UPDATED 10:48 a.m. ET: The beard data reported on in this story did not come from a peer-reviewed scientific study with a large sample size, but rather from a New Mexico TV station's own investigation. This makes it impossible to conclude with much confidence exactly what kinds of bacteria are in a typical beard.
Don't read any further if you love your whiskers.
Despite those who take great pride in their facial hair, no amount of grooming can overcome the dirty truth of science. Your beard may contain the same bacteria found in poop, according to a recent study.
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Local news station KOAT 7 put facial hair hygiene to the test in a study performed by Quest Diagnostics in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The laboratory took swabs of a handful of volunteer beards and tested them for cleanliness. The results did not bode well for our bearded brethren.
Though some of the samples contained a lot of bacteria that's considered normal, the others were comparable to toilets. John Golobic, a microbiologist for Quest Diagnostics, told KOAT 7 that the lab results revealed the same kind of bacteria "you'd find in (fecal matter)." However, a much larger sample size would be necessary to confirm that the average beard is as dirty as a toilet.