Skip to main content

Should You Shave Your Beard For Coronavirus?

Man wears mask
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As our nation (and world) attempts to reinforce lockdowns with this surge of coronavirus cases, two precautions are still recommended for public safety: Maintain social distancing and wear a cloth face covering.

That second piece of advice, though, has had those of us with beards scrambling a bit, searching the internet for assurance that our patiently crafted facial hair isn’t making us more vulnerable to contracting, or potentially transmitting, the virus.  

Some of the fear started with reports in April 2020 during the pandemic that hospitals in the United Kingdom were requiring doctors to shave, even if they had only a day’s stubble. We talk to Dr. Natasha Mubeen Chida, the assistant Director of Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, to get some guidance on whether to shave or not to shave. 

“Things got confused because these guidelines were regarding the masks that health care workers who have contact with COVID-19 patients are required to wear,” Chida, who’s also an assistant professor of Medicine at the university, tells The Manual. “These N95 respirators are specifically designed to protect from the airborne transmission of the virus, so the worker really does need to be clean-shaven in order to have a really good seal between the mask and his skin.”

But for civilians wearing face coverings in public, and who are not exposed to COVID-19 patients, “they don’t need to worry about facial hair or shaving,” Chida says. “This is really only an issue if you are a health care worker.” 

Chida reminds us that the reason the general public has been asked to wear cloth face coverings is “not to protect you from getting COVID, but to protect you from transmitting COVID to somebody else. These masks can prevent droplets from leaving your mouth, going into the air and somebody else contracting the disease. It’s what we call droplet transmission prevention.”

But she does caution against touching the face or beard — like any part of your face — and suggests that if you can’t control the urge to mess with your facial hair, that you might want to consider shaving it. 

Adam Reyes, owner of Virile Barber and Shop in Jersey City, New Jersey, suggests clients keep their beards short or even shave them entirely to avoid touching their faces.

“Beard-sporting folk are definitely facing a bit of a struggle when it comes to wearing a mask. Mainly that it cramps the style,” Reyes tells The Manual. “More so for larger beards than shorter, trimmed, and tapered ones. In my opinion, a beard length that you can swing a mask over is more aesthetically pleasing.”

But for guys who are planning to still grow their beard out, Dr. Mary Clifton, a Doctor of Internal Medicine on the board of skincare line Boomer Naturals, recommends opting for one of their extra-large size masks.

“[Your mask] should be large enough to fit around your cheekbone structure and jaw, and have enough fabric on the side to prevent air from escaping,” Clifton tells The Manual. “The main thing is for the mask to be able to filter air, allowing you to breathe through the covering. It should be large enough so that you’re not breathing through gaps on the side … A man with facial hair would benefit from having an extra-wide mask. That makes it that much harder for the air to get around the edges and all the way to the face holes.”

Should men be concerned if the covering doesn’t cup under their chin? “If the face covering is big enough to provide a reasonably snug fit around all of those different areas, and doesn’t have a lot of gaps where things can easily transfer around the edges, it’s fine,” says Clifton. 

Clifton makes one other important point. “The very best way to keep a mask clean is just to wash it in soap and water. The detergent breaks the outer cell layers of the virus and disables it immediately. Washing it and hanging it to dry for 12 hours gives you a very, very safe, very clean mask that you can use again. If you go out a lot and can’t wash and thoroughly dry your mask between wearings, just get three or four of them, and then you always have one in a drying phase and another one you know at the ready.” 

Sounds like a great plan for both safety and making a statement.  

Editors' Recommendations

John Jones
John Jones is a Jersey City, New Jersey-based writer who enjoys covering design in all its forms, from fashion to…
Beard Straighteners Are a Thing. Here’s Why You Might Want One
masc beard straightener demo 2 poster for 6039974092001

Humans have been straightening their hair since someone (presumably) accidentally realized the application of heat to a wavy mop-top results in smooth strands that stay in place. Humans have also been curling their hair — even their beards — since they realized the inverse could be achieved, too. Don't believe us? Please see contemporary statues, imagery, and art of the ancient Sumerians, Persians, and Greeks (who curled their beards into ringlets with some of the earliest tongs). Changes your perception of 300 doesn't it?

Given man's above-cited love of peacocking, combined with our modern-day affinity for full, luscious beards, it's no surprise that there exists a device designed to straighten men's beard hair. The Kuschelbar, by Masc by Jeff Chastain, is just that, with the added benefit of being able to straighten the hair on your head, too (if you so desire, that is).

Read more
Does beard growth oil work? What you should know
Find out if beard growth oil help you grow a fantastic facial mane
Man putting beard oil on his beard.

The quest to grow a perfect beard, or at least a good beard, never stops, it seems, which has undoubtedly caused many a guy to wonder, "Does beard growth oil work?" You can go through many processes to bolster your beard, from using the best beard oil to softening and exfoliating your follicles with one of the best beard brushes. But before you start grooming, shaping, and styling your mane in general, it's sometimes helpful to start the process.

Think of it as a helping hand for your facial hair: Beard growth oil, sometimes in the form of a beard growth kit. Think of it like a multi-faceted approach that goes well beyond simply not shaving for some time. You'll find beard growth oil on its own and in kits like The Beard Club's beard growth kits, which can help you on the way to bearded greatness.

Read more
Costco has a secret online store, Costco Next, that any member can access – here’s how
It's just like Costco, only premium - and there are no hot dogs
Ft. Wayne - Circa August 2017: Costco Wholesale Location. Costco Wholesale is a Multi-Billion Dollar Global Retailer X

 

Whether you have a bunch of kids and need that Costco membership for the snacks or are entering your middle-age era and have started shopping for your jeans there, Costco membership holders are die-hard people. There are whole Reddit pages dedicated to how to best shop at the store and plenty of TikToks showing how to maximize Costco hauls. Plus, where else do you get a hot dog and a drink for $1.50 these days? But we all know that staying home and ordering online from your favorite store is where it's at, so get ready to be blown away by how to access Costco Next, Costco's best-hidden feature.

Read more