The Power Of A Beard: 10 Men Who Completely Transformed Their Look

In ancient Egypt, a beard was a symbol of high status, while in Greece, it was seen as a mark of wisdom and strength. Knights in the Middle Ages wore beards as a badge of honor.

Fast forward to today, and while beards might not carry the same social weight, they’re still a surefire way to make a man look effortlessly cool.

Below, we’ve gathered some striking before-and-after photos of men who discovered the power of great facial hair. Scroll through to see their transformations, and upvote the ones that impress you the most!

10 PHOTOS

#1 I Guess I Will Keep The Beard For The Rest Of My Life

It’s amazing how opinionated people can get about hair—whether it’s about how it should be groomed or whether it should even exist in certain places. Facial hair is no exception—some love it, some don’t mind it, and others prefer it gone. The obsession with facial hair can sometimes reach extraordinary heights. Remember the 2012 mustache craze? People were so caught up in it that they even got mustache tattoos on their fingers. For those who are into beards, there’s even a dating site called Bristlr.

#2 My First Real Beard. Any Thoughts?

The fascination with facial hair isn’t new, but why can men grow beards while women generally can’t? It all comes down to hormones. Men’s facial hair follicles are influenced by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent derivative of testosterone. Although DHT has a reputation for being less prominent than testosterone, it plays a crucial role in stimulating beard growth.

Women have the same number of hair follicles on their faces, but theirs are less responsive to DHT, and they also have lower levels of testosterone. That’s why beards are a predominantly male trait.

#3 6 Months Of Progress. I Can't Even Convince Myself That This Is The Same Person

#4 So Much Regret

It's been nine years since I last saw my clean-shaven face. I'll never shave again, I swear.

The biological role of a beard remains a bit of a mystery to scientists. Unlike eyebrows, which keep sweat out of your eyes, and eyelashes, which shield against dust and debris, beards don’t have a clear practical function in everyday life. Still, researchers have proposed some intriguing theories to explain why men grow them.

#5 Whenever I’m Tempted To Shave, I Look At The First Picture

#6 Before And After. Is It Better With No Beard Or With Beard?

#7 20 vs. 30 Years Old. I Lost A Lot Of Weight And Gained A Lot Of Tattoos. Grew A Beard And Quite The Mane

Dr. David Carrier, a comparative biomechanist and Professor of Biology at the University of Utah, suggests that beards might have evolved as a way to protect men’s vulnerable bones during physical confrontations.

“If the desire is to kill another individual, we tend to show up with weapons,” he reasoned. “If the desire is just to control or manipulate another individual, then you’re going to get hand-to-hand fighting; in that physical combat situation, humans tend to use their fists, and the primary target when we strike is the face.”

A punch to the face is most likely to damage the jaw—epidemiological studies show that the lower jaw is the most frequently broken bone from such impacts. “We’re thinking that it may not be a coincidence that it is primarily the jaw that is covered by the beard,” Dr. Carrier said.

#8 4 Years Apart. I'm Never Shaving Again. Also, I Don't Miss The Old Haircut Either

#9 3 Years Since I Last Shaved And Got A Haircut

#10 2,5 Months In. I'm Going For 6 Months At Least To Grow My Beard

In the study conducted by Dr. Carrier and his team, they set out to find out if facial hair could protect against punch damage. An undergraduate student built models with either shaved or unshaven skin on top of fiber composite. Using a drop weight impact tester, they measured how much force was absorbed when weights were dropped on the models.

“The results surprised me,” Dr. Carrier said. “The forces were 16 percent greater when the fur wasn’t there, and about 40 percent more energy was absorbed when the fur was there.”