The annual Movember juggernaut is gearing up as we enter November, which has been designated Men’s Health Month since 2003. Every November 1, thousands of men around the world proudly cultivate their upper lip facial hair and grow a moustache in the spirit of raising awareness about men’s health issues.
It’s simple to get involved: the idea is to start with a clean shaven face, then download the Movember app to share your profile and ask for donations from family and friends in the name of a good cause.
There is often a friendly competition to see who can grow the best celebrity moustache, with popular role models including Henry Cavill, Travis Kelce and Tom Selleck.
What are the main aims of Movember?
The Movember charity aims to encourage men to become better informed and more proactive in dealing with the most pressing health issues that affect them. In the UK, one in five men dies before the age of 65, often from preventable or treatable causes.
Men have also been disproportionately affected by the Covid pandemic, dying in greater numbers than women and suffering worse symptoms. Men are also more likely to be living with or die from a range of serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
Furthermore, 75 per cent of all suicides are by men, and it is the biggest killer of men under age of 50. Men can be reluctant to engage with healthcare services, particularly when it comes to highly personal topics such as their emotions or mental health.
Hair loss and ED
Men may also be reluctant to seek help for other issues that they may feel a sense of shame or stigma about, such as erectile dysfunction (ED) or hair loss. These may not be classed as medically serious conditions, but they can and do impact on self esteem and quality of life.
When ED has persisted for a few months or months or more, it’s especially important to seek help because it could be the sign of an underlying health condition that needs treating. Hair loss in men is most often caused by male pattern baldness, which is a hereditary condition and cannot be cured.
However, it can be slowed and sometimes even reversed by taking a medication called Propecia, which suppresses the production of the hormone responsible for causing the hair follicles to die. It’s not available on the NHS, but it can be bought cheaply online under the name of finasteride.
Prostate awareness
As well as mental health and suicide prevention, the Movember campaign particularly focuses on prostate cancer. About one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer, and often they present late with symptoms when they are harder to treat. There is also the risk that the cancer might spread to other areas of the body.
The key message is to be aware of the risk: it’s more common in men over the age of 50, in black men, and if there’s a history of prostate cancer in the family. Men at greater risk should have regular screenings, such as a blood test or physical examination.
Early stage prostate cancer may have no symptoms, but possible symptoms include difficulty urinating, or the need to urinate more often.
Other ways to support Movember
Growing a tash isn’t the only way to support Movember. If you don’t think the world is ready to face your facial hair, you can sign up for the Move for Mental Health scheme. This involves walking or running 60km (it doesn’t have to be in one go, as long as you get it done by the end of November).
The 60km has a special and sad significance: it is there to remember the 60 men who are lost to suicide every hour around the world. You can also host a Mo-Ment, which is an awareness event designed to get men talking about whatever might be on their minds, or just an excuse to have a good time.
The key Movember messages include spending more time with friends; open up a conversation and be a good listener; get active and keep up with regular exercise; know your prostate cancer risk; and check regularly for testicular changes.
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