Oh, November. The month of facial hair.

Some people may think that No-Shave November is a chance for men to prove how much of a beard they can grow in a month when in reality it is for a very good cause.

No-Shave November is a campaign that raises awareness and funds for cancer prevention and research. Multiple organizations use the month as a fundraiser to donate to organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. For example, the No-Shave November organization that became official in 2009 focuses on overall cancer research. The Movember Foundation has raised $600 million to fund research in men’s health since its founding in 2003. 

Besides participating for a cause, growing out a beard may offer men many health benefits including reducing allergic reactions, keeping skin moisturized, battling colds, limiting the risk of infections. Beards can also become a natural sunblock.

Rodney Petry, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said that he is really curious about the health benefits of No-Shave November because he only did it “to see how long I could get my beard to grow and to raise awareness for cancer research.”

Growing a beard can reduce allergic reactions by trapping them in the facial hair, according to YorkTest. Men won’t inhale the allergens, unless they let their beard get scraggly and out of control. If they let this happen, their beard can actually act as a store for allergens. 

Beards can also help men keep naturally moisturized faces, keeping the nasty Iowa winds and cold off of their face. There are glands on the face that secrete natural oils that act as a lubricant.

Having a beard can also be a barrier to the common cold. A hair specialist at the Birmingham Trichology Centre said having a beard helps raise the temperature of the neck in order to keep the skin warmer and less prone to the common cold. By not shaving, men also avoid skin irritation, razor burn and other skin infections.

“I am hesitant to believe that there are actually benefits, I don’t think there would be,” said Joey Greco, sophomore in mechanical engineering. “It’s just hair, it doesn’t seem like it would do anything for you besides keeping you warm … even that I am hesitant to believe.”

There have been at least 220,800 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2015, according to the American Cancer Society. There have been about 27,540 deaths from prostate cancer, which is the most common type of cancer found in American men.

People can always donate to the campaign at no-shave.org even if they are not participating in the physical aspect.

“Even though I’m not participating in No-Shave November, I would still donate because it is a really great cause,” Greco said.