Men and Their Beards

Man with long hair and a beard — Photo: Shutterstock

Men love their beards, and women love men with beards. Really? A study published in the Oxford Journal of Psychology confirms what we already knew deep inside: Women prefer a clean, baby-smoothly shaven face. So why do men grow them?

According to said study as well as others, beards evolved to send a message to other males about status and level of aggressiveness. Over the centuries, fashions came and went, bringing numerous shapes for facial hair, from full-bodied hirsuteness to finely drawn mustaches and goatees. Facial hair became a fashion item and comes in as many varieties as hairstyles for men.

Men usually show much loyalty to their favorite style of beard, and once they find it, they stick with it. Some might even prefer to shave off the hair on their head rather than their facial hair. Are men more vain than they admit? Too often, it seems that the boyfriends in our lives do not pay as much attention to their appearance as women might wish, but when it comes to their facial hair, all the defenses come out.

When my friend Sarah gently mentioned to her husband that the small pieces of food left in his 'pride and joy' full beard were rather disturbing to her, and that she would prefer him with a bit less growth on his face, he looked as if she had told him he could never see another football game in his life. Panic struck him, and after some reflection on his strong reaction to her suggestion, he mentioned a narrow upper lip that he wants to cover up with his beard. Eventually, he agreed to reduce it to a mustache, and another marriage was saved.

Besides hiding physical attributes that they are not happy with, what other reasons exist for men to adorn themselves with the growth of hair on their faces?

Rite of Passion

Some of the love affair between men and beards begins as soon as testosterone makes itself visible with tender fuzz along the cheeks. It is a huge step between childhood and adulthood and one of the most visible signs of maturity.

Teenage boys often can't wait to start shaving regularly and compare themselves to classmates who might have more or less hair growth on their faces. This eager anticipation makes each little follicle precious, and the emotional attachment often never ceases.

Jake Gyllenhaal and his beard — Jake Gyllenhaal - Photo: lev radin/Shutterstock

Full Beards as Expression of Virility and Maturity

Men use beards, especially full beards, to signal their virility and superiority over others. A certain type of full beard is often found in academic circles - usually well-groomed, thick, bushy, and covering most of the face. A stereotype is the chess-playing, pipe or cigar-smoking professor or wannabe intellectual. And as with many clichés, there is some truth to it; men with this attribute are often instantly regarded with more respect. They still have to live up to it later, but they get a head start.

In fact, the academic beard is still so in vogue that entire websites are dedicated to it, decoding its meaning and celebrating the look. The style spans centuries, connecting Galileo Galilei with modern men who like to dwell in the world of knowledge and display it with this distinctive look. However, a beard does not make a philosopher, and for those of you out there who think women still fall for it—no, they don't.

Another version of the full-bearded face is that of the outdoorsman, the modern-day heroes who can fell a tree without hurting themselves or others, and know how to keep you safe and fed in the wilderness. The Paul Bunyan look is here to stay as long as there are checkered shirts and lumber in the world.

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