Baby-faced men might be more susceptible to stroke than their hirsute peers, according to a study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The study began 20 years ago, when a team at the University of Bristol questioned 2,438 men about their lifestyles. Subsequently, they found that the men who did not shave every day were 70% more likely to suffer a stroke.

The interpretation of the data was complicated by the fact that frequency of shaving might reflect a man's attitude to grooming as much as his hairiness. As The Times (UK, 6 February 2003) points out, “men who choose not to shave daily probably neglect themselves in other ways, contributing to ill-health.” The team noted that “stubbled men were more likely to smoke, were shorter, less likely to be married and more likely to do manual jobs.”

The Beard Liberation Front — a UK support group that campaigns against 'beardism' — resented the implication that not shaving signifies an unhealthy lifestyle. Spokesman Keith Flett said “just shaving in itself seems stressful and unhealthy to us. Bearded men don't have to get out of bed early in the morning to shave and are more laid back” (Ananova, UK, 6 February 2003).

Even when other lifestyle factors were accounted for, there was still an unexplained correlation between stroke and shaving frequency. Team leader Shah Ibrahim said “There may well be some male sex hormone link with stroke” (The Independent, UK, 5 February 2003); for example, smooth-faced men might produce less testosterone than men who grow whiskers more readily. As The Independent informs us, “the link between shaving and sex was established in 1970 by a man living on a remote island who noticed that each time he went to the mainland, where he had sex, his beard grew more quickly.”