It turns out that the GI tract isn't the only place that beneficial microbes are hunkering down, providing multiple helpful functions like competing for resources with harmful bacteria that are ingested or breathed in. Scientists are now also finding bacteria in beards that kill other bacteria.
Just like humans need protection from the small microbes, bacteria have to find ways to kill other bacteria competing for the same food and habitat. Microbe samples from human beards exhibited promising behavior in the lab, killing other bacteria that could be useful to scientists. As the battle against antibiotic resistance continues to grow, the search for new bacteria-killing chemicals becomes more and more important. Could beard bacteria be the next option?