There may be some bad news for all the bearded men out there. A new study found that beards may carry more deadly bacteria than dog’s fur.

Researchers at the Hirslanden Clinic in Switzerland found higher bacterial loads in the beards that were studied compared to samples of dog fur.

According to DailyMail.com, “The study found all of the bearded men, aged from 18 to 76, showed high microbial counts, but only 23 out of 30 dogs had high counts. The remainder had moderate levels.”

Some loyal News 12 viewers with beards say that it is important to keep beards clean, shaped and trimmed, to prevent any nasty bacteria or grime.

“I take a shower. I soap it or shampoo it every day. When I get out of the shower I comb it, then I brush it,” says Audie Millette, of Dover.

Barber Diego Arias at High End Barbershop in Morristown says that it is important for bearded men to exfoliate and keep their face clean.

“In the shower, wash [the beard], get really into it,” he says. “When you’re going to shave, it’s real simple – keeping the lines as natural as possible.”

It should be noted that the Hirslanden Clinic study only took samples from 18 men.