About Beards

A beard is hair grown on the face of a man or woman. In some societies, beards have held great significance, culturally marking an individual's faith or manhood. In other societies beards have served as a fashion choice or necessity when imitating Santa Claus. For many individuals beards are difficult to grow. Being able to grow a beard is considered a significant achievement for some men. Losing this beard can sometimes be traumatic for those so see the beard as an important part of their identity.

History

Beards have had many different meanings throughout history. In ancient Egypt, beards were worn as a fashion statement. In ancient India beards were considered to be a sign of dignity and wisdom. Those in ancient Greece considered beards to be manly and those not wearing beards were considered disgraceful. The ancient Romans, in contrast, considered beards to be a sign of laziness. Throughout the Renaissance and modern times, beards have fallen in and out of favor all throughout the world.

Geography

Today beards are seen differently throughout different cultures just like in ancient times. Beards became largely popular in North America during the middle 19th century. In the 1920s this fad died out and only marginalized groups continued to wear beards. Today beards are worn often as a fashion statement in North America. In Hindi cultures beards are worn depending on an individual's caste. Judaism prohibited razors but allowed any tool with two blades. Those practicing Judaism had beards until the invention of the electric razor, though some still wear beards because of tradition. Many Muslims believe that they are required to wear beards.

Types

Some individuals who wear beards allow the beard to grow to full length. For others beards are trimmed in certain styles and shapes. A common beard is a goatie, which is a beard that is only grown to the length of a tuft. When the beard and mustache is not connected, the beard is often called a Van Dyck; if the beard and mustache are connected, they are called circle beards.

Significance

Beards are usually associated with manhood because few women can grow beards. Many men start getting facial hair at puberty and beards do not reach full length until the mid-20s or later adulthood. Women, on the other hand, usually only get facial hair during menopause and do not grow very much hair. These facts might have led early man to associate facial hair with manliness and wisdom.

Considerations

Many men treat their beards in different ways. Some choose to let their beards grow to full length, but these beards can appear unkempt and slovenly. Food sometimes gets caught in a beard, which can be aggravating to the beard owner and unattractive. Most men choose to trim or completely shave their beards using scissors or razors. These men need to keep up their beard maintenance, especially if they choose to completely shave their beards. Incomplete shaving often looks worse than a full beard.