2020 was the year when wearing face masks in public and inside buildings became the norm for many people around the world to one extent or another. While many countries’ citizens have worn masks for years to fight the effects of pollution and smog in big cities, for most of us the concept of wearing one is brand new.
Many countries now have various rules on the wearing of masks and people are debating the merits of wearing one due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But if you have to wear one and don’t shave at least part of your face, facial hair and N95 masks is a topic you may have some interest in. Specifically, does facial hair impact your ability to wear an N95 mask or other facial mask that you may consider wearing?
Facial Hair And N95 Masks
Research has shown that when worn properly and when combined with other factors like frequent hand washing and disinfecting, N95 masks reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection for nurses and doctors in medical environments.
Masks like these are meant to worn snug and while not airtight, they aren’t meant to be worn with a loose fit and should form a seal around your face. If you have a large beard or other facial hair, how negatively can this impact your ability to protect yourself with a mask if your facial hair prevents the mask from being worn properly?
There is certainly a large political element to mask wearing in at least some countries and some information from several years ago that might not be applicable regarding mask wearing given what we’re facing today.
The most recent information regarding COVID-19, mask wearing and other related issues are available on the CDC website.
Health care workers who need to wear a mask should not have facial hair that can block the ability for a mask to seal around their face. The CDC graphic on acceptable facial hair styles and masks from 2017 – well before COVID-19 was a concern – shows that clearly. Certain facial hair styles prevent mask wearers from having a tight seal around their face, defeating the purpose of wearing a mask.
As you can see from the graphic, popular facial hair styles such as the extended goatee, Van Dyke, full beard and even face stubble (!) are considered a no-no and not recommended for those who have to wear N95 respirators for work. Again, this graphic and information is from 2017 before COVID-19.
But for other people who aren’t in that sort of position, what current evidence is there that proves that having a beard will impair your ability to wear a mask in your day to day life? Currently, there doesn’t appear to be any such empirical evidence. That could change as researchers learn more about the virus however.
Should I Shave My Beard?
At this point in time, there doesn’t seem to be definitive evidence one way or the other, except for the CDC’s graphic from 2017 that does show that less facial hair is better to form a tight seal around your face against the mask that you’re wearing.
Living in a country where mask-wearing in stores and on public transit has been mandatory for several months currently, I can say from experience that people generally just put their mask on before entering stores and often take it off again as they leave. There generally isn’t a lot of effort in my experience to tighten the mask or ensure it’s fitted properly.
While healthcare and other workers may be told otherwise, it seems as of time of writing that men can continue to grow their beards as is until further notice advises us to shave it off.
Want to be 100% sure? Use common sense and check with your employer and doctor to get their professional advice.