No Shave November - Rules and Info

During the month of November men of all ages will be participating in a fast growing rite of passage, No Shave November. The No Shave November movement seems to be most popular among College students but is gaining traction across High School campuses and the general population as well. For many who have never attained to a full beard in the past, this is a grand excuse to let the scruff begin without embarrassment.

The rules are simple.

- Shave your face completely clean on October 31st (If you missed the deadline, it is OK to stop shaving as soon as you decide to participate.)

- Let the beard growth begin and continue through the month of November.

- In most circles This is a full on beard event so goatees, mustaches, sideburns and partial beards won't gain the respect and kudos that most seek.

Die hard adherents will allow no shaving at all to maintain the beards appearance going primarily for the mountain man look. Neck and all. However it is acceptable amongst most casual circles to trim the beard to a finished look as the month progresses.

The movement seems to have been the catalyst of an offshoot awareness campaign to bring Men's health issues to light that started back in 2003 as Movember. That early movement centered around the growing of a mustache through the month while campaigning for donations and pledges for Men's health research dollars. Much like many of the women's health campaigns that we are so familiar with. It is speculated that the awareness efforts from those earlier movements and some residual campaigns have raised as much as 40 million dollars for Men's health research.

For most it is an opportunity to let yourself go for a cause and enjoy some camaraderie with other No Shave November guys. For others it is a viable way to accomplish some good will and resources for what many feel is an under publicized area of medicine. Whatever your motivation for participating in No Shave November, let the facial hair games begin!

Are you going to participate in No Shave November this year?