Study questions whether beards are unhygienic
6 reported
A professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London has reviewed research on whether beards are less hygienic than clean-shaven faces, concluding the idea is overblown. John Tregoning noted that one study found restaurant customers perceived waiters with facial hair as dirtier, but science does not necessarily support that view. A 1967 study compared bacteria recovery from washed and unwashed faces with and without beards, finding the most bacteria on unwashed clean-shaven faces. Tregoning stated that if a person does not wash their face, it is better to have a beard, but if they do wash, it is slightly better to be clean-shaven. More recent research on surgeons and healthcare workers has produced mixed results on whether facial hair affects infection risk in operating theatres, with most studies suggesting proper mask use eliminates meaningful concern. Tregoning emphasized that any part of the body, with or without hair, carries bacteria, and this is not a problem unless there is an open wound.
What’s reported
John Tregoning is a professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London.
One study found restaurant customers rated waiters with facial hair as dirtier.
A 1967 study found the most bacteria on unwashed clean-shaven faces, followed by unwashed bearded faces, washed bearded faces, and washed clean-shaven faces.
Tregoning said if not washing the face, it is better to have a beard; if washing, it is slightly better to be clean-shaven.
Research on surgeons and healthcare workers has produced mixed results on whether beards affect infection risk in operating theatres.
Most studies suggest that if masks are worn properly, there is no meaningful concern about beards and infection risk.
Key figures
John Tregoning, professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London
Sources: The Guardian
