Why kissing someone with a beard might be risky for your health

An anaesthesiologist, Dr Myro Figura recently took to Instagram to explain why kissing someone with a beard could lead to infections and skin irritation.  

He said: "Kissing somebody with a beard can cause an infection? It sure can. If not clean, the beard can harbour a lot of bacteria like staph and strep, and when kissing, the beard can cause breaks in the skin, allowing bacteria to enter and cause an infection called impetigo."  

Impetigo is a contagious skin infection that starts with red sores or blisters. The rash may be more difficult to detect on darker skin tones. These sores or blisters eventually burst, leaving painful, crusty brown patches.  

Figura went on to explain the symptoms of impetigo; "The patches can look a bit like cornflakes stuck to your skin, get bigger and spread to other parts of your body, be itchy, and are sometimes painful." 

His revelation sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many users expressing shock. Several women admitted they actively avoid men with beards due to concerns about hygiene and infections.  

One woman shared: "My husband is really good about washing his beard, but on those days he’s tired, I’ll wash it because I’m not getting that!"

Another user questioned: "For how long did they keep it unwashed to be a deadly weapon like that? Dude, who is not washing their beard DAILY?! That thing is a wet sponge when it comes to crumbs and liquids." 

However, not everyone agreed. A bearded man, @thebeardedgarret, defended facial hair, commenting: "Beards are there to protect the skin from getting infected. Her man’s beard or her girlfriend’s carpet may not have been washed recently. Also, beards, when grown out, become soft and not prickly. Her man had baby stubble, not a beard. Regular men wash their beards every day when they wash their hair. This is rare, and to label all beards as dirty is false."  

The debate continues, but one thing is clear – keeping facial hair clean is essential, whether you're bearded or kissing someone who is!

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IOL Lifestyle