No one can deny the importance of wearing a protective face mask in reducing and preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, if you have a large beard, your level of protection may decrease as experts say that wearing a mask over a beard can be ineffective unless you take certain steps to make it more compatible with your beard.
Dr. Steen Vermund, a pediatrician, infectious disease expert, and Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, who now sports a well-groomed beard since the pandemic began, stated, "The pandemic has changed many of my daily habits. Bearded individuals often joke about wearing masks, but it can reduce the intended protection. While shaving is the best option for you, there are steps you can take to maintain your beard while still gaining some protection from your mask."
According to Dr. Vermund, here are some tips to make your protective mask more compatible with your beard:
1. **Trim Your Beard:** Dr. Vermund has adjusted his beard to fit the protective mask suitable for his face and not just for his beard, stating that the mask should reach the soft skin and not the beard. Therefore, he trimmed the ends of his beard well.
2. **Buy a Larger Mask:** Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, mentioned that if you do not work in a high-risk profession, wearing a mask that fits your face and covers your nose and mouth should be sufficient. She noted that some masks are made from four-way stretch fabric, which can help conceal your beard inside the mask, or you can buy a larger face mask that accommodates the size of your face and beard.
3. **Wear Two Masks (Double Masking):** The CDC in the United States supports the idea of double masking, that is, wearing one mask over another, to provide maximum protection against the novel coronavirus, which can also offer additional protection for men with long beards. Experts recommend wearing a disposable medical mask or an N95 mask underneath and then wearing a cloth mask on top, ensuring that both masks cover your nose and mouth well, with no gaps along the edges.
4. **Look for a Mask That Ties Behind Your Head and Neck:** According to Popular Science magazine, when you have a beard, masks with ear loops might cover your face and obstruct your vision, which could pose a risk due to limited visibility. Therefore, you can purchase mask strap extenders to solve the problem if you still wish to use disposable masks with ear loops, or look for protective masks that tie with straps behind the back of your head.
