You should never judge a book by its cover. Beards may appear rough and harsh on the outside, yet behind their coarse covering is typically a silky soft infant face. According to the tabloid Metro, wearing a beard actually prevents the skin beneath from aging by limiting sun exposure, resulting in fewer wrinkles, liver spots, and so on. Even though we think of beards as being connected to men, women can also grow them. Beard growth is a complex matter that involves hormones, genetics, age, and even health problems such as alopecia (hair loss). But mostly it comes down to two things: attitude and patience. If you are willing to put in the time, your beard will come in time. There are several reasons why some people get beards but not others. Men who lack sufficient androgen hormone production usually become beardless elders before they reach old age. Genetic factors also play a role: if one of your parents was beardless, you are more likely to remain so yourself. Health issues may also prevent someone from growing a beard; for example, patients with cancerous tumors under the skin cannot grow beards because the damage done to the hair follicles would make any new hair fall out. In general, there are three types of people when it comes to beards: those who don't grow them, those who grow them but don't shave, and those who grow them and then shave.