To shave or not to shave, that's the question

On the eve of the "November without shaving" campaign, men around the world faced the question: to shave or not to shave? Now some people can either throw out the razor and shaving foam, or leave the image they like.

The beard trend appeared somewhere in the middle of 2013. It seemed that everyone wanted to look like Ben Affleck, who came to such an important event as the Oscars, not smooth-shaven, but as if he had spent the last few months in the desert.

Earlier, in ancient times, the owner of facial hair had to pay a tax, he was treated as a rebel and could even be killed for it. But with the arrival of 2013, men gladly threw off the shackles of the centuries-old tyranny of the beard.

The fashion for hairiness has played into the hands of many businessmen. There was even an app for dating bearded men. And how many beard care products have appeared, and it's scary to think.

And while everyone keeps saying how great it is to walk with a beard, it seems that no one even stutters about the reverse side of the coin. And we decided to talk about the disadvantages of a bearded life.

1. First of all, the growing process itself

To make it clear, we don't mean stubble, goatee or goatee. We are talking about a thick and majestic beard. Darwin, Karl Marx, Nick Wooster — well, you get it.

To grow a similar beard for many men is really difficult, because it still depends on genetics. While some people just forget to shave for a week, others have to endure several months to reach the same length.

And that's where desperate measures begin. There is a beard transplant that costs up to 7 thousand dollars. Some people use vitamin H, undergo hormone therapy to grow at least something on their face.

2. Questions and more questions

Even for super—hairy men, the process of regrowing takes time - in a year the beard grows by about 14 centimeters. So get ready for constantly pouring questions from your colleagues. Did you forget to shave? Is this your phase? Have you broken up with your girlfriend? In short, you are literally being attacked.

People will constantly remind you that you look terrible, and you, in turn, will wonder why you started all this.

3. A trap for bacteria

In May, a study was published that there may be fecal bacteria on a man's beard. The study was conducted by a television channel, not by a university or some research center, so don't be so scared.

However, after a few weeks of regrowth, you will notice dandruff — yes, on the face. Your body renews millions of skin cells every day, so that under your thick mane, the skin dries, itches, and one day your shirt will be covered in dandruff. This happens to all bearded people at the very beginning of the journey.

Also, the beard traps a lot of bacteria, so don't be surprised that you often get sick.

4. Food will be a real challenge

One of the reasons for an unkempt beard is the food stuck there. Sometimes it seems that the beard is more voracious than its owner. After all, everything that was intended for the mouth magically ends up on the beard. Just drinking water will not work either, since any drop will be carefully hidden by the hair, and then wet spots will appear on your shirt during the next hour.

5. It's not easier at all

Some men want to grow a beard because they think it's easier because they don't have to spend time shaving. But practice shows that you need to spend a lot more time and effort on a beard: ingrown hairs, split ends, tangled vegetation after sleep. Beard care procedures include shampooing (twice a week), moisturizing with oil, which costs a lot, combing and going to the barbershop.

6. No more kissing

Many men grow a beard to attract the female sex, and indeed, women love this image. But this can turn against you, as many women do not like hairy men.

Girlfriends and wives complain that the beard literally leaves burns on their faces, plus, agree, the mustache gets in the way during a kiss.

7. Discrimination

Going to an interview with a beard, pretending to be almost Karl Marx, is not the smartest step. Gillette's research has shown that HR employees prefer smooth-shaven applicants, and employees without vegetation are much more likely to get a promotion.

But even outside of the working topic, you will encounter the fact that everyone has a different attitude to such an image. Some will think that you only drink craft beer, that you have only flannel shirts in your wardrobe, that you are an artist, poet or writer.

Bearded men scare children who run away in tears as soon as they see them on the horizon, and the braver kids will definitely ask you for permission to pull their beard. Or they won't ask.

8. Fashion tends to pass

The longer you grow a beard, the more you will notice that women on the street pass by you, clutching their phone or bag convulsively, your friends no longer admire your achievement, and there are fewer hipster-style models in magazines. Because fashion tends to pass, and it's better to get ahead of it, otherwise you will be considered old-fashioned.

9. Perfect beard

Washing, combing and drying is not really enough to make your beard look perfect. You will discover the world of oils, balms, wax and beard creams. You will also need a trimmer and good coordination so that the beard is perfectly shaped. Or you'll have to go to the barber shop the old-fashioned way. All this, of course, is also not free.

10. Erroneous perception

Because of such a sad global problem as terrorism, your image will often be associated with religious extremism, people will turn around on the street, at the airport you will be given increased attention.

There have been many incidents involving the detention of bearded men, simply because they are not associated with the image they seek.