To shave or not to shave? Meet the Dubai residents balancing big beards with face masks

Eleven purveyors of sizeable facial hair share tips on keeping their beards under wraps

How do you take care of your beard in the summer months? 'The heat causes more sweat and itchiness, so hygiene levels go up, along with regular washes,' says Faraz Khan, 37, a musician and composer from Pakistan. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Do people ask questions about your beard? 'All the time. I stopped tending to my beard when movement restrictions were introduced in March. It was a statement I was making as a protest against the rapid spread of Covid-19 at the time, which could be curtailed by something as simple as everyone being responsible and vigilant,' says Shayan Pervaiz, 40, a strategic digital transformation and security consultant from Afghanistan. 'I will not tend to my beard until global travel returns to normal(ish), and the spread of it is under control. I've lasted six months so far!' Chris Whiteoak / The National

Do any of your family members have a beard? 'Yes, my brother Shaikh. His is shorter than mine, though,' Mohammed Patel, 39, a businessman from India, is quick to point out. Chris Whiteoak / The National

What does your partner think of your beard? 'She loves it until it gets too out of control and food sticks in it,' reveals Deeps Sandhar, 38, a sales manager from the UK. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Does your beard itch and how do you address this? 'Only when wearing a mask does my beard itch. If no one's looking, I have a good, full-on rough bear-style scratch. But when in company, one has to refrain and be more subtle by striking the thinking pose and letting your fingers sort the problem," says 59-year-old Keith Dallison, who is a British voiceover artist and video editor, as well as a 50-plus model and actor. Chris Whiteoak / The National

How long have you been growing your beard? 'Since December 2014. I grew it by accident. I hurt my ankle playing football so I was working from home and didn't need to shave. Ten days later it was a fully fledged beard and I've never looked back,' says Nasser Hussain, 39, a HR leader from the UK. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Is the mask uncomfortable over your beard? 'It was in the beginning, but I am used to it now,' says Adeel Yakoob, 35, a Dutch national and senior finance director. 'Saying that, I can't wait to get rid of it because it makes communication very challenging.' Chris Whiteoak / The National

Why did you start growing your beard? 'Originally out of laziness in 2014; a summer beard turned into an almost full ZZ Top by 2018. Wifely pressure encouraged a more sensible length today. I have no plans to shave it off,' says Christopher Saul, 45, a software sales manager from the UK. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Do you use any product in your beard? 'Yes I do, and I think any guy who wants a good healthy beard should,' says Wayne Pereira, 33, a videographer from India. 'I personally use a mix of beard oils, balms and my new favourite, something called beard jelly. They really help nourish your beard and the skin underneath it – and keep the dreaded beardruff away.' Chris Whiteoak / The National

What's the longest you would let your beard grow? 'Resting on my chest is about as long as I could get away with, I think,' says Stuart Forrester, 45, a sales manager from the UK. Chris Whiteoak / The National

How often do you trim your beard? 'Rarely,' says Anjaan, 40, a yoga instructor from India. 'According to the yogic ideology, the beard holds some elements of our spiritual power. So it's advised not to cut it once we are doing sadhana [practice]. But for aesthetic purposes, I sometimes just reduce the fuzz. Maybe once every two months.' Chris Whiteoak / The National

Growing and maintaining a sizeable beard requires a certain level of commitment. There's the itchiness and cleanliness to contend with, in addition to the daily challenge of at least pretending to have some semblance of control over said facial follicles.

The rigours of sporting a significant thatch of facial hair have increased considerably since wearing face masks became mandatory in public in the UAE. So The National's Chris Whiteoak photographed 11 bearded Dubai residents in their masks, and spoke to them about dealing with their bristles over the searing summer months, the optimal positioning of a mask over voluminous facial hair and what prompted them to grow their beards in the first place.

Some beards appear to have emerged purely by accident, while others, such as the one Shayan Pervaiz, 40, sports, were purposefully cultivated as a response to the pandemic.

“It was a statement I was making as a protest against the rapid spread of Covid-19 at the time, which could be curtailed by something as simple as everyone being responsible and vigilant,” says the Afghan national, who plans to continue growing his beard until global travel returns to “normal(ish)” levels.

Some of our subjects smother their beards in oils, balms and jellies, while others let nature take its course, only stopping to de-fuzz every few months. And many have had to adopt new strategies now that masks have become a permanent over-beard fixture, especially when there's an onset of itching.

"If no one's looking, I have a good, full-on rough bear-style scratch," says Keith Dallison, 59, a voice-over artist, video editor, and 50-plus model and actor. "But when one is in company, one has to refrain and be more subtle by striking the thinking pose and letting your fingers sort the problem."

And how far are they willing to let things go? For some, partner pressure appears to be the only thing holding those follicles in check. Others have more random metrics for acceptable length. "Resting on my chest is about as long as I could get away with, I think," says British sales manager, Stuart Forrester, 45.