Form, function or personal preferance?

Over the past week, I have been observant of some of my co-workers and their facial hair preferences.I should explain that my place of employment, the VCU Medical center Emergency Department, is a very multi-cultural and ethnically diverse workplace. Today's update will focus on those gentlemen that work closest with me. I had a chance to speak with them for a few moments about their facial hair, what style they preferred, any significant history behind it, special care they give it and most importantly, how their spouses react or respond to it.

Throughout these updates I will be referring to different facial hair styles by name. These names are derived from the website http://www.ftmguide.org/facialhair.html There are many others that have nearly the exact same information. Take a moment and have look around.

Fortunately for me, my facial hair grows quickly giving me the opportunity to try different styles that accent my facial features. As you see in the picture below, I have a horseshoe that continues along my jawline. This alters the perception of a rounded face into something a bit more elongated. Variations on this include moving the level or angle of hair, from the connection of the horseshoe at the bottom of the jaw toward the ear. It almost looks like the Nike swoosh.


The picture below is a middle-aged man that wears a horseshoe. As it reaches the bottom of his chin he has opted to let it continue to grow similar to a FuManchu. In our discussion he mentions that he has worn this exact style since he was 18, "It just happened one morning. "No or reason." He says that the most common reaction from other men is wanting to grow something similar. His spouse approves of it and has come to know him only with the same facial hair style for the last 20 years. When I asked if he did anything particular to his facial hair in terms of care he said nothing other then when he washed his face, and trimmed it out of his mouth.

This style is similar to the Norse and Vikings nearly 2000 years ago, as well as the early Egyptians. They would let their chin hairs grow to lengths that allowed for braiding and inclusions of decorative beads or metals.

The following co-worker show below is a younger man that wears a Balboa. In our discussion he states his preferance of keeping it shorn aids in keeping it neat and clean. He has worn it for about the last six months. He adds conditioner periodicly to maintain a softer feel. His spouse prefers something softer to touch and approves of the style.

Note the disconnect at the corners of the mouth.