Here is the latest research on the benefits of having a beard:

First: It will make you look more masculine. According to a study in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, the more facial hair a man has, the more masculine men and women perceive him to be. That's because men with healthy testosterone levels are able to grow beards. And if your goal is to be more attractive, researchers say don't shave for exactly ten days. Because women tend to describe 10-day beard growth as the most attractive.

Another beard benefit: They prevent blemishes. Dr. Shannon Trotter is a dermatologist who says a lot of the rashes and acne that guys get are the result of shaving. When you drag a razor across your face - day after day - it irritates the skin in a way that spreads bacteria and triggers infections, redness and dryness.

Also know this: Having a beard is like wearing built-in sunscreen. A recent study found that beards block anywhere from 50-percent to 95-percent of the sun's UV rays. This is almost the equivalent of wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30. That means a beard - in addition to wearing sunscreen - can play a key role in preventing skin cancer, which is a big deal because 4-in-5 cases of cancer in men appear on the face, head, or neck.

One more fact about beards: They help soothe allergies. Normally, we rely on the hair inside our nose to trap air pollutants that trigger allergies and make us sick. But according to allergy expert Dr. Clifford Bassett, a beard provides an extra layer of hair to snag pollutants before they reach your nose. However, like any other air filter, if you don't keep your beard and mustache clean, it'll cause allergy flare-ups.