A doctor has issued an urgent warning about the potential risks of kissing men with beards. Dr. Myro Figura, an anesthesiologist from Los Angeles, took to Instagram to explain that kissing someone with a beard can lead to infections and skin irritation. He stated, “Kissing someone with a beard can indeed cause an infection. If the beard is not clean, it can harbor a lot of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. When kissing someone with a beard, breaks in the skin can occur, allowing bacteria to enter and potentially cause an infection known as impetigo.”
Impetigo is contagious but not serious.
According to the NHS, the condition begins with red sores or blisters, though the redness may be less noticeable on brown and black skin. The sores or blisters can burst quickly, leaving behind crusty, golden-brown patches. These patches may resemble cornflakes stuck to the skin, can grow larger, and may spread to other areas of the body. They can also be itchy and occasionally painful.
Treatment options for impetigo may include hydrogen peroxide cream for localized cases, antibiotic cream or tablets for widespread infections, and antibiotic tablets for bullous impetigo, which is characterized by large, fluid-filled blisters. Pharmacists can provide consultations and treatments, but if the condition is particularly painful or does not improve, it is advisable to consult a GP. Generally, cases clear up within seven to ten days with appropriate treatment. To help prevent this unpleasant skin infection, men should ensure they take good care of their facial hair.
TikTok dermatologist Muneeb Shah previously explained that it’s important to reduce the spread of bacteria and so cleaning regularly can help your skin and your partners. Social media users flocked to Dr Figura’s video and shared their shock at the infection, with many women revealing that infections like impetigo are the reason they avoid men with beards.
One person commented, “That’s why I like clean-shaven men,” while another stated, “They will never make me like men with beards!” A third chimed in, “Baby-faced boys till I die.” Others expressed their surprise at the idea that some men may not wash their beards regularly. One commenter asked, “How long did they go without washing it to make it that much of a health hazard?” Another person remarked, “Dude, who isn’t washing their beard DAILY? That thing acts like a wet sponge for crumbs and liquids!” This discussion arose after doctors issued an urgent warning regarding a common sexual act.
The herpes virus can travel to the brain during oral sex, scientists warn.
They’ve discovered that people can contract herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in and around the nose, which provides a dangerously direct corridor to the brain. The infection, in theory, could then cause inflammation and lead to complications such as brain damage and dementia. The University of Chicago’s Professor Deepak Shukla, who led the research, told DailyMail.com this mode of transmission could occur in the bedroom.
He said any position that makes it possible for someone’s nose to come into contact with HSV-1 particles from a person who is actively shedding the virus is a risk. Nearly four billion people worldwide carry HSV-1, the main cause of oral herpes. The most common way it’s transmitted from a carrier to someone without herpes is by touching an active sore. For someone with oral herpes, occasionally causing blisters around the lips, this means making contact with that person’s cold sore or saliva, when their body is actively producing or ‘shedding’ the virus.
However, there are cases of HSV-1 causing genital herpes, meaning that an infected carrier passed on the virus during oral sex. Essentially, someone could inhale infectious particles when their face is pressed up against skin or sores shedding HSV-1. For the first time, in the journal mBio, Professor Shukla revealed that there’s a key enzyme in the human body that could make these herpes infections entering through the nose particularly devastating for brain health.
The enzyme in question is heparanase (HPSE). Recent experiments have suggested that it may play a hidden role in enhancing inflammation and contributing to long-term brain damage following the entry of HSV-1 into the brain through the nose. HPSE is a normal enzyme found in humans and other mammals, responsible for breaking down sugar-like molecules that are part of the supportive structures of our cells. Typically, HPSE functions like a cleanup crew, eliminating damaged cells so the body can regenerate and repair injured tissues.
However, when someone becomes infected with HSV-1, the herpes virus hijacks this enzyme and causes it to produce too much inflammation. For most of the world’s population that carries HSV-1 with only the occasional cold sore, there really isn’t much to worry about.
When this infection somehow reaches the brain, however, HSV-1 can cause encephalitis, a dangerous brain inflammation, or linger quietly, possibly contributing to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Overall, cases of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE), where HSV-1 infects the brain, causing inflammation, are still rare.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
