Protest the Hero guitarist Tim Millar had been growing his beard from three years in order to compete in the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships, held on May 23 in Anchorage, Alaska. Millar competed in the "Alaskan Whale" category and while he didn't take home the top prize for his face fur, he relished the experience, nonetheless. "I learned a lot while being a part of this hairy event," Millar told Noisecreep. "I acquired a book entitled 'The Facial Hair Handbook: Every Man's Guide to Grooming and Growing Great Facial Hair.' I'm excited to learn more about the subject that I'm interested and involved in."

Millar intends to eventually reveal his chin by shearing off his beard. He hopes to start fresh for the 2011 competition and to be part of a fund-raising effort for Locks of Love, which makes wigs for cancer patients under age 18. Locks of Love doesn't accept beard hair donations, but the guitarist is going to cut off the hair on his head and donate that to raise money for the charity and Beard Team Canada.

In the meantime, Millar offered his top three tips for maintaining good facial pubes. Bearded band dudes who tour, take note!

Cleanliness is next to beardliness. "Make sure you are shampooing, conditioning and brushing your beard. This will keep it clean and untangled, looking and smelling good and is also healthy, so it keeps growing at a rapid pace."

Watch your intake. "Stay away from liquid, runny foods or anything drippy. This includes soup, ice cream, cereal, runny eggs, et cetera. It's ok to eat these foods, but it's important to be extra careful when eating them, or find an alternate way to eat them, like through a straw to avoid wearing half your meal on your face. I once got chocolate sauce in my beard, which made it sticky and gross, but I guess it smelled good for the rest of the day."

Be proud of your beard! "Confidence is key. People are going to always have an opinion on your facial hair and want to tell you about it. If you wear it proudly, nothing they say will change your mind as to what you wear and how you wear it."

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