In the beginning! Yes, we are going that far back!

Man had a beard and there was no other options and woman loved man.... and his gnarly old beard. Life was hard and lacked in joy, but that never stopped these cave dwellers from constantly getting their prehistoric freak on.

Here we are, in the very distant future and some women can not control their feelings towards these ancient crumb catchers and who can blame them! It is practically in their DNA, so can you be upset with them for getting too attached to their man's precious bearded face?

Introducing shaveducking, the new dating tending that will really make you question how far is too far when it comes to keeping your man how you want him! Yes, it a crazy weird name, but it describes when a girl becomes nervous that she is only attracted to her man's facial hair and not so much his face. If that is not awkward enough, she will act out in bizarre ways to keep her precious beard safe, things like gaslighting and emotional extortion.

On the surface, this trend is a cute love of beards, but is it also a red flag for manipulative behavior?

As with most modern dating trends, there is very little scientific data around to assist us because these problems tend to be unique to this generation. As a result of this, we put together a team of expert relationship advisors to evaluate this behavior and assess if it is truly toxic or just a preference. What they found was that there is nothing wrong with simply loving beards, after all, men have all kinds of preferences when it comes to the female body, so it should go both ways. The beard lust will only become toxic when the woman starts trying to quietly manipulate her man instead of being straightforward with him and making her true feelings known to him. Do not worry, this article will shed some light on all the facets of shaveducking!

Provided down below is an outline by our experts on the reasoning behind this behavior for you to read over and assess for yourself. You will see right away that there no one answer and it depends on your specific situation. So get ready to experience the wild trend of shaveducking because it could be affecting you right now!

In many ways, the beard is a mask that covers and accents so many of the face's most important features and they are why the struggle can be so hard on your partner. Simply put, they have never actually seen your face -- so how can they tell how attracted they are to your face exactly?

Once you put that into perspective, you can be sympathetic to the plight of the shaveducker. How do you know how attracted you are to a person till you have seen it all? Think of the anxiety they must feel as a result of you so much as glancing in the direction of a razor blade. Thinking that if you go through with it, you could end up being unattractive to them.

No matter how long someone stares at their lover's face, they will not be able to truly know how they look with out it and this can be maddening. They will start to question and doubt your looks:

- are the position of your eyes weird?

- are you even attractive or just a walking beard?

The ambiguous nature of the bearded face invites this type of doubt since it is a puzzle with no answers!

Guys are definitely not immune to superficial behavior, in fact, they are kind of known for that characteristic and often teased about it. So it seems only fair that women can do the same thing and experts tend to agree here, but with a few notes. Firstly, it is wrong to manipulate another person in general, and it will undermine your relationships by chipping away at the trust between you and your partner. Secondly, it is ultimately the man's decision, so making threats about leaving if he cuts the beard off will only make the situation worse.

It is important that a lady knows what she needs from her man before they enter into a relationship and if she needs a beard -- make that very clear early on. Also, if you are really that dedicated to big full beards, ladies that means you are a:

Pogonophilia

Someone who has pogonophilia and loves beards, or finds a man with a beard more physically attractive than a man without a beard.

If that is you, then own it! Being genuine in this wild world of dating is essential to your success.

Remember, it is worth noting that in most cases, there should be older pics with no beard just floating around -- you just need to dig a little while for them. It could take a little while to go through the old pics on Facebook, but when you do, you will feel relieved. If he looks good without his signature style, then you should be safe but if he looked awful, then you may need to have a talk about your need for a beard. Just let your man know how special he is and how important the beard is, make sure he doesn't shave it!

Would you still be all about him if he started to try out new facial hair patterns? The thought alone can cause anxiety. But, fear not, here is a helpful list of foolish things that men do to their facial hair:

-The Downward Facing Handlebar Mustache

- Chin Nipple

No one will blame you for fearing any of these monstrous creations. So feel free to run in the other direction if he shows up sporting any one of them! Do yourself the favor of avoiding that type of behavior in the future.

It is no secret that the beard is perfect for covering up all kinds of unsightly things. While some women are only interested in beards, there are others who fancy a strong chin and jawline. These attributes are as well considered to be key indicators of manliness, so you can't blame a lady for trying to do her research before she commits even more to a guy! Just make sure that you keep it civil and treat them how you would like to be treated since they haven't done anything wrong.

Sometimes a girl gets luck and the man will come right out and say his face isn't great. That is clearly why he has a beard. The ball is now in her court, and she can pick between staying and going. The plus is that at least you know he'll never shave it off, though! Once again, it is best to try finding this out as early as possible because the longer you wait the worse it looks on you when you finally leave. It will look like you are very simple and superficial, don't be surprised if you start losing friends if you behave like that with your partners.

In this example, the girl will keep a constant eye on the beard and boss the man around. They can be anything from her demanding he doesn't touch it, to her providing detailed instructions on how she wants it to be groomed. This is not to be confused with a funny situation, this is the main point of shaveducking. She will do anything to make sure that you don't shave off that hair and that includes saying mean things about your clean-shaven looks. It is in scenarios like this we begin to see the more insidious nature of this weird trend. It is often fuelled by a rather overt need to control over all things. People like this should be avoided at all costs!

Positive reinforcement is a great way to not sound awful. Sure you will still be participating in shaveducking but at least you are bringing something to the table. This is one of those rare times that both parties can win and that makes it pretty unique in this these scenarios. Wouldn't you rather use this as an excuse to become close instead of getting into an argument and potentially burning a bridge?

Who knows, an assignment in communication, such as this can be an effective way to grow your relationship, instead of building an antagonistic vibe between the two of you. Positivity is always the answer in situations like this because it is a great tool for understanding.

When you find yourself hiding in the bathroom wondering what you would do if he actually shaves that glorious beard, you are almost paralyzed with fear. This level of attachment isn't healthy, especially if it is early in a relationship. You will need to take yourself aside and examine why your first response was a detour to a very dark place. You can't control if he will shave, so it is best to be straightforward and let him know how much the beard means to you.

In some cases, girls have been known to get turned off by the sight of a clean-shaven face. It just isn't everyone's cup of tea (and vice versa with beards). It can give off a very boyish vibe that doesn't gel with her desire for a more rugged type and they are definitely entitled to their own tastes! If you find yourself getting a bit grossed out by the clean-shaven look, you probably will be guilty of shaveducking your dates, but don't beat yourself up over that, you can not pick your turn-offs, unfortunately. Just make sure to be compassionate and let them down easy.

Does your partner make you feel like if you shave that gorgeous beard there will be a rift in your otherwise happy relationship?

Or, is it a happy relationship? After all, this behavior shows you what your partner values and unfortunately it is not your feelings. A higher priority in their books is the superficial looks of their partner and their selfish needs. If you find yourself in an ultimatum like this, it is best to step back and evaluate the level of happiness that this union is bringing you -- if any. Is this the kind of person you want to be spending your time with and possibly the rest of your life? We can not answer that for you, but you should definitely take some time to reflect on it and make sure this is the right fit for you and this time.

At least you're open with your partner and you are saying you really value them and their beard. Shaveducking doesn't have to be underhanded or mean. It's just a preference and one that you can be blunt about. Truth be told, facial hair shouldn't matter that much. If it does, you may find that it's probably the least of your worries.

Did we teach you a thing or two? If you still haven't learned your lesson, then why not take a peek at our other fabulous relationship advice guides NOW RIGHT HERE!

Ever wondered what "cushioning" is? Find out now by reading our article HERE!!