What do you think...

@gberlin (3836)
February 18, 2007 4:23pm CST
does my beard make me look older? My wife and several of my female colleagues think I look 10 years older with a beard. One even suggested that I color it. What do you think? That is me with a beard next to this discussion and the uploaded picture is of me without a beard.
12 people like this
30 responses
• United States
12 Mar 07
You look very distinguished with it. You look a bit older but not much. It looks better on you than without although without a beard you do look younger. For some reason your features favor my dad somewhat. My dad was a man that had a big heart. Anyway I like the way you look with a beard.
2 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
13 Mar 07
Thank you for the compliment! My beard did get much longer this year than what is in the picture so maybe you would not have liked it when it was long and shaggy! I no longer have the beard but I still have a moustache. The picture of me without the beard is 5 yrs. old so I was younger. I usually grow a beard every year. I will probably start it in September so it looks like Santa by Christmas! LOL
2 people like this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
6 Mar 07
actually i think your beard really suits you, and no i dont think it makes you look older at all, it softens your face and makes you look more friendly blessed be
2 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
6 Mar 07
Thanks for the compliment! My students like it when I grow a beard. My wife doesn't mind except when I let it get long. Then she wants me to cut it off. She doesn't nag me about it. I shaved it off at the end of January, 2007. It was about 4 inches long.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Feb 07
Depends, how old are you?
2 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
18 Feb 07
I am 50 and I will be 51 in March. Why do you ask?
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@Anakata2007 (1785)
• Canada
18 Feb 07
I think it makes you look a bit older as well. I woudln't say 10 years older, but definately older.
2 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
19 Feb 07
Well to be honest, I was a couple years younger in the picture without the beard. Looker older doesn't bother me as much as it bothers my wife and friends! LOL
2 people like this
• India
1 Mar 07
u r looking fine with ur beard..:)
2 people like this
@gberlin (3836)
1 Mar 07
Thank you for the compliment! I just shaved off my beard again and will probably start growing in September so it looks like Santa by Christmas! LOL
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Feb 07
My husband has a beard and i think it makes him look "macho." I do have him color it a tiny bit on the sides so its not too white. He looks very distinguished!
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@gberlin (3836)
1 Mar 07
Well your husband's beard probably looks better than mine I am sure.
1 person likes this
@academic2 (7000)
• Uganda
9 Jul 08
Beards well groomed - Grow your beards
Your beard doesnt have to make you look older, in most cases it makes you look manly, grow your beards man-grow it until you look like this pic i have uploaded
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
1 Aug 08
Cool picture. Just started growing the beard back. Maybe by Christmas I will have it as long as the guy in the picture.
@balasri (26537)
• India
25 Jun 07
You are a handsome fellow.The silver streaks in your beard add ages to you.But you look sober and wise in it.I leave it up to you friend.
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
28 Jun 07
Post a shot of your shaven face.A man for all seasons huh?
@gberlin (3836)
27 Jun 07
I shaved the beard off at the end of January. I usually grow a beard in the fall and shave it off in the spring.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
5 Oct 07
This is a nice picture of you. I see you got a lot of Complements. 26 Go you Boy!!! Have a great week-end!! You look Hansome either way. Not flirting just telling the true.
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
5 Oct 07
Haha, I meant to say You go Boy!!!
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
8 Oct 07
You all have a good week!
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
8 Oct 07
Thanks for the compliment and comment! I did have a great weekend. My wife's niece got married and we had a wonderful time. Have a great Monday!
1 person likes this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
18 Feb 07
I have always thought beards and moustaches make men look a lot older unless you have a young wild persona, I think beards add at least 10 years to a mans looks....sorry but I must agree with your wife :(
@ashjoe76 (1422)
• India
29 Feb 08
You look good in a beard. It depends on our face, basically. for some people, a beard even serves the purpose of hiding a double chin. but for some, it can have a disastrous effect. I personally prefer to see others clean shaven, because it looks more hygeinic and pleasant. But I sport a beard once in a while....when I am too lazy to shave everyday :)
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
2 Mar 08
Basically that is my reason for growing a beard is my laziness. lol If I get real lazy I won't even trim it and then it gets long as you see in the picture below.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
19 Jun 07
Lose the beard, you look younger and much more sophisticated without it. I know shaving is a pain...but consider our eye strain.
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
20 Jun 07
Because of you, the beard is gone. No, just kidding. The beard is gone but I shaved it off at the end of January. I do have the moustache still because my wife likes it. When I shave the moustache off my wife says I look too young. However, with the onset of gray hair on my head I don't think that I would look too young anymore. Thanks for your comments.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
20 Jun 07
Well, I am impressed that you knew what I was going to say and cut the beard off.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
17 Jun 07
Well, it is certainly none of my business, but since you ask, I think your beard is just great exactly the way it is. My husband has a similar one which we both like both because it looks nice, but also because he doesn't have to shave. If you keep the beard, you certainly don't need to color it...the next thing they will be wanting you to color your hair, too! With respect to your wife and coworkers, however, they probably look at your face a lot more than you do, so it may be more important to keep them happy than to look a certain way. That said, I do think you look younger with the beard than without it. In the long run, it doesn't really matter a whole lot, but hopefully, people who care for you would want you to be happy and would accept you however you yourself decide you want to look.
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
19 Jun 07
My wife lets me do what I want. Right now I do not have the beard. I usually grow it when the weather starts to get cool in the autumn and shave it off in the spring. It is not really a big deal for me or my wife or co-workers. They just like to tease me. :)
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
19 Jun 07
This reminds me of the story Chaucer told about a young man who had to choose if he wanted his wife to be beautiful in the daytime and plain at night or plain in the daytime and beautiful at night. He wisely left the choice up to her...
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 08
i think you look much more at ease with your beard than clean shaven. youlook too stuffyall clean shaven Ilike the beard. Myhusband wore a beard too.looked better on him than when he was clean shaven.so keep the beard okay.
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
29 Feb 08
The good news is that I still have the beard and it looks pretty much like the picture except I think it is a little whiter. I have grown it out so it was pretty long but right now it is like what you see in the picture.
• Canada
31 Oct 07
Hi gberlin, I honestly think that you look great with the beard. I think it makes you look more distinguished, friendly, and mature. I'd say keep it ;) Love & Hugzz, PurpleTeddyBear.
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
2 Nov 07
Hi PurpleTeddyBear! Thank you for the compliment. The beard comes and goes depending on the season. Right now I have one. Sometimes I shave it off in the spring.
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@Melody1 (967)
• India
17 Dec 07
You look totally different without your beard.I think you look good both ways,but prefer the clean look a shade more than the one with beard.
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@gberlin (3836)
20 Dec 07
The beard comes and goes. Right now it is back and looks very much like the picture. I have in the past let it grow long but this year I decided to keep it short.
• United States
19 Feb 08
I'm not to sure about it making you look older, but I like the older look anyways. Even when I was a little girl, I always found that older men were more attractive. Okay, you look younger with the beard, keep it MR! :o)
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
21 Feb 08
Well I still do have the beard. Since I started this discussion I did shave it off but it is now back. My two older brothers both have beards and they have not shaved theirs off in decades.
@aaidjs (1149)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
11 Oct 07
O!No you look just fine,like a cookie!!First you are not old and second your beard i so s...!!!Please never but never make beard colored!!I really like men with beard ,maybe because my hubby is in navy and for him is forbidden to have that kind of beard!!Warmest regards Silvana
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
11 Oct 07
Thanks for the compliment. I like my beard and I don't plan on coloring it. It would be too much trouble to color it.
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@Jazz65 (22)
• United States
27 Aug 07
I think your wife is right. Having a beard makes you look years older than what your age is. I know the fact bcoz my husband when i first met him he had beard and mustache and the problem is, his hair is turning gray and same thing goes with his beard and mustache. It has been with him for 30 years but i made him shave it,you might ask why? Beard or mustache don't go along with my sensitive skin makes my skin itchy and bcoz i scratch it longer and it breaks the skin. So there you go, better try to shave it off and see the difference anyway you can grow it back when you want to. You wont loose anything but just makes your face looks younger. Goodluck!
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
27 Aug 07
My beard comes and goes. I grow one every year and shave it off after awhile. I don't mind looking older but I think my wife does and so do some of my friends but they still like me even when I grow a beard.
@ayou82 (3450)
• Philippines
1 Nov 07
I hope youre open to suggestions..I think the best beard for you is just around you mouth with a style. You will look more younger be hippie sir. Go for it!
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
2 Nov 07
I am always open for suggestions. Actually, last year I did have a beard just around the mouth but now I have the full beard again. It comes and goes whenever I feel the need for change.