Pogonophilia, The Excessive Attraction For Men With Beards
The beard It is one of the most important trends in recent years and that is why many men have chosen to keep it, since they consider that it increases their sexual attractiveness. According to several surveys, The vast majority of women are attracted to men who grow stylish beards to the point where some can turn this preference into a fetish.
The excessive attraction to beards is known as pogonophilia
The beard fashion is deeply affecting society, and for more or less five years now, razor blades have been giving way to razors to style the beard. Furthermore, hair salons that want to be fashionable have realized this trend, which is why they market specific products for beards, and not just for hair. The beard is a trend and it seems that this fashion, far from stagnating, is on the rise.
Science seems to confirm that men who grow beards flirt more (study). Many men have realized this and that is why they try to be fashionable, as they are more successful. It is clear that the marketing of large fashion companies, which has placed the label of “sex-symbol” on those who grow facial hair, has had a strong impact on people. Some girls prefer two-day beards, others hipster-style beards… the important thing is to leave that “cool” and mysterious look.
Psychologists Barnaby Dixon and Bob Brooks from the University of South Wales, in a study published in Evolution & Human Behaviorthey concluded that two-week beard increases men’s sexual attractiveness Could this fact be due to the image of masculinity? Well, it seems so, or at least that’s what a study by Northumbria University that was published in Personality and Individual Differences. The researchers stated that guys without beards are perceived by women as less masculine and more docile.
Men with beards are perceived as stronger and with more social prestige
Another investigation, published in the journal Science, found a relationship between health and having a beard. It seems, therefore, that wearing a beard is a way to demonstrate vitality and health.
On the other hand, another study in which different participants were first photographed, some with beards and others without, showing different faces (for example, angry or happy), and then the photographs were shown to a group of subjects of different nationalities to to evaluate them, confirmed that men with beards are perceived as stronger and with greater social prestige
Lumbersexual fashion
Knowing this, it is logical that the fashion world has highlighted these attributes. Merging this look rough and manly with checkered shirts in a lumberjack style, a concept arises called lumbersexual.
Therefore, the term metrosexual, after almost two decades, seems to have gone down in history. Now the “hipster vibe” is cool, which has been a revolution for many men. Beard, checkered shirt, hiking boots, careless pose… A trend that is common to see on men’s catwalks in big cities like Paris and Milan. The “neoleñadores” is what’s popular, gentlemen.
Of course, the fact that beards are highly valued aesthetically today has its drawbacks. One of them is the principle of “what goes up, comes down”: if pogonophilia is on the rise as a result of a cultural change, it can go away as quickly as it came. Or, at least, become marginal, something much less common than the wave of attraction towards men with beards that occurs today.
Taking this into account is important, since no matter how much “philias” are related to the most intimate and irrational part of us, they are still prone to being influenced by the social and cultural. And, in this, pogonophilia is no exception.
Not everything is positive when it comes to wearing a beard
But not everything is as pretty as it may seem: beards contain a lot of bacteria (study). It is clear that beard fans are not going to like this statement, but a study by John Golobic at Quest Diagnostics in New Mexico sampled several beards looking for bacteria. The conclusion of his research was that facial hair contains a large amount of bacteria, so it is more hygienic not to show it off.
On the other hand, many men grow their beards to hide skin imperfections, unaesthetic marks or some asymmetry in the shape of their face. In this case, sporting a beard can be favorable.
