We recently wrote about why skincare is important, and what you need in a basic routine. Our sources stressed that everyone, even men, should use sunscreen daily, and usually moisturizer, too. But one commenter piped up to ask: uh, what if I have a beard?

That commenter is Platypus Man, and here is his exact question:

Any advice for beards? I know that just because a lot of my face skin is out of sight doesn’t mean it should be out of mind, but I’m afraid that a lot of skincare measures are either made difficult by beards, made unnecessary by beards (sunscreen?), or is actively bad for them.

“A great question and a legitimate concern,” says dermatologist Dr. Fayne Frey. It may be difficult to apply products like moisturizer, but you should still be thinking about sunscreen.

And sun is still a concern whether you realize it or not. “Although I have never diagnosed a sunburn (due to UVB rays) under a long haired dense beard,” she says, “UVA rays, the long wavelength rays that cause aging & skin cancer may penetrate the beard and cause long term skin issues under the beard.”

For longer beards, you may not be able to get total protection from sunscreen. A few things you can try: