I don’t know if this will change people’s perceptions of beards. It certainly makes me think that all the bearded guys I know who are manic about using hand sanitizers may have a bit of a melt down if they read this news report:
A shocking new study has warned that facial hair could be dirtier than a toilet bowl. According to a group of microbiologists in New Mexico, the rancid bacteria that beards collect could be putting owners’ health at risk. Microbiologist John Golobic, of Quest Diagnostics, swabbed a number of beards searching for bacteria for the study and found that some of the bacteria “are the kind of things that you find in feces.”
“I’m usually not surprised, and I was surprised by this,” he said. “There would be a degree of uncleanliness that would be somewhat disturbing.” Apparently the key to a poo-free beard is to make sure you wash your hands regularly and avoid playing with and twirling the hair.
“Try to keep your hands away from your face, as much as possible,” Golobic added.
BosGuy 
The same could be said of hair on one’s head…
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There is only one reason for this. The first thing we have to understand is that E coli always means poop. If it’s found in your toothbrush, your beard or anywhere else in your house it means you aren’t washing your hands after you poop and that’s gross. Just sayin’.
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Lmao!
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Golobic’s “research” has been rejected three times by peer review publications – so the theory and applied sciences are of great question.
I have had a beard since the late 1970s – It is shampooed daily, kept trim, etc.
None of the levels were enough to cause illness – and the super majority were of the same levels found throughout the body – especially on subjects that do not do daily hygiene tasks on a regular basis.
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That story made the rounds two weeks ago and was soon debunked: http://now.snopes.com/2015/05/05/beards-poop/
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BFD! There is fecal matter in every room of a personal home. Not to mention, the last time they did a study of toothbrushes & they found fecal matter in the toothbrush, even when it was still in the original packaging, that had been in a home for a few days.
If the bacteria found was unique to feces then he would be okay to be so girly.
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Jeff,
You obviously fall on the other end of the spectrum of a germ-phobe and while what you say might be true, it is still gross to think about. I’d be willing to bet a lot of guys feel like you do, but there are probably just as many who find that bit of news upsetting.
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I can understand how that is possible just watch how you do things and it will jump right out at ya
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