I don't think that is a beard. I think it's supposed to be the armor or shirt covering "his" chest under "his" tunic.
But I agree, it would be nice if there was a little differentiation between the sexes. Not that it detracts from the game at all.
Change the 4 spell buttons at the bottom of the screen? I have tried everything I can think of and can't find any help in the instructions.
Maybe I'm just an idiot, but if someone could help I would appreciate it.