We moustache you a question: Are you ready for Movember?

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: PANPTYS AND MAOV ON THINKSTOCK

It's that time of year again: Movember. Which means we moustache you a question: are you ready for bristly moustaches, bushy beards and prickly stubble? If you aren't, it's time to grab that facial fertilizer and start growing.

The Movember Foundation, “Stopping men from dying too young”, was established in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia by two friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery and has progressed to what has now become a global movement.

The charity focuses on tackling men's health on the three biggest issues faced by men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health and suicide prevention.

“[The Movember Foundation] knows what works for men, and how to find and fund the most innovative research to have both a global and local impact,” said Cari Ramsey, chair of the Movember London Committee.

According to the Prostate Cancer Canada website, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian men, with one in eight men diagnosed in their lifetime. Over 4,000 Canadian men die due to prostate cancer each year.

According to the Movember Foundation website, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men under 40 and will kill one in 20 men diagnosed.

According to the Statistics Canada website, suicide is a major cause of premature and preventable death. The suicide rate for males is three times higher than the female rate, with 2,989 deaths in Canada alone in 2009.

The Movember Foundation's goal is to reduce prostate cancer and testicular cancer related deaths by 50 per cent and male suicides by 25 per cent by the year 2030. In order to achieve this, the website encourages signing up for Movember, donating and spreading the word.

“They're independent of government funding, so we can challenge the status quo and invest quicker in what works. In 13 years we've funded more than 1,200 men's health projects around the world,” Ramsey said.

Each year the foundation holds the Movember event in which participants sign up online, grow a moustache for 30 days and raise funds for men's health.

Ramsey explained the effect that Movember has on the city of London and worldwide are immense.

“We have some of the best doctors studying prostate cancer and mental health issues right here in London and Movember money has come directly back into the city to fund amazing research by those doctors,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey explained the reason she got involved with Movember six years ago was because she was looking for a fun charity to get involved with and was asked to take care of the Mo Sistas part of the campaign.

The Mo Sistas part of the campaign encourages women to raise money and awareness by participating in the Move part of Movember. By registering online at movember. com as well, people are encouraged to get up and get active as an alternative to growing a moustache.

“They can be the support that men have been for women's charities for years,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey explained that women also have a role in supporting men by taking family members to the doctors and can be the first ones to notice a mental health issue.

“I found out that both of my grandfathers were prostate cancer survivors which no one ever talked about until I brought it up. This is the whole point of Movember. Men don't talk about this stuff and that's half the battle. We need to erase the stigma around men's health,” Ramsey said.

If you need some inspiration for your moustache, Interrobang found some examples of different types of moustaches that you can sport this year. It is highly recommended to groom and grow that bad boy out in unique styles; some participants in the past have even dyed it.

“Each year I seem to see more and more fabulous moustaches gracing the streets of London…the moustache is the ribbon of men's health and we're always happy to see them,” Ramsey said.

Movember example

CHEVRON

The chevron is the most basic type of moustache style and usually results from regular hair growth. Hair will usually grow in a downward angle and trimmed so that it is level with the middle of the top lip.

Movember example

WALRUS

This style requires minimal effort when it comes to the upkeep department. Simply shave so that the only hair remaining on your face (not including the eyebrows of course) is on the entire span of your upper lip from your nose, extending down to the bottom of your lower lip. The only difficulty you may face with this style is food getting caught, but oh well, you can always save it for later.

Movember example

HANDLEBAR

For this moustache you will need to grow out the hair on your upper lip to form the base of the handlebar and allow the hair at the outer edges grow longer. You can then create two “U” shapes with the sides of the moustaches so that they are curved upwards. Feel free to add wax the tips to keep it in place all day.

Movember example

HORSESHOE

For this style you will need to grow out your moustache so that it extends down to the bottom of your face. You can keep the width of the tails the same as above your top lip or trim it so that it is either thinner or thicker. It should look like an upside-down “U”.

Movember example

DALI

Made famous by surrealist artist Salvador Dali, this moustache is a bold and daring move that is bound to turn heads. This style mimics the upward angle of cat whiskers as the thin section of hair grown just above the top lip points up. You might need a little bit of confidence and wax to achieve this look. And by a little, we mean a lot.