Are beards good for the beard's health?

Bacteria from beards could help to develop new antibiotic
Bearded beards are very common in modern times. Many men wear a beard for fashion reasons. The hairy face jewelry could also bring health benefits. Researchers have now discovered bacteria in beards, from which perhaps a novel form of antibiotic can be developed.

Bearded dogs are currently very popular and look fashionable, but it has often been said that beards are full of dirt and bacteria. But that does not necessarily have to be negative for us. Researchers now found that the bacteria contained in beards could help develop new forms of antibiotics. The scientists published the results of their latest study in the journal "Journal of Hospital Infection".

In the beards of physicians, researchers found less pathogenic bacteria than on the clean-shaven skin of their peers. (Image: tunedin / fotolia.com)

Shaved people more populated with bacteria
Researchers around the world have been looking for a new antibiotic for years. Now it seems that scientists have finally found what they are looking for. But not in the deepest rainforest or in a remote swamp, the experts now found new approaches, but in the beard of men. Critics claim for a long time that beards are not only an annoying affectation, but may also contain unpleasant bacteria. But do beards pose a health risk? In fact, traces of enterobacteria have been found in beards, this species is usually found in feces, say the doctors. Do all beards contain such bacteria? A recent scientific study conducted in an American hospital came to very different conclusions.

In this study, the faces of 408 hospital employees were dabbed, whether they were facial hair or not. The place was well thought out selected. We know that hospital-acquired infections are a major cause of illness and death in our hospitals, the researchers explain. Many patients become infected with dangerous bacteria. It has long been thought that the bacteria spread through our hands, gowns or gadgets. Human beards have not been thought of until now. Surprisingly, the physicians found that clean-shaven staff had a higher colonization rate with certain types of bacteria. Our study suggests that facial hair does not increase the overall risk of bacterial colonization compared to clean-screened controls, the experts said. Shaven-skin subjects even had three times more harmful bacteria on their faces than their bearded counterparts.

Physician discovers antibiotic properties in beard samples
What are the reasons for the increased bacteria on clean-shaven faces? The current study has an explanation. When we shave, microtrauma can develop on the skin. These can lead to abrasions that support bacterial colonization, the researchers say. Some scientists even now suspect that beards are able to fight infection. The beards of countless people were dabbed and the samples were then sent to Dr. Adam Roberts from University College London. The physician bred more than a hundred different bacteria from beard samples. He found that in some of the Petri dishes grew something that killed the other bacteria. The substance clearly had antibiotic properties. Roberts. The physician explained that there may be antibodies in beards that can fight infection. In other words, get away with the razor, the beard is back. (As)