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Q: My girlfriend keeps complaining about my beard. It’s the big thick kind, and I’ve had it since right after we started dating. She says it scratches her face and that it makes me look kind of rough. I don’t want to start shaving again. I like the carefree feeling and think I look all right with it. Should I ditch the girl or give in and shave? -- Matt, 28

Dr. Susan: Let's start with this: is your beard more important to you than your girlfriend? She's not kidding when she says it scratches her face. That should matter to you. How can a girl get really uninhibited with you when she worries her face will end up looking all red and blotchy the next day or two? Now, there may be a compromise: try a beard conditioner. I wondered if such a thing existed so I Googled it. Sure enough, plenty of products to try that claim to soften a beard. None of them will help you look less "rough," as your girlfriend says, but again, it's your choice.