Beards have long attracted suspicion, sometimes seen as stylish, sometimes as unsanitary. But how dirty are they, really? Human skin is home to billions of microorganisms – mainly bacteria, but also ...

Beards are undeniably a part of today's cultural zeitgeist. The market is flooded with beard-care products, glitter beards are an actual trend, and there's even a recognized phobia of beards ...

More and more men seem to be putting down the razor and letting their whiskers grow. Our critic examines the history of the trend and what it might mean. By Vanessa Friedman These days, between the ...