Carlos Solis
A study found restaurant diners rated bearded waiters as less hygienic — guests preferred clean-shaven servers.
The idea that beards are dirtier than shaved faces has been around for decades, but the scientific evidence is mixed. One of the earliest studies on the topic, published in 1967, sprayed bacteria onto skin and then compared how many bacteria researchers could recover from men’s faces across four conditions: washed or unwashed, with a beard or clean-shaven.
- Unwashed clean-shaven faces;
- Unwashed bearded faces;
- Washed bearded faces;
- Washed clean-shaven faces.
Hygienists commented, “If you don’t plan to wash your face, it’s better to have a beard, but if you do wash your face, being clean-shaven is slightly better.”
Modern research mostly focuses on medical settings, especially surgeons, where the question changes: does facial hair increase the risk of infection in the operating room? The results are mixed. Some papers say beards can harbor bacteria, while others find no significant difference. Much depends on sampling methods, and most studies show that when masks are worn properly, there isn’t a serious risk.
Bottom line: bacteria live everywhere. Any part of the body, with or without hair, will have microorganisms on its surface. That’s not a problem unless there’s an open wound. In most cases, you’re fine.
Based on reporting in The Guardian
