The Science of Facial Hair: What Signals Do Beards, Stubble, and Mustaches Send to Others? (2024)

FAQs

The Science of Facial Hair: What Signals Do Beards, Stubble, and Mustaches Send to Others? ›

Throughout history, the meaning of the beard has varied widely from culture to culture. In some cultures, it is seen as a sign of wisdom and respect, while in others, it is seen as more of an individual choice—a way for men to express their personal style or beliefs.

Throughout history, the meaning of the beard has varied widely from culture to culture. In some cultures, it is seen as a sign of wisdom and respect, while in others, it is seen as more of an individual choice—a way for men to express their personal style or beliefs.

Power & Maturity

As we get older (and better at growing beards), we usually become more mature. Beards therefore, psychologically speaking, work in the subconscious to indicate maturity. A study from 1990 evidenced this, showing both men and women associated beards with maturity and power.

Beards are an active sign of testosterone in the body, which the brain of others then associates with the potential for increased aggression. The study that came up with this hypothesis used photographs of bearded and non-bearded men for their experiment.

The moustache represents freedom, both to Mike and his grandmother, but in vastly different ways. For Mike, the moustache is a symbol of his freedom in rebellion.

From manliness, spiritual energy and freedom, facial hair is a tradition that will never go out of style for these cultures. “The beard symbolises God's divine attributes of mercy and compassion. By growing a beard one taps into this spiritual energy and elicits this divine mercy upon oneself.

Since the ability to grow a beard is a sign of physical maturity in men, it is naturally associated with age and grown manhood — as is evidenced by a study that found that beards were associated with maturity, power, and higher social status by both men and women.

Both women and men thought bearded men—over six weeks of growth, with no trimming—looked older and more likely to command respect from other men. The wild and hairy look also came across as more aggressive than being clean-shaven. Scientists have long wondered why men have beards.

Beards are often said to increase the perception of aggressiveness in men. That is to say, men with beards are considered more aggressive, dominant, and generally given a more “manly” persona.

Facial hair growth is largely propelled by testosterone, a hormone. Testosterone levels can vary. For men between 19 and 38, the normal range is 264 to 916 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). This represents about the 3rd through 98th percentile for testosterone.

Do men look better with stubble? ›

A new study shows that facial hair says a lot about a man and that attractiveness peaks at the "heavy stubble" phase. Researchers photographed 10 men at four stages of beard growth: clean shaven, 5-day "light" stubble, 10-day "heavy" stubble (shown), and fully bearded.

Beards have been traditionally associated with power and strength, and there's a good reason why. A well-groomed beard sends a signal that you're in control and confident enough to put time and effort into your appearance. It also creates an illusion of breadth, making your face appear wider and more imposing.

According to their findings, published in the journal Integrative Organismal Biology, facial hair is capable of lessening the impact of blunt trauma, such as that of a fist.

It's an ornamental one. In fact, of all the physical features on the human body—including other kinds of hair—facial hair is the only one that is purely or primarily ornamental. That is, it doesn't actually do anything or perform any kind of specific physiological function.

Research shows that mustaches are most common in societies where there are a surplus of men in the mating market (think: polygamous cultures). In other words, mustaches are shaped in part by sexual dynamics, but not best understood as a means of attracting a mate.

Moustaches are seen as manly, largely because they are considered to be a secondary sexual characteristic for males (such as breasts for females). Moustaches are also viewed as a sign of virility and sexual maturity, and have historically been considered to be a sign of status in some cultures.

Although beards appear repeatedly in religious texts, God never explicitly tells us why they're so holy. In the absence of any divine exposition, many theologians have posited that a hairy face is a symbol of masculinity bestowed upon men by God.

Previous research has shown slower recognition of sadness and happiness on bearded than clean-shaven faces, potentially due to masking effects of beardedness^43,44. The current research also suggests that facial hair adds noise to complex visual scenes and can conceal happy emotional expressions more so than angry ones.

Dixson and Robert C Brooks aimed to decipher the role of facial hair in women's perceptions of attractiveness, and the results were undeniable. After judging a number of pictures featuring men with varying degrees of facial hair, the vast majority of women found full-bearded men to be the top dogs in the mix.

It's a combination of genetic and non-genetic factors. Unlike the genetics of head hair, which has been studied extensively, scientists don't yet fully understand the role of DNA in facial hair thickness. But in general, if your father or grandfather had thick beard hair, you're likely to have a thick beard also.

What age do beards grow best? ›

The “prime” time for facial hair growth is between the ages of 25 and 35, generally speaking. But many men report that their beard continues to grow at a healthy rate even after they qualify for an AARP card.

Different men believe that a thicker and fuller beard symbolizes power. In other societies, great leaders are often identified by their beards. Facial hair is also associated with wealth and high status in society. Other studies indicate that men with beards often exhibit dominance over other groups of people.

Beard Growth and Age

Put simply, in an average amount of cases, a full beard will add roughly 8 years of age to your appearance. Whether you consider this a good thing or not is up to you!

Another study found that men with beards may be seen as more masculine, mature and as having a higher social status. These traits are clearly important contributors to the overall sense of attractiveness.

Women like beards because they give the impression of an older man, blessing the wearer with more respect and social awareness. It also enhances your jaw line and give the impression of maturity.

What are the most attractive beard styles? According to statistics, the stubble beard style is considered by women to be the most attractive of them all. On the contrary, the mustache and the goatee beard style are considered to be the less attractive beard styles.

New research shows that beards likely evolved to help men boost their standing amongst other men. Astudy by Nigel Barber, using data on British facial hair trends from 1842-1971, found that men with beards and mustaches increased as the number of marriage-age women decreased.

Men who wear the mustache are deemed confident and empowered. Beard scholar Allan Peterkin suggests that the mustache also signifies virility and male potency, where hair loss in men can convey the opposite effect.

Men with high testosterone can experience a variety of troubling symptoms and possible health consequences. Excess testosterone can lead to more aggressive and irritable behavior, more acne and oily skin, even worse sleep apnea (if you already have it), and an increase in muscle mass.

What are signs of good testosterone levels? ›

Women may find cleaned shaved men more approachable as a man with a clean shave looks younger and less aggressive than a guy with a full beard style. Beard is good, but a clean shave gives man a more well-groomed look. It gives you a look of sophistication, according to some women.

Asked who they found most attractive, 35 percent of all respondents said clean-shaven, 14 percent said a man with a beard and mustache, eight percent said only a mustache and four percent said only a beard.

The benefits of a clean shave are as follows: It can help remove dead skin cells (often the cause acne and bad skin) It often makes you appear younger. It will compliment a formal appearance.

Typically, full beard growth is possible starting at around age 18, but for many men, that time may not arrive until they're 30. So, if you're not getting the beard growth you want, it may be because it's not your time.

Although studies present conflicting evidence when it comes to the attractiveness of beards, facial hair is consistently shown to augment perception in some way. Beards increase ratings of characteristics such as age, social status, aggressiveness and masculinity.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey in which male U.S. respondents were asked if they wear a beard. During the June 2017 survey, 33 percent of respondents reported that they always have a beard.

Excluding limited exemptions for religious accommodation, the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps have policies that prohibit beards on the basis of hygiene and the necessity of a good seal for chemical weapon protective masks.

Can you have a beard in Boxing? Interestingly, beards are allowed in professional boxing, with the caveat being that it must be trimmed to a certain length. The Boxing Board rules do state that a fighter's jawline must be visible during a fight, so facial hair isn't altogether prohibited.

The beginning is arguably the toughest part of facial hair grow-out, and you'll have to man-up if you're going to make it to the next stage. To help you survive without scratching your whole face off, here's what we recommend: Start defining the shape of your beard by shaving your neck and cheekbone area.

Why are mustaches good? ›

Decrease risk of cancer – a moustache protects your upper lip from ultraviolet radiation from the sun, decreasing your risk of developing cancer... of the upper lip. Foster trust – according to studies, men in commercials who have beards elicit more trust than those who don't.

If you have a Goatee beard, studies show that your personality traits may include being capable, dependable, and trustworthy. You may be rooted in old values and beliefs. You may be good at keeping your commitments and maintaining long-term relationships.

A moustache in most cultures across the globe is preferred and also taken as a sign of 'manliness' over the clean-shaven-baby-face look! Facial hairs are just a sign but not a foolproof method to denote maturity, nevertheless, women feel secure when a man with a moustache is around them.

Facial hair in males does not always appear in a specific order during puberty and varies but may follow this process: During puberty, the first facial hair to appear tends to grow at the corners of the upper lip (age 11–15). It then spreads to form a moustache over the entire upper lip (age 16–17).

As we age, our prolonged exposure to testosterone starts to play a visible role on other body hair as well. Just like it transforms the vellus hair on a young man's face into a thick beard, it also changes the nearly invisible hair that grows in places like our ears into thicker strands.

In Mexico, the mustache is part of the historical political and ideological movements of the men who wear it and through it show to others their social class and power.

Spurred by a shift away from clean-shaven looks and pop culture influences ranging from indie bands to “Top Gun,” mustaches have been following beards into the mainstream. Data from Gillette estimates that 12.5 million U.S. men, or 9.6% of the U.S. male population, were wearing mustaches as of September 2022.

An excess of pheomelanin can contribute to those random red hairs. Somewhere down the line in your family lineage, these genes were there and resurfaced from some distant ancestor. That is one of the reasons you find these oddly colored hair spread throughout your beard.

A new study found that women perceive men with facial hair to be more attractive as well as physically and socially dominant. Women tend to associate more masculine faces with physical strength, social assertiveness, and formidability.

For now, bearded men need not worry-their beard is a blessing which will fetch them love, work and faith, let clean shaven men go slow on their razors!

What beard length is most attractive? ›

The Stubble

The study also found that although women saw men with heavy stubble to be less ready to settle down than their full bearded counterparts, they also rated them as the most attractive overall.

Amish Beard Rules Were Among the First Amish Laws

He believed that, because God designed man to grow a beard, it was God's Will that man grow a beard. And therefore, shaving it off was a sin. But the Amish are not alone in their reverence for the beard.

Muslims learn about the Prophet's views on facial hair not from the Koran, but through hadith - or sayings - attributed to Muhammad. One such hadith, in a collection by Muslim scholar Muhammad al-Bukhari centuries ago, stipulates: "Cut the moustaches short and leave the beard."

Both women and men thought bearded men—over six weeks of growth, with no trimming—looked older and more likely to command respect from other men. The wild and hairy look also came across as more aggressive than being clean-shaven. Scientists have long wondered why men have beards.

A beard without a mustache is not weird and totally okay to wear. Some people grow thin or patchy mustaches, and there are quite a few beard styles that look fantastic that don't include a mustache. The one thing to remember is that beards without a mustache can make a face seem longer or wider.

According the dermatologist Dr Bobby Buka, "The follicles of beard hair are similar to that on a man's groin and armpits." Beard hair follicles also release pheromones, so beards have a quite distinctive smell.