NEW YORK (WPIX) – ‘Tis the season when people with facial hair put down their razors to participate in “No-Shave November” or “Movember.” For 30 days, people let their facial or body hair grow out. But where did this trend come from?

Movember

It all began in 2003 with two men from Australia who wanted to grow mustaches. According to the official Movember website, a year later, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery decided to start a fundraiser to go with their facial hair. They raised $40,851 under the nonprofit Movember Foundation for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

In 2005, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia became an official sponsor of the movement. Movember made its way to the U.S., among other countries, in 2007. The Movember Foundation then became a partner with the Prostate Cancer Foundation in the U.S.

No-Shave November

Since then, the No-Shave November nonprofit has joined the Movember Foundation to lead the charge in bringing awareness to men’s health. Are you looking to join in on the movement this November? Don’t shave!

Most men choose to let their beards grow out or simply grow a mustache, while women typically grow out their hair or skip shaving their legs or armpits, according to the patient advocacy group Fight Colorectal Cancer.

You can also donate directly to the organizations. Movember has raised over $6.8 million and funded over 1,250 men’s health projects. No-Shave.org has raised over $10 million while donating to the cost of grooming for people in need.