In the last days of the popular tribute to men’s health awareness, students take a look at the meaning of No Shave November

“I mustache you a question, but I’m shaving it for later,” is a catch phrase you might have heard frequently throughout the month of November. The question, however, is do you support men’s health? If the answer is yes, you may be interested in the Movember Foundation, which encouraged millions of men globally to grow mustaches and refrain from shaving for 30 days to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer. So don’t be alarmed if you begin to notice more scruffy-looking men with mustaches on campus during the last weeks of November. Though it might seem like hipsters are massing this holiday season, the decision to be a hairy, walking billboard is actually for a good cause.

The Movember movement began in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia as a goal to “change the face of men’s health” by raising funds and, most importantly, sparking the conversations that shed some light on men’s health issues. Each mustache grown in 2011 led to 2,413 conversations about the motivation behind growing and tending a mustache. Movember has since become nationally known as the time of the year when men ditch their razors and aftershave for mustache wax. During this month, “Mo Bros” around the world have been letting it grow.

Many people are familiar with No Shave November, or “Noshember,” which is a time of the year when baby-faced boys turn into Neanderthal-looking men after neglecting their razors for 30 days, but the Movember rules are entirely different. Those already rocking the “Cast Away” look must shave both their sideburns and goatees. This means the lawn needs to get mowed and combed from the beginning of November until the end. And according to Movember rules, the mustache must stand alone and cannot connect to a beard.

“The conversation started by those little furry billboards just under our nose leads to better education and better help-seeking behavior in men, which in turn saves lives,” Movember Chief Operating Officer Jason Hincks said on a KUSI news segment.

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer among men in the United States, next to skin cancer and lung cancer according to the Prostate Seed Institute. An estimated 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. However, more than 2.5 million men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the U.S. are still alive today.

SDSU alumnus and founder of San Diego- based surf shop Shaper Studies, Chris Clark, might be mistaken for Ron Burgundy this November. Although Clark’s grandfather died of prostate cancer years ago, he was introduced to the Movember movement through the surfing community in San Diego.

“Now it has even more of a meaning, but not all the causes we work with directly relate to someone here,” Clark said. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

On Nov. 1, Shaper Studios hosted a Movember kickoff party at The American Comedy Co. and raised $2,500. The event consisted of a costume contest, raffle prizes, live music and lots of laughs. “It’s cool and it’s fun and it’s a great way to raise awareness,” Clark said.

Aside from shedding light on prostate and testicular cancer, Movember participants have a fun time sporting various styles of creative moustaches, such as the ‘80s porn star, the handlebar, and of course, the famous Salvador Dali and Charlie Chaplin.

“I was doing No Shave November as a joke, but then (Shaper Studios) told me about Movember and why they grow mustaches,” SDSU engineering senior Justin Trinidad said. It definitely has meaning to it. It’s not just a hairy upper lip.”

Trinidad’s mustache, which is reminiscent of Brad Pitt’s Nazi- hunting character in “Inglourious Basterds,” might strike fear in “Mo Bros” bold enough to sport the Hitler ‘stache.

And although “Mo Sistas,” usually can’t contribute to the “call of the wild,” they play an important role in supporting the cause by collecting funds, aiding in hosting events and raising awareness. “Behind every great Mo Bro is a great Mo Sista,”

according to the Movember website. “They do a good job at supporting and going out to the events,” Clark said. “They’ll make mustache cookies or get creative and make stick mustaches.” On Nov. 30, the grand finale “gala” party will be held in downtown San Dieg0. The winner with the best mustache and costume gets to party in a limousine with the Shaper Studios crew, so shave the date.