Men with facial hair: Do you play with it?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve only recently grown a somewhat scraggly beard. I think I’ll keep it through the Fall, but one thing bothers me. I seem compelled to play with it. Not just when I’m thinking or daydreaming, but almost constantly… compulsively.

I’M PLAYING WITH IT RIGHT NOW!

I find little tufts or places where it’s longer or curlier or straighter or more brittle… I find little bald spots and scars buried inside… I tug it and brush it—sometimes with the grain, sometimes against…

Is this normal? Is it just the newness of the experience? Will I get over it?

2

I never play with it. The only exception is if I did a poor job of trimming it. Then I touch the flawed part almost obsessively until I can repair it.

3

:confused: I play with it whether I have facial hair at the time or not.

ETA: Oh! You mean do I play with my facial hair! Yes, I do. I like to think that stroking it makes me look thoughtful.

EETA: That time I meant my facial hair.

4

I don’t have facial hair now, but I have in the past, and as I recall I did quite often absent-mindedly play with it. I’m also the type of person who is *constantly *tapping my foot, drumming my fingers, etc., so I suspect that was a manifestation of the same type of behavior.

5

It’s a long-time habit: I started by playing with the hair on my head, usually a curl on just above my right eye. When I grew a mustache (which I was able to do when I was 18), I switched to that.

6

I wonder if it makes me look thoughtful or if it looks more like some conceited affectation.

7

That’s eerie. I was doing it just now, whilst checking out the ol’ SDMB, when my gaze suddenly fell upon the title of this very thread.

8

I do not have facial hair of my own, but I do like to play with facial hair. Does that count?

9

I find that I do play with my facial hair, when thinking and when day dreaming, even when it is short.

10

I no longer wear a beard, but I have for most of my adult life, and I did play with it all the time. When I was by myself, I would even comb it, against the grain and then back down again. I found it soothing. What that might say about me I would rather not know.

11

Constantly.

12

It could… it could.

13

Voted: Yes, Sometimes.

14

If you count tugging at my goatee when it gets too long, yes. That’s how I know it’s time to go get a trim. I generally keep it quite short because I don’t like the way it grows out.

15

When I am thinking, I place my thumb and index finger over my mustache, starting just below my nose, and spread my index finger and thumb apart, gliding over my mustache hair…if I feel a little evil, I actually start twisting my mustache hair on the end just like this guy.

16

Coincidentally, that’s what I think about when I’m trying to look thoughtful. :stuck_out_tongue:

17

I eat some of it, same with nostril hair. Not for any good reason, it doesn’t taste nice or anything.

18

I recently found the SDMB photo gallery and, in looking you up, I can imagine you with an evil mustache twirling grin.

19

So, I’m the only one who plays with it in bed? While falling asleep?

20

I play with it in meetings; thoughtful stroking. It shows everyone how smart I am.

I grew my goatee in the first place due to a bargain with a former girlfriend. Her end of the deal was that she had to shave something off. It wasn’t long before she grew it back, though, because *she *missed being able to play with it!