How to Survive Coronavirus With a Beard
Hello bearded brothers! We have been getting a TON of questions from the bearded community about how to survive this crazy coronavirus era with a grizzly beard.
I’d bet you’ve heard from some people that your beard is dangerous for coronavirus, well that is FALSE.
Today we are going to cover the good, the bad, and the hairy when it comes to growing out that lumberjack beard.
Here at Newmen, we want to make sure you are always looking your best, feeling your best, and are kept up to date with the tips and tricks for your beard.
Is Your Beard Going to Spread Corona?
Do you want the good news or the bad news?
Well, you’re going to get both.
Bad news: Your beard is probably covered in germs. Even if you take good care of it and clean it often, beards are a collection center for germs.
Good news: Your beard is not significantly increasing your likelihood of getting or giving coronavirus. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets from one person to the next.
Respiratory droplets spread through things like coughing and sneezing. If there are corona-riden droplets in the air, they are going to find their way into your mouth one way or another regardless of your beard.
There are cases in which these droplets can get stuck in your beard and then infect you later on, but they are a long shot and not something to worry too much about.
It’s also important to consider if your beard-loving wife is going to be.... well, all over your beard.
If she is going to touch your beard in any way, then it is a good idea to keep it nice and clean.
Beards & Masks: An Awkward Couple
During the beginning of this year (2020), the government released a graphic (shown below) that advises you on how to grow your beard.
Personally, I don’t think anyone should tell you how to grow your beard, but gotta respect Uncle Sam.
The important things to know about this:
- Beards are safe as long as they don’t interfere with where your mask seals onto your face
- Keep your beard all inside your mask OR all outside your mask
- The government should not be in the business of naming your beard, BUT my favorites are the “Walrus” and the “Fu Manchu”
When people saw this infographic for the government they thought: “Sh*t! Now I need to shave my beard!” But they often overlooked one fact…
The fact is this: Not everyone needs to wear a mask! This depends on two things:
- If your local government has required you to wear a mask.
- If you are going out into public.
You don’t need to wear a mask if your local government has not mandated it OR if you aren’t even going into public.
YOU are the one that needs to make the decision if you need to wear a mask, and if so, then the right thing to do is to trim your beard down to fit into your mask.
Why Your Beard Might Save Your Life
With all the negativity beards are getting these days, there is a BIG reason to keep your beard. That is to avoid shaving.
Every time you shave with a razor, you create micro-cuts on your face and neck. While you may not feel them or even know they are there, these little cuts leave you vulnerable.
Normally your skin is a pretty darn good barrier to keep out disease and virus, but when you have these little micro-cuts, the virus can easily enter right into your body.
If that's not a good reason to stop shaving, then I don’t know what is!
Essentially it boils down to having a beard that can trap and potentially store the virus OR shave and let the virus have VIP easy access right into your body. Your choice, but there are studies to prove that there is a decreased risk of bacteria from beards.
3 Tips for Wild Beards in Wild Times
A lot has changed in the last couple of months and we all know that beards love routine. How can you keep your beard looking its best in these times?
- Invest in a great grooming kit to keep in your home. This is especially relevant for those of you who visit a barber frequently. Over the next couple of months, you will probably need to start doing a ton of beard trimming on your own at home.
- Find new ways to scent your beard. It may sound crazy if you haven't done this before, but there are a TON of scented beard oils that keep your beard smelling good and smooth for the misses. We know you are probably spending a little more time with her than before now that you are quarantined at home.
- Keep your beard untangled. Now that you are not leaving home as much as you were before, you probably aren't using that coveted beard comb as much as you did in the past. That's okay for a couple of days, but after a week or two of hiding from the comb, it will start looking like the spaghetti you’ve been eating every night for the past month.
What The F##K Should You Take Away From This?
Beards have been in the popular media as a “spreader” of Coronavirus… FALSE!
There are not any studies to support this in specific, however, your beard does attract germs like a twinkie attracts fatboys (your beard attracts a lot of germs). Your beard can also ruin the seal on your protective mask if you have decided to wear one.
It's probably a good idea to wash your beard extra well every day, just to make sure your beard-loving wife isn't caught in the crossfire. Also by shaving your face, you create micro-cuts and leave yourself vulnerable to catching the disease (1 point for the bearded guys).
You’ve read all this and decide a beard is right for you, so let's make sure you grow it right by keeping it well-groomed, smelling good, and untangled from the comfort of your home.
Here at Newmen we want to make sure that you are always looking, smelling, and feeling your best. We want to make sure that when you walk into a room, you make jaws and panties drop.