Frank U.

Bearded since: 1987. I am a dedicated, permanent beard grower.

Comments:
I grew my beard for identity. I always wanted it. Already as a child I tried to force my father to grow one and admired men with full beards. Naturally, a beard belongs to a man. You should not fight it.

How do I feel about my beard? I have tried many different styles, but for the last few years it is the full beard that pleases me most. Of course, curliness and density could be better, but I am happy with my beard. Luckily, it grows. But I feel so much pity for the men who want to have a beard and could have one but don’t allow it to grow. They fear negative comments that, ironically, often come from naturally beardless persons (beard envy?).

Men who give negative comments typically have never experienced their own beards yet and are suppressed (Who screams first: “You don’t grow a beard!”?) or they have arranged with stupid profession rules (“clean”-shaven: a beard has absolutely nothing to do with “dirty”) or listened too much to ads of the cosmetic industry (wanting to sell things). Recently, men seem to redevelop a kind of self-confidence in that matter. Slowly. Thankfully.