The Beaufort County Health Department is issuing a challenge to local men: grow a beard in the month of November.

The month is designated as “No-Shave November” and represents a growing movement to get people talking about cancer.

“It’s been something that’s been going around the county now for a few years, and it’s getting more and more publicity — I just wanted to jump on board,” said James Madson, director of the Beaufort County Health Department.

The idea is that when men start to grow their facial hair, the question would be forthcoming: Are you growing a beard? The answer, in this case, would be in the affirmative and open the door to a conversation about “No-Shave November” and, ultimately, about cancer.

“It’s hard to get men to talk about health issues. This is an opportunity to hopefully talk about how (cancer has) impacted them or get them to discuss the issue,” Madson said.

According to Madson, every year, 345 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in Beaufort County — nearly a person a day. More than likely, everyone has had a friend or family member who’s fought cancer, if not fought that battle themselves, he said. No Shave November is a way to get people talking and also donating to the cause.

Madson is advocating that those participating in “No-Shave November” donate money saved by not shaving for a month to local cancer organizations — Relay for Life and the Marion Shepard Cancer Center are two he recommends. He predicts every man will save $15-30 by the end of the month.

“It’s an estimate — it’s a wild-guess estimate,” Madson said. “I took into consideration the razor, cream, water and the time to do it. I certainly don’t think it costs more than a dollar (a day) to do all this.”

Madson said he’s had some good feedback, but he’s also heard a lot of trepidation about not shaving for an entire month.

“Some people are a little hesitant because they don’t grow beards very well, and I say, they should see mine,” Madson laughed.

Growing a beard is a simple as not shaving, but it’s the in-between stage that can be a little frustrating.

“For the stage of beardless to about two weeks, you may notice that your beard gets pretty itchy, may appear patchy and is generally shaggy. The reason your beard is itchy is because when you shave, you are essentially creating little spears on the tips of each hair. They finally get long enough to bend around and poke at your skin,” Madson explained in an email.

According to Madson, going for a new look, and a few rough patches getting there, is well worth the effort this November, especially if local organizations reap the benefits of no-shave savings.

Those participating in “No-Shave November” are invited to post pictures of their beards on the Beaufort County Health Department Facebook page.