# Men with facial hair: Do you play with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529 "2012-09-12T18:18:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/1 "2012-09-12T18:18:26Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/2 "2012-09-12T18:33:22Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/3 "2012-09-12T19:24:44Z")
😕 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. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/4 "2012-09-12T19:24:57Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/5 "2012-09-12T19:58:51Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/6 "2012-09-12T20:40:29Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I like to think that stroking it makes me look thoughtful. > > EETA: That time I meant my facial hair. I wonder if it makes me look thoughtful or if it looks more like some conceited affectation. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/7 "2012-09-12T20:49:31Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/8 "2012-09-12T20:57:29Z")
I do not have facial hair of my own, but I do like to play with facial hair. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/9 "2012-09-12T21:08:47Z")
I find that I do play with my facial hair, when thinking and when day dreaming, even when it is short. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/10 "2012-09-12T21:28:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/11 "2012-09-12T21:29:59Z")
Constantly. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/12 "2012-09-12T21:43:28Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > I do not have facial hair of my own, but I do like to play with facial hair. Does that count? It could… it could. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/13 "2012-09-12T22:11:41Z")
Voted: Yes, Sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/14 "2012-09-12T22:14:53Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/15 "2012-09-12T22:55:44Z")
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.](http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1088&bih=876&tbm=isch&tbnid=NnI0HK6v2lN3kM:&imgrefurl=http://www.comicvine.com/dick-dastardly/29-7819/&docid=pJW54p3yM9uyXM&imgurl=http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/8460/695369-moustache_large.jpg&w=300&h=225&ei=NRJRUNvFMbDxiQKukYHIDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=306&sig=116209591678622397232&page=1&tbnh=151&tbnw=201&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:92&tx=131&ty=100) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/16 "2012-09-12T23:36:55Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > I wonder if it makes me look thoughtful or if it looks more like some conceited affectation. Coincidentally, that’s what I think about when I’m trying to look thoughtful. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/17 "2012-09-12T23:39:58Z")
I eat some of it, same with nostril hair. Not for any good reason, it doesn’t taste nice or anything. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/18 "2012-09-12T23:42:04Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > …if I feel a little evil, I actually start twisting my mustache hair on the end just like [this guy.](http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1088&bih=876&tbm=isch&tbnid=NnI0HK6v2lN3kM:&imgrefurl=http://www.comicvine.com/dick-dastardly/29-7819/&docid=pJW54p3yM9uyXM&imgurl=http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/8460/695369-moustache_large.jpg&w=300&h=225&ei=NRJRUNvFMbDxiQKukYHIDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=306&sig=116209591678622397232&page=1&tbnh=151&tbnw=201&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:92&tx=131&ty=100) I recently found the SDMB photo gallery and, in looking you up, I can imagine you with an evil mustache twirling grin. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/19 "2012-09-12T23:53:59Z")
So, I’m the only one who plays with it in bed? While falling asleep? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529/20 "2012-09-13T00:19:33Z")
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! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-with-facial-hair-do-you-play-with-it/634529.md?page=2)