h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I decided I wanted to write an entry on growing beards. I've read and heard all about them - how some adolescents struggle to, and that they itch in the beginning, and things like that.

The only problem is that I have no firsthand experience with them at all. I invite collaborators.

One of the first ever threads I posted on this forum was on the subject of growing a beard.

Luckily I am still resplendent. And I've got the beard, too.

I'll see if I can find the thread.

B

I think they only itch if you have very abrasive 'Desperate Dan' style whiskers, mine never itches when it's growing whether from nothing or just a trim. But then mine is a fluffy soft sort aaah.

No! So there's different types of beards too?

*awaits thread*

Many and varied, my sweet. Hubby's looks like Jack Black's (or maybe Kevin Smith) He shaves a bit of it at times (and I feel deprived). Personally love beards! Very sexy

Do you suppose it's important to differentiate between beards and beards with mustaches? The Amish and the van dyke wearers might differentiate.

Hmmmm *strokes beard*

I've usually got a goatee, but grew it out recently into a full-face fungus type for a play I was in. It made my face look rather too fat and round, and was glad to trim it down to the goatee again.

One bit of advice I found useful whilst growing it was to let it all grow to a decent length before trying to trim it and shape it, rather than when it was all short and fluffy.

Tried to grow it really long once too, so I could plait it but decided that the only person who can pull that off is Johnny Depp, so I gave up

Hmm, not enough bearded smileys...

Lx

No bearded smileys. I've been out doing my journalism homework and afraid I found the beards very distracting. They're very diverse. Some are even cute.

Images of men with beards.

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/granitz/1910/KevinSmith_Grani_884657_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Smith,%20Kevin%20(I)&seq=25

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0120844/fcsbat_0047.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Frakes,%20Jonathan&seq=35

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/granitz/4972/Events/4972/JohnnyDepp_Grani_9183457_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Depp,%20Johnny

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0320661/Ss/0320661/KOH-732.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Bloom,%20Orlando

Some better than others, well maybe (I am of a certain age you know )

What age would that be?



Advice found randomly: grow it really long and then style it.

http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/

http://www.beardshampoo.com/BeardTypes1.html

Generally speaking, I find that beards of any persuasion tend to look a bit off putting on Ladies, and should not be encouraged. Except perhaps on lovable and slighty batty grandma's........

I did grow a sort of beard once, but found universal female derision when they saw it so it came off.

You might want to investigate success or failure rates for dating with/without beards for your piece? I (personally) have yet to find a single lady who likes them...........

I think some suit it and others don't, I once shaved mine off when I got fed up with it and was immediately ordered by my loved one to grow it back

Personal opinion: some men look better with beards, some look better without, some look great either way. Hubby has been bearded for as long as I've known him. Having seen a picture of him without a beard, I've told him that if he shaves his off it will be grounds for divorce.

Actor Ed Harris has a great jawline that it's a shame to hide behind a beard, but he does look good bearded. Sean Connery looks good with a beard, too. When a man has a rounded face (Kevin Smith, Jonathan Fraikes) the beard can give definition and, IMO, improve the man's looks. I guess the beard just changes the outline of the face. Do I have a thing about beards? Not sure, I just know that I prefer the looks of *some* men when they're bearded rather than clean shaven.

Beard growing isn't something you have to do. You just stop yourself doing something (shaving) and the beard grows itself.

And it doesn't itch. It itches when you shave - growing a beard is the cure.

My beard starts itching when it's too bushy, which is too often because I'm too lazy to shorten it regularly. Although I may start taking better care of its appearance this year.

Vigo Mortennsen, now there's a man who should *never* remove his beard.

Gnomon, that's much like my attitude. Anytime I have a beard, it's not a conscious choice, it's just what happens when there's no interference. It's an act of omission. Which makes it even more tedious when people keep saying things like, "I see you're growing a beard!"

Hubby once told me that he grew a beard during a holiday when he couldn't be bothered to shave. He kept the beard for some time, then decided to get rid of it. The day he shaved it off, he heard somebody on the radio say that beards were coming back into fashion. He grew it back and won't shave it off. He sometimes gets it trimmed when he has his hair cut (I was with him on one occasion and had to smile when the barber offered him 'number 2 on your beard'). Other than that, he shaves his neck when it gets too hairy, and trims his beard himself. I've not heard him complain of itching. In fact, the only problem I've seen with his beard is occasional dandruff on a dark T-shirt. I think that's usually after it's been trimmed.

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I get the beard dandruff thing too, are you meant to use shampoo, or just soap on them?

There's always the danger that you'll dislodge all the rabbit bones and stuff that gather in there...

Lx

I find beard dandruff generally occurs after a bout of itching, as you dislodge any surface skin.

B