I can not grow a beard. The only places I can grow facial hair is a mustache, a little below my lower lip and on my chin. Lower lip and chin only grow a scraggly ugly bit of hair, therefor I shave it. (I let it grow for over a year once to see if it could be made to look differently, but it did not.
In a Hadith (posted somewhere in this thread) there is mention a Sahabi who the prophet would smile/laugh at due to his two strands of hair for the beard. (please read the Hadith as I'm not quoting word for word)
This Sahabi cut his beard and the prophet became upset. When the Sahabi inquired as to why he would laugh/smile at him, He said something to the effect that he would see angels swinging on those strands :)
Another thing to note is that each person is rewarded for his intentions. Regardless of how it looks, the reward will be there.
Also, its not Fard to grow a beard :). By that I mean there are certain men who can't grow facial hair and that's not their fault. Therefore, how can it be fard? At the same time, it's not permitted to shave the beard. So in such circumstances, yes, growing the beard and shortening the mustache is Wajib (mandatory)
Hmm, the reward of 100 martyr or to be laughed at temporarily :)
People are laughed at for their deformations or unfortunate circumstances but their reward is with the maker and the maker will reward so highly that those people will have wished for worse had they known what Allah had in store for them.
If you were in search of a new, disease-fighting antibiotic, where might you start? In a swamp? A remote island? Well, how about combing beards? Michael Mosley investigates.
On Trust Me I'm a Doctor we do experiments which sometimes throw up genuinely new science. In a previous series, for example, we discovered you can cut the calories in pasta by cooking, cooling and then reheating it.
That was a very pleasing result. But our most recent discovery, finding bacteria which appear to be producing a novel form of antibiotic, feels altogether more significant. What was particularly delightful was that they were found growing in someone's beard.
Beards, as you may have noticed, are back. The chin-strap, the goatee, the neck beard and the Van Dyke, they all have their fans. But with beards sprouting everywhere, like new grass in the spring sunshine, there has inevitably been a backlash.
Critics claim that beards are not only an irritating affectation but can potentially harbour unpleasant bugs.
So, what's the evidence that beards pose any sort of health risk? Pogonophobes, people who fear beards, had those fears confirmed by a recent study in New Mexico where they found traces of enteric bacteria, the sort usually found in faeces, in randomly sampled beards.
As one newspaper put it: '"Some beards contain more poo than a toilet."
But is this typical? A recent and rather more scientific study, carried in an American hospital, came to very different conclusions.
In this study, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, they swabbed the faces of 408 hospital staff with and without facial hair.
They had good reasons for doing so. We know that hospital-acquired infections are a major cause of disease and death in hospitals, with many patients acquiring an infection they didn't have when they went in. Hands, white coats, ties and equipment have all been blamed, but what about beards?
Well, the researchers were surprised to find that it was the clean-shaven staff, and not the beardies, who were more likely to be carrying something unpleasant on their faces.
The beardless group were more than three times as likely to be harbouring a species known as methicillin-resistant staph aureus on their freshly shaven cheeks. MRSA is a particularly common and troublesome source of hospital-acquired infections because it is resistant to so many of our current antibiotics.
So what's going on? The researchers suggested that shaving might cause micro-abrasions in the skin "which may support bacterial colonisation and proliferation".
Perhaps. But there was another more plausible explanation staring them in the face. That beards fight infection.
Unlikely? Well, driven by curiosity we recently swabbed the beards of a random assortment of men and sent them off to Dr Adam Roberts, a microbiologist based at University College London, to see what, if anything, he could grow.
Adam managed to grow over 100 different bacteria from our beards, including one that is more commonly found in the small intestine. But, as he quickly explains, that doesn't mean it came from faeces. Such findings are normal and nothing to worry about.
We see microbes as our enemy, but they clearly don't see us that way. Down at their level bacteria and fungi spend their time competing with each other. They fight for food, resources and space. By doing so, over millennia, they have evolved some of the most sophisticated weapons known to microbe-kind - antibiotics.
Penicillin was originally extracted from Penicillium notatum, a species of fungus. The microbe-killing properties of this fungus were discovered by Alexander Fleming when he noticed that a fungus spore, which had accidently blown into his lab from researchers further down the corridor, had killed some bacteria he was growing on a petri dish.
The fungus Penicillium notatum - is there something similar in beards?
So could our mysterious microbes be doing something similar? Killing fellow bacteria by producing some sort of toxin?
"Yes," says Adam extremely cautiously. "Possibly."
Adam indentified the silent assassins as part of a species called Staphylococcus epidermidis. When he tested them against a particularly drug-resistant form of Eschercichia coli (E. coli), the sort that cause urinary tract infections, they killed with abandon.
Purifying and properly testing a novel antibiotic is so expensive and has such a high failure rate that it is extremely unlikely doctors will be prescribing Beardicillin any time soon, but Adam is deadly serious about looking for replacements for our current stock of antibiotics.
As he pointed out, antibiotic-resistant infections kill at least 700,000 people a year, projected to rise to 10 million by 2050. There have been no new antibiotics released in the past 30 years.
As well as our beardy findings, Adam's team have recently isolated, from microbes sent in by the general public, anti-adhesion molecules which stop bacteria binding to other surfaces. They think there may be potential for adding this to toothpaste and mouthwash, as it could stop acid-producing bacteria from binding to enamel.
Surprising, isn't it, what you can find in a beard?
There are Muslim, Jewish and Sikh doctors with beards.
However, it has been noted that a lot of people have shaved their heads, and the only plausible reason I can think of is that there are no hairdressers that are open, so this is a simple solution for men.
Also, if a beard was to cause an issue, then so would the lengthy hair of women.
So if it was an issue, the solution would be a hair net.
I get a lot of itchy and flaky skin around my jaw/chain, basically under my beard. Sometimes I have the urge to scratch a lot and when I do loads of flakes and dry skin fall out. I've tried all sorts, shampoos, olive oil, coconut oil, I even wash it plenty of times everyday (wudu) however nothing seems to work. Any advice would be appreciated.
What is beard dandruff? Dandruff is a common skin condition that tends to affect the scalp. It’s known for causing red, flaky skin that’s often itchy as well. If you have scalp dandruff, you’ll probably be able to see flakes of skin in your hair. Dandruff is sometimes called seborrheic dermatitis.
The same thing can happen to facial hair, causing white flakes and itching in your beard. Keep reading to learn more about what causes beard dandruff and how you can get rid of it.
What causes it? Just about everyone’s skin contains a microbe called Malassezia globosa. This isa type of fungus that tends to grow in oily areas with lots of sebaceous glands, including your scalp and face.
The fungus helps break down sebum, which is oil produced by your sebaceous glands. This process leaves behind oleic acid, which irritates some people’s skin. In addition, if you have naturally oily skin, you likely also have more M. globosa microbes, leading to more oleic acid.
Some people’s skin also has a faster rate of cell turnover. This refers to how often your skin cells regenerate. Generally, a cell turnover cycle takes about 30 days. When the process speeds up, it can lead to an accumulation of dead skin cells.
If you have flakes in your beard without any red or irritated skin underneath, you may just have dry skin. In other cases, not washing your beard enough can cause a buildup of oils and skin cells.
Regardless of what’s causing your beard dandruff, you might notice that it’s worse during cold, dry weather and in hot, humid climates.
How do I get rid of it? Getting rid of beard dandruff involves coming up with a plan to remove dead skin cells while controlling extra oil to prevent new flakes from forming. For most people, this involves a combination of regular exfoliation, washing, and moisturizing. Regardless of the routine or products you choose, remember that it might be a week or two until you start seeing results.
Exfoliating Exfoliation is a process that helps remove dead skin cells, including those that cause dandruff. You can make this the first step of your routine by using a beard brush. Look for one that has soft bristles. In addition to getting rid of dead skin, a beard brush will also help distribute oils from your skin. This can make the hair of your beard softer and easier to manage.
Before cleaning your beard, gently massage the skin under your beard with the brush. Make sure you’re not scrubbing your beard too hard. That can make dandruff worse.
Washing If you don’t already, wash your beard the way you wash your hair. You can use the same shampoo you use on your scalp. However, you might want to opt for a medicated shampoo designed to treat dandruff. Look for these dandruff-fighting ingredients in a shampoo:
pyrithione zinc
coal tar
selenium sulfide
tea tree oil
Gently massage the shampoo into your beard. Make sure it reaches the skin underneath. Wait a minute or two before rinsing it out. Avoid using extra hot water, which can dry out and further irritate your skin.
Keep in mind that traditional shampoos designed for your scalp may be too harsh for your face, especially if you have sensitive or dry skin. If shampoo feels too drying, you can try a cleanser designed specifically for beards.
Moisturizing Moisturizing your beard is crucial for getting rid of dandruff. Moisturizing helps rehydrate and protect your skin after shampooing.
When you think about moisturizing, lotion probably comes to mind. However, it can be hard to apply to your beard without leaving a bunch of residue. Instead, opt for a beard oil. You can find one on Amazon.
If you have acne-prone skin, you might want to go for a simpler, noncomedogenic oil — meaning it won’t clog your pores — like argan oil.
Apply your moisturizer immediately after cleansing. Rub a few drops of oil between your hands and massage it into the skin under your beard, working it through to the ends of your beard. To avoid more buildup, start with one or two drops. You can always add more if it feels like you didn’t reach your whole beard.
How can I prevent it from coming back?
Once you’ve gotten rid of beard dandruff, it’s important to keep up with your routine, especially when it comes to washing and moisturizing. Try to regularly monitor how your skin feels. Does it feel tight or itchy? Add a few more drops of beard oil. Keep in mind that you may need to use a richer moisturizer during cold, dry weather.
If you’re using a medicated shampoo, you can drop down to using it once or twice a week after your dandruff is under control.
The bottom line Beard dandruff is a common problem, but it’s easy to treat with the help of a simple routine. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you pay attention to both the hair of your beard and the skin underneath.
If you’re still not seeing any improvement after a few weeks, talk to your doctor. You may need a prescription antifungal shampoo or topical steroid treatment. Once your dandruff goes away, you can keep it from reappearing by sticking with your routine.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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became upset. When the Sahabi inquired as to why he would laugh/smile at him, He 
