A transgender woman has won a court victory in Germany after demanding treatment by a beautician. The woman's afternoon beard growth was causing her psychological distress.
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A German court ruled on Monday that a public health insurance company must pay for transsexual customers to have their beard hair removed, even if it is done by a beautician.
The case related to a woman from Hanover who was born a man in 1972 and who had been certified transsexual by a doctor in 2015. The court found heavy beard growth had caused the plaintiff difficulties in coping. Her beard growth required her to shave again each afternoon and then apply camouflaging make-up.
Hair removal treatment from a dermatologist had given the patient skin inflammation, the court found, but similar treatment from a trained cosmetician did not cause any skin reaction. The woman's health insurance company refused to pay for the treatment unless it was performed by a doctor.
The court ruled that this treatment, although not performed by a doctor, should still be covered by health insurance given the side effects of the dermatologist treatment.
The verdict followed an earlier ruling by the Federal Administrative Court that health insurance companies must pay for treatment that helps reduce psychological suffering for transsexual people during their transition and allow them to achieve the appearance of their target gender.
The treatment in question involves inserting a tiny needle into hair follicles and pulsing electricity through it, permanently destroying the hair-growth cells. The technique requires a skilled operator, and even then can take years of treatment sessions to fully remove male facial hair.
Bearded gentlemen in Germany have gathered in Schömberg, in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, to choose men with the best facial hair.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
The full range of facial hair
Beards come in different sizes and shapes. In the German championship on Saturday, contenders participated in six categories, including "The Dali moustache," "the Chinese goatee" and "Verdi's full beard."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Stiff competition
One of 135 contenders lines up with his exquisitely styled beard. Participants have to present themselves individually before the jury, stretch their chins and let judges pull their beards to test if they are real.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Lord of the (bearded) rings
Jürgen Burkhardt, who participated in the "Free Style" category, did his beard in spirals. The total length of the strands is 1.80 meters (5.9 feet). He, clearly, takes his facial hair seriously. "Every beard and every human being are different," he said.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
When in doubt, grow a moustache
A competitor shows off his moustache at the competition in Schömberg. Iconic surrealist painter Salvador Dali is believed to have once said, "Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a moustache. It is better for health." More recent studies have shown beards do, in fact, have some antibacterial properties.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Where to find the most facial hair
Internationally, Germany is currently No. 1 when it comes to bearded gentlemen, but facial hair growers from the United States are putting down their razors in an effort to claim the title. American beard wearers begin early, growing a full beard by the time they are in their mid-20s.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Top of the chops
Judges rate beards on a scale of five to 10 and are sometimes quite miserly with points. Many participants go home with a five on their scorecard.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Where have all the bearded men gone?
German beard growers are worried that the trend of long facial hair may slowly die out. Despite the growing number of hipsters sporting well-combed and tastefully trimmed beards, some fear a decline in the attention to detail many men give their beards and moustaches.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
The secret to lustrous locks
Here are some tips for eager beard-lovers from Schömberg's participants: Never use hairspray as it dries hair, wax is the better styling choice. Drinking from a straw will also go a long way in keeping your beard and moustache hair healthy and shiny.
