If you’re newer to the beard scene, it should come as no surprise that, as in almost every other area of life, there are some debates about beards. Now, no rational person would admit to thinking that beards are anything other than awesome. I mean, that’s a given. But there are some that prefer a different length of beard for the different seasons. Surprisingly enough there has been some research into the beard’s role in keeping your face warm in the winter.
At the same time, many bearded men also insist that their beard cools them off in the summer by providing shade to their sensitive cheeks. They even claim that their facial hair is great for spreading out their sweat and aiding in evaporative cooling. The truth is, any gains or losses in regard to temperature are probably pretty negligible. However, that’s not the end of the discussion because personal preference can play a huge role. Some men may be uncomfortable with the idea of a giant, bushy beard collecting their sweat all summer. At the same time, polar adventurer Erick Larsen found the arctic weather to be incompatible with his beard saying, “The benefits of having a beard are outweighed by the energy it takes to melt the ice that forms on it.”
I’ve been growing my beard for four years now and have kept it around the same length for the last two. My beard is just as awesome in the summertime as the winter. I find that no matter the season my face stays comfortable. My beard growth is also slow and steady, so if I were to shave for the summer it would take over a year to get it back to the length it is now (around five inches). I have a friend, on the other hand, who trims his beard very short in the summer and grows it to around 6 inches during the winter. He has been blessed with fast fur growth and takes full advantage of it. Some people just like to change things up. I like consistency.
The bottom line is, experiment! If you trim it down it will grow back and if you let it grow you can always cut it down. So try different things until you find the length that works for you. But whatever you do, don’t shave it off!
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