Movember and Men’s Health: The Conversations We Keep Putting Off

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A moustache is the easy part

The appointment’s right there on the screen. Tuesday, 9.20am. You’re standing at the kitchen bench with a cup of tea that’s gone cold, looking at your GP’s online booking page. There’s a time that works if you shuffle one thing around. You could book it now.

Instead, you lock the phone. Next week.

It’s not a decision you sit down and make. There’s no grand declaration that you’re too tough for doctors. You’ve just got a day to get through, and this feels like the one thing that can wait.

Then November comes around. The moustaches start appearing around Warrnambool. Some are already in trouble by day four. But underneath the jokes is a worthwhile question: how often do we put off something about our health simply because nothing has forced us to deal with it yet?

I reckon Movember has done a lot of good by making men’s health easier to talk about. The part I’m more interested in is what happens after the conversation starts.

When should you consider a prostate blood test? What changes in your testicles are worth checking? And what do you do when the mate who usually has plenty to say goes quiet?

Those aren’t questions to answer with guesswork. Or a moustache.

They deserve a little more attention than “I’ll sort it next week.”

From 30 moustaches to a global movement

Movember started in Melbourne in 2003. Two mates wondered whether they could bring the moustache back, found another 28 willing participants and set the wheels turning on something much bigger. [1]

What began as a bit of fun became a global men’s health movement. Since its beginnings, Movember has helped fund more than 1,320 men’s health projects across areas including mental health, suicide prevention and cancer research. [2]

That history is worth remembering. The moustache was never really the point. It was a way to make an awkward subject easier to bring up.

And there are some subjects we still need to talk about.

When “I’m fine” isn’t the whole story

There’s a bloke in your group chat who normally has something to say about everything. The footy, the weather, someone’s terrible attempt at cooking a steak. Lately, he’s gone quiet.

You figure he’s busy. Work’s probably flat out. Maybe he’s just having one of those weeks.

And you might be right.

But sometimes those little changes are worth paying attention to. Particularly when they keep happening.

The numbers explain why this matters. In Australia, more than three-quarters of people who died by suicide in 2024 were male, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Those figures have undergone revisions, and suicide is complex, with no single cause or simple solution. [3]

It’s a confronting statistic. It also gives us a reason to take the quieter signs seriously without assuming we know what they mean.

Recognising when someone isn’t themselves

Poor mental health doesn’t always look like someone sitting alone feeling miserable.

Sometimes the signs are less obvious. Things worth noticing include:

• Increased irritability or becoming frustrated more easily.
• Trouble sleeping or changes in usual sleep patterns.
• Drinking more alcohol than usual.
• Losing interest in activities they normally enjoy.
• Pulling away from friends, family or social activities. [4]

None of these automatically means someone has depression. People go through difficult periods for all sorts of reasons, and we shouldn’t be diagnosing our mates from the sidelines.

But noticing that something has changed? That’s worth something.

And if you’re the one who’s been feeling different lately, it’s worth paying attention to that too. You don’t have to wait until things become unbearable before talking to someone.

How to check in without making it an interrogation

You don’t need a carefully prepared speech.

Sometimes a simple, “Mate, you haven’t seemed yourself lately. Everything alright?” is enough to get the conversation started.

Movember recommends a useful approach called ALEC, developed by R U OK? [4]

• Ask: Mention what you’ve noticed and ask how they’re going.
• Listen: Give them room to answer without rushing to fix things.
• Encourage action: Help them consider a practical next step, including speaking with their GP or another appropriate professional.
• Check in: Follow up afterwards, even if the first conversation was brief.

The important part is what happens after you ask.

If someone opens up, listen. If they don’t, you’ve still made it easier for them to approach you another time. And if they tell you something difficult, resist the urge to immediately produce a five-point plan.

Sometimes being heard is what the person needs first.

You also don’t need to have all the answers. Supporting someone and being responsible for solving their problems are two very different jobs.

When it’s time for more than a conversation

Sometimes a chat with a mate is a good beginning. Sometimes professional support is needed.

If someone’s mood, behaviour or ability to manage everyday life has changed significantly, a GP can help assess what’s happening and discuss appropriate support.

If someone talks about suicide, expresses hopelessness or suggests they don’t want to be alive, take it seriously. It’s appropriate to ask directly whether they’re thinking about suicide. Asking compassionately does not put the idea into their head. [5]

If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. Stay with them if it’s safe to do so while emergency help is arranged.

For support in Australia:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14, for crisis support.
• MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78, for men’s mental health and relationship concerns.
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636, for mental health support.
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or affected by suicide. [6]

I think this is one of the more valuable things Movember brings to the table.

Not the idea that every bloke needs to suddenly become an expert in mental health. Just the reminder that paying attention, having a conversation and knowing when to involve someone qualified are things we can all do.

Prostate cancer: knowing when to have the conversation

Prostate cancer deserves its place in the Movember conversation.

Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) estimates that around 29,000 Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2026. It’s Australia’s most commonly diagnosed cancer. [7]

That’s a substantial number. But statistics alone don’t tell you what you should do with your own health.

The useful question is more specific: given my age, family history and circumstances, should I be considering a PSA test?

And in 2026, the Australian advice on that question changed.

Who should consider PSA testing, and when?

In August 2026, Australia released updated national guidelines for the early detection of prostate cancer, developed by PCFA and approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council. [8]

The guidelines place greater emphasis on personal risk and making an informed decision with your GP.

For people without symptoms, the general guidance is:

• Ages 45–49: Routine PSA testing isn’t recommended for men at average risk, but a GP may offer an initial test after discussing the benefits and possible harms.
• Ages 50–69: If you choose testing after an informed discussion with your GP, PSA testing every two years is recommended.
• Age 70 and over: The decision becomes more individual, taking into account general health, life expectancy and personal preferences.
• Higher-risk men: Testing may be recommended every two years from age 45, depending on factors such as family history, certain inherited genetic changes and ancestry. [8]

These are guidelines for early detection in people without symptoms, not a reason to wait if something is wrong.

Changes in urination or other concerning symptoms deserve a GP assessment regardless of your age or whether you’re due for a routine test.

What a PSA test can and cannot tell you

PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. It’s a protein measured through a blood test.

A raised PSA level can sometimes indicate prostate cancer, but it can also be associated with other prostate conditions. And a result within the expected range doesn’t rule cancer out completely. [8,9]

This matters because screening isn’t a simple case of more testing always being better.

A PSA test can help identify cancers that warrant further investigation. It can also lead to additional tests, anxiety and the detection of slow-growing cancers that might never have caused harm during a person’s lifetime.

That’s why informed choice matters.

The goal isn’t to convince every man to have a blood test. It’s to make sure people understand when testing is worth discussing, what the possible benefits are and what happens if a result is abnormal.

What happens if the result is higher than expected?

First, a higher PSA result does not mean you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The 2026 guidelines generally recommend repeating a PSA test when a result reaches the relevant action level. If it remains elevated, your GP may recommend specialist assessment. A multiparametric MRI is commonly used before considering a biopsy. [8]

There’s also an important change from the older advice.

A digital rectal examination (DRE) is not routinely recommended as an additional screening test alongside PSA in general practice for men without symptoms. It can still have a role in specialist assessment or particular clinical situations. [9]

So if you remember hearing that every man over a certain age needs a PSA test and a rectal examination, that’s no longer an accurate summary of the current Australian approach.

Your GP can help you work out what applies to you.

For anyone navigating a diagnosis or uncertain test results, PCFA also provides specialist nursing support on 1800 22 00 99. [8]

Know what’s normal. Notice what’s changed.

Testicular cancer is different from prostate cancer in several important ways.

It’s much less common overall and is more likely to affect younger men, particularly those in early and middle adulthood. [10]

That means men’s health awareness isn’t only a conversation for blokes in their fifties or sixties.

It’s also a reminder that a change in your body deserves attention, even if you feel otherwise healthy.

Testicular changes worth getting checked

Cancer Council Australia encourages men to become familiar with the usual appearance and feel of their testicles and to see a doctor if they notice something unusual. [10]

Changes worth discussing with a GP include:

• A lump or unusual swelling.
• A change in size, shape or firmness.
• A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
• An unexplained ache or discomfort in a testicle or the lower abdomen.

Not every change is cancer.

But trying to work out the diagnosis yourself isn’t particularly useful. That’s what the examination and, when needed, further investigations are for.

A new lump or persistent change is worth getting checked rather than waiting for it to settle.

Sudden, severe testicular pain is different again. It requires emergency medical assessment because conditions such as testicular torsion can be time-critical.

Why awareness and screening aren’t the same thing

You may have heard the recommendation to perform a formal testicular self-examination every month.

The evidence is a little more nuanced than that.

Cancer Council Australia does not recommend population-wide screening for testicular cancer. There’s limited evidence that routine self-examination improves outcomes. Its advice centres on knowing what’s normal for your body and seeking medical attention when something changes. [10]

That distinction matters.

The aim isn’t to turn every shower into a medical inspection. It’s to be familiar enough with your body that something genuinely different doesn’t go unnoticed.

And if you discover a change, don’t let embarrassment be the thing that delays the appointment.

The ordinary habits still matter

Cancer awareness and mental health deserve particular attention during Movember. But men’s health is broader than those two subjects.

There are also the quieter issues that tend to accumulate while we’re busy doing everything else: blood pressure, sleep, inactivity, alcohol, smoking, weight changes and the health checks we haven’t thought about in years.

None of these makes for a particularly exciting campaign poster.

They still matter.

The health checks worth discussing with your GP

A routine check-up shouldn’t be a shopping list of every possible test.

A better starting point is a conversation about your age, family history, symptoms, lifestyle and individual risk factors.

Depending on your circumstances, that might include blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes risk or appropriate cancer screening.

One useful example is bowel cancer screening.

In Australia, eligible people aged 45–74 can participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program every two years. People aged 45–49 can request a kit, while eligible people aged 50–74 are generally sent one automatically. [11]

If you have symptoms, though, don’t assume a home screening kit is the right investigation. Speak with your GP.

The broader point is that screening works best when it’s appropriate to the person and the condition. Not when we’re simply collecting tests for reassurance.

Movement, sleep and the habits you can repeat

As an osteopath, I spend a fair bit of time talking about movement and what allows people to keep doing the things they enjoy.

But I don’t think health starts and finishes with an exercise program.

Sleep, food, social connection, smoking, alcohol and everyday activity all contribute to the bigger picture. And they’re worth addressing without pretending any one of them can prevent every illness.

Australia’s updated 2026 movement guidelines encourage adults to be active on most days, include strengthening activities at least twice a week, practise mobility and balance regularly, and avoid sitting for long uninterrupted periods. They also recognise the importance of consistent, sufficient sleep. [12]

There’s no need to turn that into an elaborate routine overnight.

A walk most days. Some strength work you can actually maintain. A steadier sleep schedule. Getting back in touch with a mate. Drinking a little less if alcohol has become more regular than you intended.

None is a substitute for appropriate medical care.

But they are reasonable places to start building a healthier week, and there’s value in doing them consistently rather than chasing a perfect plan that lasts until Thursday.

Make Movember count beyond November

There’s something clever about how Movember makes participation accessible.

You don’t need to be a professional athlete, an expert fundraiser or someone comfortable having serious conversations in front of a crowd.

You just need a way in.

Get involved in a way that suits you

Movember offers several ways to participate. [13]

• Grow a Mo: Use the moustache to raise awareness and start conversations.
• Move for mental health: Walk or run 60 kilometres during November. The distance represents the approximately 60 men lost to suicide every hour worldwide.
• Host a gathering: Bring people together through a community event or fundraiser.
• Mo Your Own Way: Choose a personal challenge that suits you.
• Donate or share resources: Support the work without taking part in a physical challenge.

For a place like Warrnambool, I reckon there’s plenty of scope to make this practical. A walk with a mate, a workplace fundraising effort, a local sports club getting involved or even a conversation that might otherwise have been avoided.

You can find official campaigns and participation details at Movember Australia.

One conversation worth having

If you’re wondering where to start, don’t make it unnecessarily complicated.

Maybe you book that GP appointment you’ve been putting off.

Maybe you ask your father or brother whether there’s a family history of prostate cancer.

Maybe you check in with a mate who’s been unusually quiet, and make sure you follow up.

Or perhaps you finally bring up something about your own health that’s been sitting in the back of your mind.

The point isn’t to spend November worrying about every possible illness.

It’s to notice where you’ve been putting something important off and choose an appropriate next step.

The conversation doesn’t need a special occasion

Come back to that appointment on the phone.

Tuesday. 9.20am. It’s still sitting there, waiting for someone to choose it.

Of course, not every health concern needs an urgent appointment. Not every change means something serious, and not every screening test is appropriate for everyone.

But knowing that shouldn’t become another reason to ignore a question worth asking.

That’s what I’d like this Movember to leave behind.

Not a month of worrying about all the things that could go wrong. A better understanding of what deserves attention, who to talk to and how to support the people around us.

The moustache can come off in December.

The conversation doesn’t have to.