Men's Skin Care Tips by Virginia Alexander

Part one of a three part series:

Know Your Skin Type

Men’s Skin Care and Grooming
by Virginia Alexander

More and more men today are taking an active approach to looking better. Taking care of grooming habits and skin is the number one way to look younger, healthier, refreshed and better groomed. My male clients represent many professions. I love the way they are singing the praises of looking better and feeling better.

Good grooming is just good grooming whether you are male or female, right? While it seems logical to think so, there are differences between the genders and between individuals that make the finding the right grooming techniques an individualized process. For instance, men’s skin is thicker than women’s, making it tougher and somewhat more resilient. Furthermore, the oil glands in men’s skin produce more oil than women’s, giving men more “natural moisture,” which is a good thing and the main reason their skin will look younger for longer as they age. Because of differences such as these, men have different needs for their skin. Fortunately, skin care practices and products designed for men have been increasing in availability.

Maintenance for Men
Maintaining your skin is like maintaining your car or bike: it makes sense and keeps it looking good. A man’s skin is approximately 20 percent thicker than a woman’s, and is typically firmer because it’s richer in collagen and elastin and benefits from more active sebaceous glands. Men’s skin tends to be oilier, but it is also more prone to dehydration because of regular shaving. (Shaving is an exfoliation process; it removes the surface dead skin cells as well as the hair.) More and more men are turning to skin care professionals for help with skin care and personal grooming solutions for an entire range of skin and body concerns so they can have healthy skin and look better and younger.

As with all skin care, there are products designed for your specific skin type. It is essential that you know what type of skin you have before purchasing any type of skin care program.

Determining your Skin Type
Most people fall into the following categories: normal-combination skin, dry-sensitive skin, or oily skin. Some of us battle with acne or occasional breakouts. Simple skin-type test In the morning, wash your face. Do not apply toner, moisturizer or anything else to your skin. Wait about an hour and take four pieces of white tissue paper; gently press one piece on forehead, one on your chin, one over your nose and one on your cheek. The results:

• Dry/Sensitive: No oil will appear on the tissue. Skin feels tight after you wash it and can appear flaky or dull.
• Oily: Oil appears on every piece of tissue paper; skin will appear shiny. Skin may also be crusty or flakey around nose.
• Normal/Combination: The tissues placed on the forehead, nose and chin have a little oil, but the cheek area is dry.

Once you know your skin type, choose products designed for your skin’s needs.

Acne is a skin condition, not a skin type. It can be caused by many factors. We usually think acne is caused by extremely oily skin, but in reality any skin type can get acne. Acne can be caused by hormonal changes in the body as well as external factors. It is a skin condition generally causing bumps and eruptions under the surface of the skin. Sebum and debris get trapped under layers of dead skin cells, causing irritation and redness. Your physician should be the one to determine what type of acne you are experiencing, as well as the treatment that is best for you.