Keegan Hipgrave and Konrad Bien-Stephen bare all for Movember

WE’VE REACHED THE time of the year when razors are fired up before being given a month-long reprieve as upper lips are allowed to become fuzzy. In other words: it’s time for Movember, and the moustache is well and truly calling.

November 1st marks a unifying experience, where men across the country perform one final clean shave before a month of growth. The ensuing Mos come in a variety of forms – some are wispy, some are solid and some are elaborate – but all carry the same benefit of starting conversations and spreading awareness of men’s health issues like prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental ill-health and suicide.

Every participant has their own motivations for getting involved, so we sought out some of Movember’s high-profile ambassadors to understand theirs. Former rugby league forward Keegan Hipgrave, who retired from the NRL at just 24 years of age to protect his health after sustaining a number of concussions, makes an appearance. Then there’s reality star Konrad Bien-Stephen, who attempted to take his own life in his 20s and has been open about his mental health struggles.

Here, they detail their experiences with mental health while experimenting with the Mo style they’ll be sporting during Movember.