5 things you didn’t know about Movember

November marks Movember/No Shave November, an annual event where men choose to grow moustaches to raise awareness of health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues like suicide.

While many men choose to groom themselves by shaving frequently or not growing a moustache, there is one month of the year when not shaving is considered to be a good thing. November marks Movember (a from ‘mo’ + November) and No Shave November, an annual event where men choose to grow moustaches to raise awareness of health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues like suicide. And it’s not just men who can participate. Women, too, are encouraged to grow their hair and skip that waxing appointment.

November marks Movember (a from ‘mo’ + November) and No Shave November, an annual event where men choose to grow moustaches to raise awareness of health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues like suicide.(Unsplash)

Here are 5 things you need to know about this day:

* How it started: Movember started in Australia in 2003 when a group of men decided to combine raising awareness about men’s health and growing a moustache.

* There are health benefits to Movember: A beard can keep out pollen and dust from your lungs, as the beard acts as an effective barrier. Shaving also carries a risk of bacteria entering through your skin. It also protects from UV ray exposure.

* You can’t start off with a beard: Even if you have a well-groomed beard, you will have to start from scratch. But keep in mind, you don’t need to restrict yourself to shaving off your beard to show your support for cancer patients. You can donate money to worthy organisations as well or spread the word and further the cause.

* What you have to do: Over the span of a month, you need to grow a moustache. It’s great if you can also create a dialogue about raising funds and generating awareness about men’s health in the areas of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.

* What’s the goal: Movember aims to raise awareness about the need for check-ups for early cancer detection, diagnosis and treatments, and the need to opt for a healthy lifestyle. It is also a fun way for people to experiment with their looks.