Are beards built-in armour?
Impact protection potential of mammalian hair: testing the pugilism hypothesis for the evolution of human facial hair
Did beards evolve to cushion punches to the face? Scientists hit some sheepskin to find out.
Ig Nobel 2021
To test the idea that beards protect the jaw, the team wrapped bone-like material in sheepskin with the fleece left on (bearded) or shaved off, then dropped weights on it.
The furry samples absorbed noticeably more of the impact. So beards may be, at least slightly, built-in armour.
Your beard is a helmet for your chin.