Having a beard could be good for your health

Beards show no sign of going out of fashion.

But even if they did, there’s now a reason to hold off from shaving anyway: it could be good for your health.

According to a study by researchers at the University of Queensland, having a beard can protect you from a whopping 90-95% of harmful UV rays.

In other words, your facial hair is acting as a natural, bodily Piz Buin.

The un-bearded bits of your face won’t be protected, so you might want to buy a bottle of sunscreen for them.

But where it does grow, your beard can help prevent skin cancer.

“While beards will never be as sun-safe as sunscreen, they certainly are a factor in blocking UV rays,” lead author Professor Parisi explained in the study.

Though this doesn’t mean you should stop exercising caution – especially if you only possess some light stubble.

Dermatologist Dr Anil told the Independent that your level of protection largely depends on how dense a beard you have.

“UV protection depends on the thickness and density of the beard,” he explained.

“There needs to be more studies but the current evidence does suggest that facial hair can protect against sun damage,” he added.

So if in doubt, lather that Ambre Solaire on if the weather gets sunnier.

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