For the last 25 years or so, Ive had a beard. It was a good beard, and being pure white for most of those years, at its fullest it elicited notes from small kids in supermarkets and suchlike asking for a bike or the latest Barbie come December. Today I shaved it off. I wanted too see what lurked underneath. It was some ugly old bloke. Certainly not the one that disappeared under it in the early eighties. Now I cant wait to grow it back. Jeez, I wasnt even drunk. If only you could save real life like a computer app. I need a restore point. Apologies to the mods for the OT thread but Ive noticed others here bemoaning the demise of loved dogs and cats, and I want my little furry friend to be remembered too.

:-) Incidentally, I only had a beard about the time you started yours, in the early eighties. For about two months. Since then I'm either cleanly shaved or have manly three day old whiskers. :-)

wow, musta been quite scary after having had the beard for so long! ==:0 I'm sure it'll grow back in no time at all...you men & your facial hair growth rate never cease to amaze me...too bad hair doesn't grow at the same rate or I'd cut mine more often! ;P

Sambucus, that can be a frightful experience at first, that is, until you become newly acquainted with your long lost face once again especially after being hidden for so long. I too sported a beard through the seventies into the early eighties and swore I looked like a freshly plucked chickens ass when I finally decided to shave it off. After getting rave reviews from my peers, family and lady friends I finally got used to it and decided to leave it off and have plucked it all these years ever since. ;)

I hate to shave, but I don't like growing a beard. So I shave whenever it gets too itchy. :^)

I never had a beard, but during the late seventies and into the eighties I did have a mustache. I finally shaved it off and was surprised to see how much younger I looked. Give it a month or more to get used to being clean shaven and maybe you will like it too.

Quest, you were lucky with your family and friends. My missus just took a long look and said, "I dont think I like you without a beard". I dont think she meant it quite how it came out. Thinking about it, shes the one gotta look at it all day. Must have been a shock. Tjohn, I hate shaving, too. (Even beardies have to shave a bit.) Bugger that sharp blade and soapy water lark, tho. Im out tomorrow to by a Lekky one. Give me something to do while this site loads. :o)

I get the same Santa references. I can't stand a naked face either. I guess I'm just set im my ways now! :)

Sambucus all the men in my family have beards,except for my older brother. My Dad was referred to as "Captain Birdseye", by most of the kids in the village where they lived in retirement. When my younger bother shaved his off once his wife had a similar reaction to yours, she had never seen him without a beard before. Nowadays said younger bother has more hair on his chin than on his head, and I am afraid he is one of those sad people who still insist in wearing what is left long and in a pony tail (old biker habits die hard). I am sure you are more sophisticated than that :-)

Had a beard through some of the 90's, shaved it when I got canned (havta make a good impression), now that I have a job again, I've hirsuited (is that a word?..;) again

I had the Mustache in the 80's too. On the day I shaved it...I shaved only the right side. My son was 6 or 7 at the time, I walked around the house for a couple hours and kept my left side to him....It was really funny when he started to catch on. Is your face cold??? Can't stand facial hair anymore.

:-D, Take a picture Alan before you grow it back! I have to maintain my facial hair, but being a lady I don't get as much, lol. Ummm I don't shave my moustache, I pluck out those nasty black hairs that keep trying to grow in above my lip, just thought I'd clarify that.

My beard is over-due for a trim,in fact it may go completely!I only grow a beard during winter,but this year there is much more grey than before!.Unfortunately my best mates have started calling me Sadam! or Osama! With mates like these,who needs enemies? Main reasons to get rid are-1 too warm! -2 too scarey! -3 too messy when drinking!

I'm sidin' with TJohn.... I hate shaving, so the stubble gets shaved every 3 or 4 days. I have never let a beard grow, but have always had a mustache. It has been growing since it was peach fuzz. lol Lol @ Rod... that is funny. 8)

My hubby had a beard for a long time and when he shaved it off, we couldn't find his chin, just takes some time to get used to is all, it did take 10years off his looks though!

I actually used to junp back and forth between mustache, clean shaven, and goatee until one day I decided to shave off the mustache and my girlfriend at the time said that I looked like Kermit the frog. Started growing out the goatee on that day and have not shaved it since!

I love beards.. nice to run fingers thru. Sigh. :P

Lets see a pic of the bearded one!

I only get to grow a beard while on vacation, which means that it just gets to the scraggly stage. I have to be clean-shaven (except for the de rigour mustache) because of our department grooming policy and that I occasionally have to wear a gas mask (won't seal around the face with a beard.) My dad's had a beard for as long as I can remember, and he's always asked to play Santa.

i shave once a week did have a beard in high school lol

Maybe your face was hot like pedro's head?