I've worn some degree of facial hair for nearly 40 years. Intermittantly, I had a neatly trimmed (almost pencil-thin) Boston Blackie moustache, mutton chops, a van Dyke, and (for the last twenty or so) a full-face growth. Started when I was only a little older than you, endured the inevitable snide comments and parental disapproval, and eventually got so comfortable that I have forgotten what I might look like without it.

I would echo the comments above about partial shaving (a beard does not entirely eliminate the need to shave) and cleaning. I shampoo the face every time I do the top. Not only does it avoid the itching that comes with using "bar" soap on the beard, it makes those coarse hairs softer and more readily acceptable to anyone who wants to nuzzle.