No Shave November facts – 6 things you must know about the campaign

As the November month approaches, we notice an excitement among men who love to grow their facial hair. Even the boys whose parents don’t allow them to grow their beard can be seen saying, hey it’s ‘No Shave November’ so I will grow my beard. For men, November is a month of their facial hair. No Shave November, which is also known as Movember is enjoyed by men for the whole month by not getting their beard trimmed.

But do you know why this theme is followed by people not just in India but all across the world? Some people would simply reply, “I don’t have to shave for a month, that’s all!” If you are also one of them and still have no clue of the real reason behind No Shave November that encourages men to go for the full beard and moustache look, here are the facts for you.

What is No-Shave November?

This is a month-long journey during which the participants avoid shaving and grooming to create awareness about men health and cancer including testicular, prostate and colon cancers. The objective of the initiative is to raise awareness about cancer. The money saved from shaving and grooming is donated to educate people about cancer prevention, save lives and help cancer patients.

1. No Shave November and Movember are different

Shocked?

Yes, though people use No-Shave November and Movember interchangeably, both of these are two different movements started at a different time in different countries. Movember was started in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia by friends Travis Garone, Adam Garon, Justin Coghlan and Luke Slattery while No Shave November was started in 2009 by Chicagoland Hill family in California. However, the objective of both campaigns is the same that is to create awareness about cancer and raise money for cancer patients.

2. It’s not a ‘men-only’ even

Yes, women who want to contribute in the noble cause can also participate by putting down razor or avoiding waxing for 30 days. The money they save from hair maintenance expenses goes for cancer patients.

3. What is Movember?

This is also a campaign run to create awareness about men’s health especially prostate cancer, mental health, suicide prevention and depression. The name is made of two words: Moustache and November. In addition to growing moustache and raising funds for men’s health, this campaign also encourages men to improve their fitness level, organize a charity event and spread awareness through social media or word of mouth.

4. You can contribute even without growing your facial hair

If you can’t avoid shaving or don’t have facial hair but still want to contribute to the noble cause, you can do it by encouraging conversation and raising funds. Participants can run their own charity event or can create pages on social media channels.

5. Celebrities also support the movement

Celebrities including Ranveer Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Connolly, Johnny Depp, and Bradley Cooper also support Movember and No-Shave November.

6. Health benefits of ‘No Shave November’

Though the campaign directly has no health benefits, growing beard definitely provides some health benefits, a few which are given below:

• Beard acts as an additional filter and prevents pollen, dust and other irritants from getting into your system to control allergy and asthma symptoms.
• Beard prevents blemishes by preventing bacteria from spreading on the skin.
• In the chilling winters, beards shield your face from the cold air and help in maintaining natural moisturizer in the skin.
• Beard prevents skin from sun damage and skin cancer by providing additional protection to the face.

So next time when you grow your beard in November, do it with the full information and support the social cause it is celebrated for. Talk about the true reason behind the campaign, donate what you can and create awareness on cancer among men.