From bristly beard to long moustaches, men have been sporting their facial hair like never before. You might love their look but their lumberjack appearance might be hiding an unhygienic secret and it is not surprising. Facial hair can harbour a lot of germs that can lead to a host of infections. Sure they  lay the foundation of skin infections, and you might happily ignore it. But did STD ever gross your mind when you got too mushy and cuddly with your beardy spouse? Here's everything you need to know about STD and facial hair.

Can You Get An STD From His Facial Hair?

An un-groomed moustache and beard can become breeding ground for germs, as they trap bodily fluids, sweat and bits of food. The germs in chin and cheek can cause icky things like herpes and other dangerous staph infections. Although the risk is small, direct contact with one of these bugs can make you end up with one of these nasty infections. The beard can camouflage the symptoms like redness and inflammation from yeast and herpes sores. If they miss the signs, they can inadvertently transmit the infection to you. Can STDs Like Gonorrhea Spread Through Kissing? Everything You Should Know

Can Facial Hair Up The Risk Of Any Other Infection?

The hipster facial hair can also pass on warts and impetigo. Impetigo is a bacterial infection which leads to angry red open sores. When the bristly beard is rubbed against your face, your skin gets irritated with all the bumps and chaffing. Bumps on the Vagina – Is It Razor Rash or STD? 3 Signs It’s a Sexually Transmitted Disease

How to Lower the Odds of an Infection From Facial Hair?

You don't have to force them to razor it all off, just taking a few steps can reduce the chances of an infection. They should wash their beard with soap and water at least once a day and ensure that no particles is trapped between the hairs after meals. Ask them to inspect their beard regularly. Clean Shaven or Beard Look? Study Claims Men With Beard Have MORE Germs Than Dog's Fur

To ensure that you do not catch any infection, do a quick scrutiny to ensure that the skin under their beard is healthy before you engage in any direct contact with their unshaven mug. Look for any redness, bumps or blisters, and if you notice one make sure that you first get it tested to not fall victim to the same condition.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 15, 2020 01:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).