A 4-year-old boy had a hilarious reaction after seeing his dad without a beard for the first time in his young life.

Ashleigh Young, from San Diego, California, captured the moment her son, Laceson, saw his dad, Quiyon, looking decidedly different.

Beards are a big deal for kids, especially when it comes to their parents. A University of Queensland study of nearly 500 children and young people found that kids as young as two viewed bearded men as older, stronger, and more masculine, but generally preferred clean-shaven faces when asked which looked "best."

The research also found that children with bearded fathers were significantly more positive about facial hair, suggesting familiarity plays a major role in how kids perceive beards.

It may also help explain Laceson's response to Quiyon's clean-shaven look. According to Young, her husband's decision to ditch his beard wasn't a matter of personal choice but of necessity. "He is in the Navy, and there are crackdowns underway regarding facial hair and medical shaving waivers in the military, so he was asked to shave," Young told Newsweek.

Young knew Laceson would be shocked. "My son has never seen him without a beard."

So she was ready with the camera when it came time for Quiyon's big reveal. "I had seen other kids' reactions to their dad shaving his beard, and I know how funny my son is, so I knew his reaction would be funny and had to record it," she said. "I was surprised by his reaction because I knew his facial expression would be funny, but the answers and sounds he made just made it even funnier."

The response was later shared on TikTok under the handle @ashleighmarie.x0 in a video that has already been viewed more than one million times.

In the clip, Laceson can be seen emerging from a room in the house only to be confronted by the sight of his newly beardless father. He lets out a noise of surprise before asking his dad: "What's wrong with your face?"

The question prompts laughter from both his mom and dad. Laceson, meanwhile, continues to stare at his father before asking again: "What's wrong with it?"

Laceson then asks, still in disbelief over what has happened, "What's wrong with your beard?"

He is then told that his dad shaved off his beard. "Why is it gone?" Laceson asks. "Why did you shave it off?"

Though he appears stunned in the clip, Young said Laceson is gradually getting used to the change. "He is getting more used to it by the day, but he still makes funny little comments like, 'Look, he has no beard,'" she said.

Unfortunately for Laceson, despite his initial reaction, Quiyon has no plans to bring the beard back. "As of now, he's not growing it back anytime soon," Young said, meaning the 4-year-old may have to get used to his dad's new look for the foreseeable future.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and Gray R. Thomas