 100 rubies per year for a medallion, this payment served as the license to wear a beard.
OTHER AMAZING FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEARDS
- Knowing that being clean-shaven was important to Romans to set them apart from the bearded Greeks, a first was of utmost importance. Back in the ancient Roman times, a boy’s first shave is a transition into manhood and was a cause for serious celebration.
- In the medieval times, touching another man’s beard was considered really offensive. The act was grounds for a DUEL, yes, for a matched and arranged combat! That serious! Beards, for them, was seen as a sign of virtuality and honour – it as a symbol of a knight’s honour.
- The only king without a mustache in a den of cards is the king of hearts. A common myth is that his ‘moustachelessness’ is a sign left by his father that he should have no part in his inheritance.