What Influences Men's Skin Type

Almost everything can influence skin type for men, which is why it can be so tricky to attribute one skin type to what you see on your face. Both external and internal factors can and do affect the way your skin looks and feels. To effectively evaluate your skin and determine the correct skin-care routine, the following needs to be considered:

Internal Influences:

Health problems/Skin disorders (rosacea, psoriasis, thyroid disorders, etc.)
Genetic predisposition of skin type (oily versus dry, prone to breakouts, sensitive skin)
Smoking
Medications you may be taking
Diet

External Influences

Climate/weather (cold, warm, moist, dry)
Your skincare routine (over-moisturizing or over-exfoliating, using irritating or drying products, using the wrong products for your skin type)
Unprotected or prolonged sun exposure

These complexes, often overlapping circumstances all contribute to what takes place on and in your skin, which then determines your skin type.

Will Men's Skin Type Change?

Yes, absolutely! Another problem with skin typing is the assumption that men’s skin type will remain the same forever, or at least until you age. That, too, is rarely the case. If your skincare regime focuses on skin type alone, it can become obsolete the moment the season changes, your work life becomes stressful, or your body experiences diet fluctuations or other physical changes, and whatever else life may bring.

To complicate things even more, in any given period you may have multiple skin types! It is not unusual for men to have a little bit of each skin type simultaneously or at different times of the month or week. An overview of how your skin behaves and changes is necessary to assess what your skin needs and then respond by applying the appropriate products to those problems areas.

Will Men Ever Have "Normal" Skin

It depends on how you define normal. As far as the cosmetics industry is concerned, men and women can and should have normal skin. Yet acquiring normal skin is like trying to scale a peak with a slippery, precarious slope. Like the rest of our bodies, men’s skin is in a constant state of change. Even men with seemingly perfect complexions go through phases of having oily, dry, or blemish-prone skin and then there are all the issues related to sun damage or merely growing older. In reality, no one is likely to have normal skin for very long, no matter what one does. Chasing after normal skin can set you on an endless skincare buying spree, running around in circles trying everything and finding nothing that works for very long or that makes matters worse.

In any case, identifying men’s skin type is highly subjective. Many men have really wonderful skin but refuse to accept it. The smallest blemish or wrinkle or the slightest amount of dry skin distresses them. Or some people see a line or two around their eyes and immediately buy the most expensive anti-wrinkle creams they can find in the hope of warding off their worst imagined nightmare. This is one of those times where being realistic is the most important part of any men’s skincare regime.

Does Combination Skin Makes Men’s Skin Type Confusing? Coming up next...