Men's beards carry more germs than dog fur, according to science

A new Swiss study has found that men with beards carry more germs than dogs. Sorry, hipsters.

Study author professor Andreas Gutzeit told the BBC that the researchers found a significantly higher count of germs and bacteria in men's beards than dogs' fur. Researchers from the Hirslanden Clinic in Switzerland took swabs from the facial fuzz of 18 men and the necks of 30 dogs, across a range of breeds, and compared the results between the two. Seven of the men tested positive for microbes that actually posed a threat to human health.

"On the basis of these findings, dogs can be considered as clean, compared with bearded men," Gutzeit told the BBC.

All of the men in this small study, who were aged from 18 to 76, had high counts of bacteria in their beards, while only 23 out of the 30 dogs carried high levels. In good news for pet lovers, the other dogs tested had only medium to low levels.

The takeaway, say the experts, is that men should shampoo their beards more regularly.

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