what purpose does a beard have?

r/

it’s handsome and all but does it have any actual purpose other than looking cool

Comments

  1. RickyRacer2020 Avatar

    Catches food crumbs

  2. wolfwind730 Avatar

    Wind and sun protection

  3. BeachBoyZach Avatar

    To look like a viking or a lumberjack, if that’s your flavor of masculinity

  4. nickygw Avatar

    historically it helped w blocking punches in ur throat area

  5. Only_My_Dog_Loves_Me Avatar

    I used to shave 3-4 times a week. Now I don’t. It’s nice to not have to shave all the time.

    My face felt warmer over the winter.

    I don’t get told I have a “baby face” anymore.

  6. sj3nko Avatar

    Hides my face. Plus, if I ever have to disappear I can shave it off and not be recognised.

  7. Mairon12 Avatar

    If I told you you wouldn’t believe me.

  8. DistributionTime_Is0 Avatar

    I’ve had a beard for a few years now, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to change my life as much as it did. At first, I grew it out just because I was tired of shaving every day, and I figured it would be a nice change. But after a few months, I started noticing a lot more. My beard definitely keeps my face warmer during the winter, which I didn’t expect at all. I’ve also noticed that it adds a bit of character and makes me feel like I look more mature. There’s something about having facial hair that kind of gives off an aura of confidence, at least for me personally.

    On top of that, I’ve had a lot of compliments from people who said the beard suits me. It’s almost like a personality trait that others pick up on. That said, there are also challenges, like trimming it regularly and making sure it doesn’t get too scruffy. But overall, I think the beard adds a purpose beyond just looking “cool” or trendy—it gives me a bit of an identity. It feels like it adds something more to my face, almost like a signature. It’s kind of like once you’ve had one for a while, it becomes part of who you are.

  9. Rude_Yam2872 Avatar

    Flavor saver. Lasts longer than a mustache.

  10. Long-Ease-7704 Avatar

    Looks great. My wife loves it. To be ridden by her. Flavour saver.

  11. ThrowawayMod1989 Avatar

    Evolutionarily speaking the evidence points to beards being part of sexual selection and dominance displays. So the actual purpose is to look badass to both your potential mates and your potential enemies.

  12. CarltheWellEndowed Avatar

    Protects the jaw from punches.

  13. Taskerst Avatar

    To not look like a prepubescent child when women look at our naked faces.

  14. VladTheGlarus Avatar

    I was wondering what’s the purpose of the mane of lions. 

    Later I saw a video of a fight between a lion and tiger – the tiger was bigger and stronger, it had no problem pinning the lion multiple times. But every time it went for the throat or neck to finish the job it couldnt, because the lion’s mane filled the tigers mouth. Eventually the tiger got tired and the lion started to get the upper hand, despite being smaller and weaker.

    Maybe we evolved beards as a similar defense mechanism?

  15. Saltire_Blue Avatar

    Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3

  16. BoxBubbly1225 Avatar

    It adds charisma and individuality (no beards are the same) and yes it enhances our sense of being a man!

  17. cucufag Avatar

    A magnificent beard provides 135 points of insulation against freezing. Shaving it restores 10 sanity.

    These are pretty decent perks.

  18. jenny_loggins_ Avatar

    Is that not where men hide their secrets?

  19. SomeRendomDude Avatar

    Warm face, sun protection, softens blunt force impacts on faces. Prolly stayed on on men cuz they were the ones mostly fighting and getting punched etc.

  20. Tallproley Avatar

    It provides protection from wind and sun, also provides a bit of portextionnwhen getting hit in the face.

    It can also demonstrate age and maturity, particularly as it goes gray, so in societies it provides a handy “oh he’s an elder, he must be wise” or “oh, he’s good for breeding!”

    It can also be used to indicate status but those things are cultural and I assume you meant evolutonary

  21. Scotty_flag_guy Avatar

    When I have a beard, people take me more seriously. When it’s shaven off, they think I’m a high schooler and they baby me. Depending on how I want to be treated in any given situation, it’s a usefully attainable and removable tool.

  22. ThicccBoiiiG Avatar

    I live in Canada and being clean shaven in the winter fucking sucks.

  23. Ok_Donut5442 Avatar

    Secondary sex characteristic, part of our sexual dimorphism to distinguish between male and female

  24. effinofinus Avatar

    On a bridesmaid? Gives me something to hang on to.
    Woof!

  25. fanatiqual Avatar

    I look like I’m ten without it

  26. jonnyinternet Avatar

    Where else will I keep all the small woodland creatures I rescue?

  27. Tolerant-Testicle Avatar

    Are you asking for a scientific answer? For me, I have a beard because it’s aesthetically pleasing and I get a lot of bumps if I shave regularly. I have sensitive skin.

  28. Historical-Pen-7484 Avatar

    I don’t need a scarf during winter when I have a beard, and it makes the chin a little more difficult to pinpoint exactly during boxing, but that is a very minor effect, propably.

  29. 44035 Avatar

    I jog in the winter in Michigan and it keeps my face warmer.

  30. Wyzard_of_Wurdz Avatar

    It serves no purpose whatsoever.

    It’s just a matter of looks and preference.

    I never had a beard and I never wanted one until I got a job where I wasn’t allowed to have one.

    When I left that job, I grew a beard and I’ve had a beard ever since then.

  31. Crazy_names Avatar

    It points you toward the nearest mountain.

  32. abhixD7 Avatar

    gif

    You could always look cool with one

  33. ejp1082 Avatar

    From an evolutionary perspective, it’s a signal of good health and sexual maturity. Not unlike peacock feathers.

    In my personal case, it hides a lot of my acne.

  34. AugustusClaximus Avatar

    It hides my nonexistent yet double chin

  35. Outrageous_Lack8435 Avatar

    Thigh tickler🙂‍↔️

  36. SpontaneousKrump92 Avatar

    Evolutionarily, it provides human females with visual evidence of a human male’s hormonal fertility and proper age to procreate. And, in some cases, it provided females with insulation during the colder months, but due to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere, most females lost the need for such insulation.

  37. No_Proposal_4692 Avatar

    Tickle baby and make baby laugh 

  38. ContinousSelfDevelop Avatar

    It makes me look hot. Ladies love a man with good facial hair.

  39. Happy_Brain2600 Avatar

    No beard = baby
    Stubble/shade = F boy
    Weird short/medium length = weirdo
    Full but not long = picasso
    Long = intimidating/terrorist picasso

  40. Dakotakid02 Avatar

    Mostly to keep people from knowing that you’re gay.

  41. sherbodude Avatar

    Sexual dimorphism doesn’t always have an evolutionary purpose

  42. FlimsyConversation6 Avatar

    It’s the upholstery on a love seat.

  43. HopeFantastic2066 Avatar

    How young do you have to be to need to ask this. Does it have a purpose, yes to keep the body warm just like any other hair that grows on the body. No it doesn’t have a purpose of growing up getting a job, and having a family. Like dafuq is this question.

  44. SuspensefulBladder Avatar

    What purpose does hair have?

  45. TheBooneyBunes Avatar

    Mine exists to make me look stupid

  46. kingtroll355 Avatar

    To make sure the world doesn’t know…

  47. Ok-Tomorrow-7158 Avatar

    Keeps a marriage together

  48. k63fuzz Avatar

    Gives the illusion of a good jawline (if you need it lol)

  49. Public_Hall_451 Avatar

    I think it was proven that facial hair would minimize hit impact on the jaw.

  50. Powerful-Conflict554 Avatar

    It’s makeup… for men. It hides my awful, awful face.

  51. klc81 Avatar

    There’s actually some research with boxers and MMA fighters that indicates a beard provides some measurable protection from blows to the face.

  52. gfm3dx Avatar

    Orgasm accelerator.

  53. Independent-Club-928 Avatar

    I could be wrong, but isn’t it just kinda an accidental outcome of testosterone/DHT’s effect?

    Same as balding, it doesn’t really have an evolutionary purpose, it’s just kind of a side effect of having those hormones floating around in you. (If anything balding is detrimental because of sun damage to the scalp/head but still most men go bald.)

    It’s also why when someone born female at birth takes testosterone they can also grow beards.

    But I’ve also seen stuff online saying it’s actually because it makes the jawline look bigger (exaggerating sexual dimorphism) and can cushion blows to the face. So idk.

    But considering other non human male animals can go bald, and some grow facial hair, it probably is just a coincidental side effect of hormones.

  54. mr_lab_rat Avatar

    Not having to shave.

    Saves money, time, and irritation of the skin.

    That’s three wins already and I look better while being lazy.

    Bonus benefits – keeps me warm, mosquitos have less surface to attack, cat loves to rub against it.

  55. Claymore357 Avatar

    It provides a lot more protection against cold than you might think. In -15 it makes a massive difference

  56. whatsamawhatsit Avatar

    Hide half your face so you appear more handsome!

  57. Red_Beard_Rising Avatar

    Gives me something to chew on when gum isn’t available.

  58. Brilliant_Steak_7659 Avatar
  59. Shaynoagogo Avatar
    • It’s warmer

    • protection from the sun

    • the oils from a beard protects the face and keeps it looking younger

    • Softens a hit in battle.

  60. LoiteringRambler Avatar

    it absorbs the power of punches a bit and protects you from getting knocked out

  61. ImOnCrack_ Avatar

    Face blanket lmao