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Ya, I shave the beard off periodically, when it gets unbearably itchy, flaky, and red underneath. It generally takes a good long while, but it always happens. Washing regularly or not at all, working grapeseed oil into or leaving it dry, the same thing happens every time.

Honestly if it does function as an antenna, then all the more reason to turn it down sometimes, I'm already picking up almost too much to handle in many situations.

Im about to clean up my edges, too.
Background noise is certainly an issue at times.