The beard has been a symbol of courage, wisdom or authority. But it has also been prohibited by kings, armies and religions.
history of a trend
Moses, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar or Tsar Peter I the Great have determined that generations of men sport beards or are forced to shave. Moses – who is depicted with an abundant beard – required the Levites (one of the twelve tribes of Israel) to cut their beards and shave their bodies in order to exercise the priesthood. It appears in the Bible, in Leviticus. It is possible that Moses, who grew up in Egypt, was infected there by the love of shaving.
Pharaohs and nobles sported sleek shaven heads and shaved their heads clean. And yet, the beard was a symbol of divinity. For this reason, the pharaohs wore false ones, made of gold and metal, and adjusted them behind their ears. They and them. Pharaohs like Hatshepsut also wore fake beards.
Over the centuries, facial hair has suffered all kinds of vicissitudes: it has been required, prohibited, sculpted, regulated… It has interfered in religion, in armies (in many it is still prohibited because it hinders the closure of masks ) and taxes. It has marked the economic and social status; It has been linked to medicine, to politics.
There have been great determining figures in the history of the beard. Alexander the Great, for example, went against the grain in his decisions about the appearance of his soldiers. He forced them to shave to prevent enemies from grabbing their beards and knocking them down in battle. He didn’t wear it either, something strange because in many ancient cultures the bearded man has symbolized bravery and power.
It was like that in ancient Mesopotamia: the elite Sumerians, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Babylonians flaunted their hairy faces. And they took care of them: they curled their beards with tongs and made ringlets. The Persians of the great Cyrus and those who lived afterward under Xerxes, Darius, and the rest of the emperors of ancient Persia wore long curly beards. The vikings from Scandinavia cared so much about their own that they even placed razor blades on their graves. Some have been found made of copper with handles adorned with figurines of horses.
Also in ancient Greece commanded the beard. The most powerful gods of their pantheon, such as Zeus and Poseidon, were depicted as bearded to surround them with authority and wisdom. Facial hair was worn by philosophers and anyone who wanted to be on good terms with the society of the time: being beardless was not well seen, it was considered a sign of effeminacy.
The ancient Greeks only shaved if they were in mourning. The smooth face was a statement of pain. Or guilt if you lived in brave Sparta: those who had been cowardly on the battlefield had their faces shaved as punishment.
How does facial hair affect health?
Problems related to facial hair are not related, in general terms, to the existence or not of a beard. Instead, the shave yes it can pose some complication. “When shaving occurs, especially with a blade, micro-erosions are created, there are easier for infection by Staphylococcus aureus and sometimes appear folliculitis”, indicates the representative of the AEDV. In most cases it is «banal pathology that only causes mild and transitory discomfort.»
Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicle (the deep part not visible externally” that can occur both in bearded areas as in the shaved parts.
Bearded people can also develop what is known as pseudofolliculitis, whose main cause is that the hair is thick and curly and becomes embedded in the skin, causing inflammation. This problem is more common in black men or mestizos, in which it is «very common and exasperating». This chronic disease can force you to stop shaving or cutting your beard with scissors.
Also, men with facial hair can develop dermatitis either allergy by contact, problems that “can also appear in any other part of the body
The beard: How to take care of the beard
brush your beard
Beard hair can easily become tangled and matted. Brushing your beard will help keep it at bay. Maintaining an elegant look is not difficult: just carry a comb with you to prevent it from getting tangled throughout the day. Smaller mustache combs are also available.
Use a specific brush, usually with boar bristles, that will help you regulate the oil on your face and beard, thus achieving healthier and more balanced skin.
Clean and smelling beard
Cleaning the beard is simple, it does not take much time and it greatly improves its appearance, simply with a good soaping and rinsing you will be closer to that perfect beard.
Hydration and shine
Beard hair is much thicker and more porous than the rest of the body, which is why it tends to dry out much faster.
To avoid this type of problem, we are going to use another product specially designed to moisturize the hair and skin of our beard: oils and balms.
beard oil
Beard oil minimizes skin irritation, especially during the initial growth phase. The oils keep the beard soft and fluffy. There are several types, but we recommend those that contain essential oils, such as almond or grapeseed oil. Or why not opt for an aromatic oil such as bergamot, lemon or sandalwood?
beard wax
In the old days, your grandfather used wax to style and shape the beard. Spruce up your mustache by adding a bit of wax to it and twisting the ends. The beard wax will soften the hair and add volume and body to the beard. Beard wax dissolves in water, so it rinses off easily.
Cleaning
It is so simple that it seems obvious, but we are going to give a series of guidelines:
Moisten the beard with water until it is very wet.
- We rub the bar of soap or shampoo with our wet hands until we have enough foam.
- We spread the foam through the hair and massage taking the product throughout the area including the skin under the beard.
- We rinse with warm water.
- We dry with a towel without exceeding the pressure.