Women Are Speaking Up About Chin Infections From Kissing Their Bearded Partners So We Spoke To Experts About Why This Happens And How To Treat It
Meet Olivia Switzer, a woman who knows a thing or two about a makeout sesh gone wrong.
In a recent TikTok video, Olivia shared her story about getting a chin rash after having a "vintage makeout session" with her husband, who happened to have grown out facial hair at the time.
@livswizz I wanted to spice things up but not THIS much 🫠 HELP! Beard Burn skincare recs needed ASAP⚠️ #beardburnsurvivor #marriedlifebelike #beardburn #fyp #explore #skincarerecommendations #helpmeplease #SOS #meangirlsound #thatwasonetime
♬ original sound - Juanjo Cristiani
Upon seeing this, I knew I had to get to the bottom of this, so I reached out to learn more. As it turns out, Olivia's experiences with so-called "beard burn" go all the way back to middle school. Olivia told BuzzFeed, "I remember the first time it happened after my first makeout session at a party in middle school, and I genuinely thought I had an STD or something and was too ashamed to say anything, so I just kept piling on makeup until it (hopefully) went away, and then I learned what it really was."
Olivia's mother noticed the burn on her face and asked Olivia if she fell because it looked like a road rash/burn. Olivia lied and said yes, but during a sleepover a few days later, her friend’s mom gave Olivia an all-knowing look and said, “There’s ointment in the top drawer in the bathroom. Tell him to shave his face next time.” Olivia asked her friend's older sister what their mom meant by the “shave” comment, and then the older sister bestowed knowledge on Olivia and the rest of her friends by explaining what it was and that if she used the ointment on the rash, it would eventually go away.
Years later, as she shared in her original TikTok video, Olivia's skin still has a reaction to kissing every once in a while. "Now, my husband is a firefighter and constantly has to have a clean-shaven face for his shifts."
"But when he’s off duty, there’s always a 48-hour period of sandpaper stubble, and I usually am like, YEAH, NO THANKS. Hard pass. I need my chin this week," she explains.
Olivia also notes that in the past, facial rashes would take ages to clear up because she'd get impatient, pick at the scabs, and have to start the healing process over completely. This time with her husband, it was a moderate case that took three days to clear up, partially because she tried to avoid wearing any makeup and gave her face constant moisture and hydration.
After speaking with Olivia and getting the details of her own story, I did a quick TikTok search around "beard kissing infection" on my own and discovered that this was a common search on TikTok with dozens of videos with millions of views discussing this phenomenon. Clearly, this is a new fear unlocked for many!
So, I did what any normal person would do, and began investigating answers to the following questions: 1) Do men not clean their beards? 2) How much bacteria do beards hold? 3) And, theoretically speaking, if a man doesn't wash his hands after taking a dump and then touches his face later out of habit, would his beard then be full of shit particles?
You know, just the questions America needs answers to!
Luckily, BuzzFeed was able to reach out to experts in the skin and facial hair fields to help us solve this mystery, starting with the actual name of this phenomenon.
Dermatologist Kimberly Shao, MD, tells us that the proper term, beard burn (also called “mustache rash” or “stache rash”) “refers to a form of contact dermatitis caused by the rubbing of someone else's beard hair or stubble on one's skin.”
General & Cosmetic Dermatologist, Leah Ansell, MD, FAAD, further explained to BuzzFeed how something like this happens, sharing, "Anything rough or irritating to the skin can cause a breakdown of the skin barrier. Rough beards, for example, can be abrasive to sensitive facial skin. When healthy oils and the protective top layers of skin are eroded, this allows for inflammation and even potentially bacteria or yeast entry into the skin.”
Geeta Yadav, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of FACET Dermatology, adds that “particles from food and pollution from the air can build up in the beard, and when that stubble interacts with other skin and creates microscopic wounds, the bacteria can lead to an infection.”
So, generally (or theoretically) speaking, how much bacteria can a beard hold? That answer isn’t 100% clear. Some studies have found that men’s beards carry a significant amount of germs.
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For example, a 2019 study published in European Radiology even compared bacteria from men's beards to dog's neck fur and found that human beards had a higher microbial count. However, other studies say otherwise. A 2018 study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania tested 409 hospital workers and found that bearded men carried fewer bacteria than clean-shaven men, as the micro-trauma of shaving caused more bacterial growth.
Though most of you are probably clutching your invisible pearls at this information, here’s the good news: The likelihood of someone getting a rash or infection after kissing someone with a beard is slim. Still possible, of course, but not that likely. Dr. Ansell explained further, telling BuzzFeed, “The majority of the time, it is perfectly safe to kiss someone with a beard. If you are prone to sensitive skin, you are likely at higher risk for irritation, though this is not very common. Infection is even less common than irritation/rash.”
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However, if you just so happen to get a rash or infection after kissing someone with a beard, let’s discuss the next steps you should take to recover and prevent a future outbreak.
Dr. Shao insists the most important part of the recovery process is to be gentle with your skin, telling BuzzFeed, "Opt for cleansers that do not have active ingredients that can cause additional irritation (benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, AHAs, etc.). Do not be tempted to use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or triple antibiotic creams/Neosporin.” And, says Dr. Yadav, “Keeping the area moist and clean is always a good idea. I'd recommend gently cleansing the area with a mild cleanser like Cetaphil, then regularly applying vaseline to treat it. Then, perhaps obviously, you should avoid irritating the area with exposure to the offending beard until it's healed.” Lastly, if the rash worsens or does not improve in five to seven days, please seek out a dermatologist.
So, if you have facial hair and you're eager to plant the perfect smooch after your next date, don't slack on your grooming/skincare routine, and do remember to wash your hands consistently before you touch your face. Not only is personal hygiene important for your own health, but for your dating life, too!
