HOW BOUNTIFUL BEARDS BECAME VICTORIAN AIR PURIFIERS Step aside, antibiotics! In the smog-choked streets of 1850s London, where chimney smoke clung to every surface and a “fog” could linger for months, doctors championed a fuzzy solution. The prescription? Grow a beard. Not just any beard, but big, bushy, chest-brushing beards that could rival a lion’s mane. Their advice made it seem like thick, woolly beards were a frontline defense against disease. As London’s population surged past the one million mark in the mid-1800s, so did its coal consumption. Residents warmed their homes and powered the city with coal, releasing dense plumes of smoke that clung to the damp air. These weren’t your average winter mists. In 1873, one thick smog event blanketed the city, contributing to hundreds of bronchitis-related deaths. Another hung around for four months in 1879, plunging London into darkness. Victorian physicians, caught between outdated theories and the dawn of germ science, believed thick beards could filter the noxious air swirling through the city. With coal smoke saturating the sky and mysterious illnesses lurking in every cough, they saw the beard as a barrier and a natural air purifier, trapping invisible enemies before they reached the throat or lungs. Public speakers were even told their beards would soothe strained vocal cords! Men were reassured that their whiskers could keep sore throats at bay. But here’s the ironic twist in this follicular fairy tale. Modern research paints a less noble picture of the beard. According to dermatologists and ecologists, those bodacious beards trap bacteria, food particles, and even play host to tiny squatters (aka ectoparasites). What the Victorians hailed as a filter functioned more like a germ motel!
So, while the beard boom of the 1800s was well-intentioned, it might be best remembered as a moment when style, “science,” and smog collided and the beard won (if only temporarily).
Ana’s Amazing Outcome From Scared to Secure
Getting a skin cancer diagnosis is frightening, but the right doctor can make you feel better about the situation and give you the confidence that everything will work out. I had a little growth on the lower right side of my eyelid, which my regular eye doctor diagnosed as skin cancer. Upon diagnosis, he immediately said, “You have to go see Dr. Scott!” I was terrified to learn I had skin cancer, but Dr. Scott made me feel comfortable. He is very gentle and kind, explaining everything that would be involved in removing the cancer and how the procedure likely wouldn’t affect my eye. He had a patient and calming demeanor that made me feel supported. I had a great impression of him
from the very beginning, and I felt safe knowing I would be in good hands.
I had seen two dermatologists who told me not to worry about the growth on my lower eyelid. It was only through the intervention of my regular eye doctor and Dr. Scott that the cancer was diagnosed and a treatment plan was developed. Working with Dr. Scott and Eye Plastic Associates was an unbelievable experience, and I’m no longer afraid to have my eyes looked at. He made a stressful situation very comfortable, and it’s always a pleasure seeing him. Without question, I would recommend him to anyone who needs eyelid surgery. In fact, I would trust my life with him.
Last March, I underwent Mohs surgery followed by reconstruction. The recovery went smoothly, and I didn’t have any pain. Aside from a little swelling and redness, you wouldn’t know I had surgery at all. Now, six months later, there are no visible signs that anything had happened to my eyelid. I’m very proud of how my eye looks, and my husband and friends say the same thing. I always look forward to my follow-up appointments with Dr. Scott and consulting with him on issues I find on my face. I’m extremely appreciative and impressed with the results, and I’m glad Dr. Scott was the doctor who performed the procedure.
–Ana Escobar
2 EyePlasticMD.com
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