Men's Skin Care

2007-01-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

Men's skin care products to consider

Here're some good skin care products to consider.

Aramis Lab Series
Aramis Lab Series Instant Moisture Complex - This is a good, basic moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

Lift Off! Moisture Formula - This is a good moisturizer for dry skin.

U-Turn Age Defying Formula - This is a good light-weight moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

Razor Burn Relief Plus - This is also another good light-weight moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

Tri-Gel Extra Shave Formula - This is a potentially irritant-free shave gel.

Aveda Men's Skin Care

After Shave Balm - This is a fairly non-irritating moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

The Body Shop Skin Mechanics for Men

Original Shave Cream - This is a good standard shave cream.

Clinque Skin Supplies for Men

M Lotion - This is a good standard product for dry to very dry skin.

Turnaround Lotion - Although the high pH can't allow the BHA to exfoliate, this is, however, a good standard moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

M Shave Aloe Gel - This is a good non-irritating shave gel.

Estee Lauder for Men

Skin Comfort Lotion - This is a good moisturizer for dry skin.

Gillette

All these shave creams/gels would work well for most skin types.

Series Shaving Cream Advanced Performance
Series Shaving Cream Advanced Performance, Vitamin Enriched
Series Shaving Gel Advanced Performance, Aloe Enriched
Series Shaving Gel Advanced Performance, Extra Protection
Series Shaving Gel Advanced Performance, Sensitive Skin
Foamy, Regular
Foamy, Sensitive Skin
Foamy, Aloe and Allantoin
Foamy, Skin Conditioning

More product reviews coming up...

Suitable Products for Acne/Oily Skin

2007-01-12T09:02:00.000-08:00

Cure Acne Skin Care Products

Do have acne problem? Are you drowned by the hundreds of cure acne products on the market? Have tried so many acne care/oily skin products without any results? Well, you might have tried and spent so much money on these acne oily skin care regime, and are those skin care products backed by any medical research? What about an acne treatment skin care products created and endorsed by dermatologists.

PROACTIV

ProActiv is a range of cure acne skincare products for your skin. It was created by Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields.

Renewing Cleanser – This is a standard cleanser that contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide.

Revitalizing Toner – This is a good AHA liquid product that can exfoliate the dead skin cells.

Oil Free Moisture with SPF 15 – This is a good, in-part titanium-based sunscreen and does have a fairly matte finish.

Repairing Lotion – This product contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide that disinfects the skin, killing the bacteria that cause acne.

Skin Lightening Lotion – This is a very good, 2% skin-lightening lotion that contains hydroquinone. It also contains about 4% AHA and kojic acid, which can both have a beneficial impact on skin discolorations.

MURAD

Murad is line of acne care/oily skin care products created by Dr. Howard Murad.

AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, Deep Cleansing for All Skin Types – This is a detergent-based water-soluble cleanser and a good, relatively gentle scrub for most skin types except dry.

Moisture Rich Skin Cleanser – This is a detergent-based water-soluble cleanser suitable for normal to dry skin.

Refreshing Skin Cleanser - This is a detergent-based water-soluble cleanser suitable for normal to oily skin.

Sensitive Skin Smoothing Cream – This is a 6% AHA (glycolic acid) product and a very good exfoliant for dry skin.

Intensive Formula – This is a good 8% AHA (glycolic acid) product for normal to dry skin.

Environmental Shield Essential Might Moisture – This is a good moisturizer for normal to dry skin.

Perfecting Night Cream – This is a very good moisturizer for dry skin.

Perfecting Serum – A lightweight lotion, this is a very good moisturizer for normal to slightly dry skin.

Skin Perfecting Lotion - Besides containing magnesium ascorbyl palmitate, a stable form of vitamin C, this is a good moisturizer for dry skin.

Daily Defense Oil Free Sunblock SPF 15 – This is a very good titanium dioxide-based sunscreen for normal to dry/sensitive skin.

Brightening Treatment SPF 15 - This is an in-part avobenzone sunscreen and is a well-formulated product to consider for sun protection.

Purifying Clay Masque – This is good clay mask that absorbs oil.

AVEDA

Aveda skin care is available at most drugstores. Here’s a review for their oily skin products.

Purifying Gel Cleanser - This is a detergent-based water-soluble cleanser best for normal to oily skin.

Oil-Free Hydraderm – This is a gel-based moisturizer and is good for normal to slightly oily skin.

ANTHONY LOGISTICS FOR MEN

Anthony Logistic for Men is a range of skincare products targeting men.

Nighttime Acne Treatment - This product has 2% BHA (salicylic acid) and a pH of 3.6. This means that it's an effective exofliant that can dislodge blackheads in normal to oily skin.

Anti-Aging Continuous Moisture Eye Cream, for Dry and Damaged Skin - This is a very good moisturizer for sry skin. It has a relatively non-greasy feel due to its water-and-silicone base. This product contains several beneficial plant oils, emollients, antioxidants, and soothing plant extracts.

Do You Have Allergy Prone Skin

2007-01-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

Allergy or skin disorder

Prevent Allergy Reaction To Your Skin

At some point of your life, you might have had a reaction to a skincare product somewhere on your face or body, regardless if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin. Recognizing the offending product that trigger the problem and discontinuing its use is enough to improve the appearance of skin within a day or two. For others, even after you've stopped using that product(s), your skin can remain irritated for days or even months. Here are a few simple things you can do to help or minimize your skin from any irritations.

Recognize that you have an allergy or sensitizing reaction to a product and not a skin disorder. Many skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, folliculitis and reactions to food cause irritated, swollen, red, itchy, flaky or rashy skin. If you need help in identifying the problem, visit www.Medscape.com.

Find what product(s) or ingredient(s) are causing the problem and stop using them. If you started using a new product like moisturizer, and within a few hours your face or body became red, itchy, and swollen, it is obvious that you are having an allergy or sensitizing reaction to that product. This is an easy way to identifying the problem. However, things are not as easy as it seems to be because many skin reactions don't happen quickly. It can take anywhere between several weeks or even months and years after you've been using a product before your skin has a negative reaction to it.

Furthermore, pinning down the offending ingredient or product that is causing the problem can be a challenge. Just imagine the number of products we use daily that range from cleansers to exfoliant to sunscreen and moisturizer. To make things even more complex, it may not be a single product but the combination of products that caused the problem, i.e. the moisturizer isn't the problem, but the combination of toner, moisturizer and sunscreen that caused the reaction. The objective is to be patient and diligence, experimenting with the product or products you suspect and then see how your skin responds when you discontinue use.

Whether or not you've been able to identify the problem product, an over-the-counter cortisone cream can be your savior. Cortisone creams work as anti-inflammatories and when you apply these to irritated, inflamed skin they can turn off the reaction that is causing the problem. Once the skin irritation shows up, apply the cortisone cream over the affected area for several days, even after everything seems back to normal. Remember that the skin can hold on to a sensitizing or allergic reaction for a long period of time. And don't be afraid about the short-term use of cortisone creams. It is the long-term (more than two or three months of consistent use) usage of such creams that can damage collagen and elastin in the skin.

While you are combating the allergic or sensitizing reaction, avoid any other skin irritants of any kind over the affected area. Fragrances, scrubs, washcloths, AHAs, Retin-A, Renova, benzoyl peroxide, skin lighteners or other skincare products with active ingredients can trigger irritation and only add to the problem.

Keep away from saunas, steam, sweating (if possible) or rubbing the affected area, all of which can help re-trigger the reaction. If matters aren't improving after four to six weeks, you should seek professional help. See your dermatologist for an evaluation.

If you suspect that you are having a serious allergic reaction like hives, extremely swollen skin and eyes or red patches over the skin that feel warm or tingle, consult with your dermatologist to discuss the option of taking an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl to stop the condition.

Treatment options for Dry Skin

2006-12-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

Prevent Dry Skin

Here are some options for treating dry skin:

Wear sunscreen: The skin is subject to constant sun damage every day of the year whenever there is daylight, and that means it slowly becomes less able to hold moisture or feel smooth. Having diligent daily sun protection is the key to healthy skin.

Use state-of-the-art moisturizers: Moisturizers should be loaded with antioxidants, water-binding agents and anti-inflammatory ingredients. If you constantly have dry or exceptionally dry skin, use moisturizers that have various forms of lipids, like lecithin, cholesterol, glycerol, glycerides and plant oils. Anything less leaves your skin unable of warding off the environmental causes of dry skin. Ensure that the moisturize you use comes in opaque, and not clear or jar, packaging to ensure stability of the light- and air-sensitive ingredients.

Apply moisturizer frequently: You really can't use too much moisturizer even if you have dry skin. Reapply moisturizer whenever your skin starts feeling dry. It is also important to be meticulous about reapplying moisturizer every time you wash your hands. Make sure you have your extra tube of moisturizer handy for those emergency moments.

Use only gentle, nondrying cleansers and NOT soap: Never use a cleanser that leaves your skin or body dry. You can't rub away dryness so never over scrub.

Do not soak in the bath tub, Jacuzzi or taking long showers: Too much water is bad for skin because it breaks down the skin's protective covering (the skin’s intracellular matrix) destroying the substances that keep skin cells intact. If possible, take short showers or baths.

Have a humidifier: Low humidity is the cause of most weather-related dry skin, regardless of winter or a desert environment. Humidifiers are a wonderful addition to combat dry skin.

Do not use bath oils in the bath: Besides wasting money, most of the oil goes down the drain and also they make the bathtub slippery and dangerous. Oil can trap cleansing ingredients on skin, causing irritation and dryness. Oils are best applied when you have finished your shower and gently towel dried.

Exfoliate: Rejuvenate the skin by improving cell turnover or exfoliation in getting rid of dry skin and improving its appearance. Dry skin does not shed as easily as oily skin and those built-up layers of dead skin cells can feel rough and cause skin to look flaky and dull. A well-formulated, pH-correct exfoliant, like AHA or BHA can remove the build-up of old skin cells and replacing them with newer, smoother ones.
autifully.

Use pure plant oil after your moisturizer over dry areas: At night, after you’ve applied your moisturizer, massage a few drops of plant oil over stubborn dry areas. Pure olive oil is a great option because it is rich in antioxidants.

Don't forget your lips: Lips are the least capable of staying smooth and soft because they lack the lipids and cell structure the rest of the face has. As a result, they are far more vulnerable to the effects of dry air. During the day frequently apply an emollient lip balm that does not contain drying or irritating ingredients, like peppermint and menthol because they can cause irritation and that won't help dry lips. Do the same nightly. An emollient lip balm worn throughout the night can prevent dry lips all year round.

If you find that your skin is still dry after trying out these options, you might like to consider wearing plastic gloves over your hands or feet or wrapping the driest parts of your arms, legs, or feet, but not the face, with plastic wrap after you apply AHA or BHA, moisturizer, and oil. You will be shocked at the difference this can have even if you only do it a couple of times a week.

Men’s Skin Care – Cause Of Dry Skin

2006-11-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

Cause of Dry Skin

The Cause Of Men’s Dry Skin

It is important to have a basic understanding of what are the causes of men’s dry skin. Having dry skin is not as simple as it being a lack of moisture. Studies have shown that there is not much difference to the water content in men’s dry skin to that of a men’s normal or oily skin. Increasing more moisture to the skin is not necessarily a good thing. On the contrary, it is bad for skin because it upsets the skin's intracellular matrix by breaking down the substances that keep skin cells working normally and in good shape.

Dry skin takes place when the intracellular matrix, the substances between skin cells that keep them intact, smooth, and healthy, has become depleted or damaged, creating water loss. The main objective to avoid having dry skin is to preserve and enhance, and to lessen the damage to the intracellular matrix.

To reduce damage to the skin's matrix, avoid using drying skin care products, like soaps, harsh cleansers or products with irritating ingredients. These products can disrupt the outer layer of the skin, damaging the intracellular matrix and in the ling run, causing flakiness and roughness.

Continuous exposure to dry and parched environments, cold weather and dry, low humidity air blasting from heaters or air conditioners can also create havoc to men’s dry skin because they destroy the skin's matrix. You may like to consider having a humidifier to your home and it absolutely can make a world of difference!

Sun damage plays a big responsibility in creating dry skin at any time of the year. Unprotected sun exposure generates a damaged outer layer of skin where skin cells stick poorly to each other. The consequence is that the surface of the new skin being created is continually unhealthy and impaired. Sun damage also disrupts and destroys the skin's intracellular matrix. The skin is subject to constant sun damage every day of the year whenever there is daylight. The sun's damaging rays can come through office and car windows. Having diligent daily sun protection is the key to healthy skin.

Rejuvenate the skin by improving cell turnover is another important consideration in getting rid of dry skin and improving its appearance. Dry skin does not shed as easily as oily skin and those built-up layers of dead skin cells can feel rough and cause skin to look flaky and dull. A well-formulated, pH-correct exfoliant, like AHA or BHA can take care of this beautifully.

Genetically, aged skin is also a cause of dryness because as the body's levels of estrogen drop, the skin becomes thinner and the fat deposits under the skin, which is part of the skin's protective barrier, also become thinner or depleted altogether.

Drinking eight glasses of water daily is great for your body but it doesn't work to improve or reduce dry skin. If drinking more water can eliminate dry skin, then every men would not be bothered by dry skin and moisturizers would stop being sold. The causes of and treatments for dry skin are far more complicated than just drinking water.

Next update: Treatment for Men’s Dry Skin…

Men’s Skincare – Balance Men’s Dry/Combination Skin

2006-11-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

Men's Dry/Combination Skin

Dealing with Men's Dry to Combination Skin

A BHA product is an alternative, even if acne blemishes and blackheads are not presenting men’s skin. The difference is that for drier areas, you may want to use a lotion- or cream-based BHA product. If you have blemishes over the dry areas, it is recommended that you should use a BHA product to clear any blockages in the pores, reduce blackheads and deal with pimple blemishes.

If you do not have acne blemishes and blackheads, a well-formulated AHA product may be applied all over the face or just over drier areas. For all-over use, use an AHA gel containing at least 8% glycolic acid. If you are using just over the dry areas, consider an AHA product that comes in a lotion or cream base. Both AHA and BHA products are excellent for improving the appearance and feel of sun-damaged skin and rejuvenating the skin by encouraging skin cell turnover.

A soothing, moisture-infusing toner may be applied after cleansing to strengthen the skin's lipid barrier and boost hydration prior to applying a serum or moisturizer. Apply the next product when skin is still damp from the toner.

When applying sunscreen, it should be rated SPF 15 or higher and should have a matte finish for your oily areas. Since a matte finish can exaggerate the dry areas, it is necessary to apply a rich serum or moisturizer to overcome this. For obvious reasons, keep such items away from oily areas.

Choose a moisturizer filled with antioxidants, water-binding agents, emollients and ingredients that imitate the structure and function of healthy skin. Make sure it is packaged in an opaque container to keep the antioxidants stable. Jars are not recommended.

A serum-type product may be all your dry areas need to look and feel better. More severe dryness will benefit from an antioxidant-rich serum paired with an emollient moisturizer.

Use a moisturizing facial mask as needed. Make sure it contains several emollients, like non-volatile plant or nut oils, and leave on dry areas as long as needed, including overnight.

If your eye area is the driest part of your face, you might need a richer cream or serum than what is needed for the other normal to dry areas of your face. Apply in moderation. At night, as an option, you might want to apply your regular moisturizer to the eye area and follow with a thin layer of olive, evening primrose or borage oil, which are all extremely emollient as well as potent antioxidants.

If acne blemishes are present over dry areas, use a product containing benzoyl peroxide, a topical antibacterial agent, over the acne prone areas. Start off with a 2.5% strength and increase the percentage if the acne blemishes are unresponsive. If you are sensitive to or your skin cannot tolerate benzoyl peroxide, then you might want to consider a dermatologist’s prescription options like clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline or Differin (adapalene) gel.

Keep men’s combination skin balanced with these skincare steps.

Men’s Skin Care – Balance Men’s Oily/Combination Skin

2006-11-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

Men's Oily/Combination Skin

Dealing with Men's Oily to Combination Skin

For the oily areas in men’s combination skin, use a well-formulated and pH correct BHA product in a liquid- or gel-based that is free from irritating ingredients at least once per day. This will help prevent oil blockages in the pores, reduce blackheads and manage acne blemishes. Salicylic acid, the star ingredient in a BHA product, is oil-soluble, which allows it to exfoliate inside the pore lining to keep dead skin cells and sebum or oil from generating problems. It is also okay to apply the BHA product over your normal to dry areas. You may need a more potent BHA product one for the oily areas.

Use an oil-absorbing facial mask when necessary over the oily areas. Do this after you have cleansed your face. Leave on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off completely.

If you are prone to acne blemishes, use a product containing benzoyl peroxide, a topical antibacterial agent, over the acne prone areas. Start off with a 2.5% strength and increase the percentage if the acne blemishes are unresponsive. If you are sensitive to or your skin cannot tolerate benzoyl peroxide, then you might want to consider a dermatologist’s prescription options like clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline or Differin (adapalene) gel.

Use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 15 with a matte finish. It may be necessary to use a light moisturizer or serum over the dry areas.

Provide the oily areas with antioxidants and cell-communicating ingredients that comes either in a serum or toner form. Your skin will benefit without aggravating the oily areas or causing clogged pores. Ensure that the serum is alcohol-free and either silicone- or water-based.

If the oily areas become too shiny during the day, use oil-blotting papers to absorb the excess shine.

If sun- or hormone-induced discolorations are present, consider a 2% hydroquinone product in a gel-based and apply at least once per day to affected areas.

With these simple steps, the oily areas in men’s combination skin should be balanced in no time.

Men's Skincare - Confused With Men's Combination Skin

2006-11-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Men's Combination Skin

The Confusion About Men's Combination Skin

Combination skin is a common skin type among men. It is frustrating having to deal with both dry and oily skin. The typical characteristics in a men’s combination skin is having an oily T-zone (the area along the center of the forehead and down the nose where most of the active oil glands on the face are located). Those areas of the face have more oil glands than any other part of the face and it is not uncommon that they are oilier and tend to break out more often than other part of the face. Simultaneously, the cheeks and those areas that lack oil glands can become dry and flaky.

Treating combination skin can be tricky and problematic as most men will try to treat it as one combined skin type. Skincare products that are suitable for the oily T-zone won’t help the drier part of the face (cheeks, eyes or jaw areas). Ingredients that are helpful for the dry areas would aggravate the conditions over the oily areas. Usually, different products are needed to tackle the different skin types on your face because different skin types, even on the same face, must be treated differently to truly feel and look better.

Combination skin can be kept balanced if men learn to adjust their skin care routine by using different skincare products on different parts of the face. The objective is to give the oily and drier areas with the right skincare products that concentrate on the precise needs to these skin types.

The basic rule for combination skin, as well as all skin types for men, is to treat skin gently. Using overly-abrasive or irritating skin care products on oilier areas, not only does not correct or improve oiliness in any way, it will only worsen combination skin's dual nature by making dry areas drier and creating a rough, reddened appearance over oily areas.

General Procedure for Men’s Combination Skin

1. Wash your face with a gentle, water-soluble cleanser that’s gel-based or mildly foaming versions.
2. Do not bar soaps or bar cleansers because the ingredients that keep them in their bar form can clog pores, and the cleansing ingredients are always much more drying than a gentle cleanser’s.
3. If you choose to use a toner, which is optional, it can be used all over the face if it does not contain ingredients that make oily areas feel slick or greasy. Water- and glycerin-based toners are great options. Ideally, they should have contain plenty of antioxidants, water-binding agents and cell-communicating ingredients.
4. Sunscreen must be used daily, 365 days a year. It must contain one of these UVA-protecting ingredients, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone.
5. Exfoliate and renew skin regularly with a beta hydroxy acid (BHA/salicylic acid) product. BHA not only exfoliates the surface of skin, it also exfoliates inside the pore to improve its shape and function.
6. Treat dry areas, including the eye area, with a moisturizer filled with antioxidants, water-binding agents, and ingredients that mimic the structure and function of healthy skin. Frequent use of these state-of-the-art ingredients can eradicate dry skin. Ensure that the product is packaged in an airtight, opaque container to keep the antioxidants stable. Jars are not recommended.
7. If sun damage or wrinkles are present, think about including a tretinoin product, like Retin-A, Renova, among the options available through your dermatologist, to your nightly routine. Tretinoin is a cell-communicating ingredient that can produce normalized cells. These products come in gel-, lotion- or cream-based.

Next update: Treatment for men's combination skin...

Men’s Skin Care – Skin Care Steps To Reduce Blackheads

2006-11-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

Reduce Blackheads Effectively

Blackheads Free Skin Care Routine For Men

Men’s skin care routine to eliminate blackheads

The routine to banish blackheads comprises of a combination of products that include cleansers, topical exfoliants, dermatologist’s prescription options and lightweight moisturizers to be applied only to dry areas.

Men’s skin care routine for oily/combination skin with blackheads:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA
3. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
4. Light moisturizer at night where needed
5. Clay mask as required

NOTE: If desired, you may supplement this routine with Retin-A, Renova, Avita, Tazorac or Differin, as prescribed by your dermatologist or doctor. This may be applied after BHA during the day or night. Topical disinfectants such as benzoyl peroxide or topical antibiotics do not assist in blackheads and whiteheads therapy because there is no bacterial involvement related to these conditions.

Men’s skin care routine for very oily/combination skin with blackheads:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA
3. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
4. Light moisturizer at night where needed
5. Clay mask as required

NOTE: If desired, you may supplement this routine with Retin-A, Renova, Avita, Tazorac or Differin, as prescribed by your dermatologist or doctor. This may be applied after BHA during the day or night. Topical disinfectants such as benzoyl peroxide or topical antibiotics do not assist in blackheads and whiteheads therapy because there is no bacterial involvement related to these conditions.

Men’s skin care routine for oily to very oily skin T-zone and dry skin elsewhere with blackheads:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA
3. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
4. Slightly richer moisturizer at night over dry areas
5. Clay mask over oily areas

NOTE: If desired, you may supplement this routine with Retin-A, Renova, Avita, Tazorac or Differin, as prescribed by your dermatologist or doctor. This may be applied after BHA during the day or night. Topical disinfectants such as benzoyl peroxide or topical antibiotics do not assist in blackheads and whiteheads therapy because there is no bacterial involvement related to these conditions.

Next update: Men's Skin Care - Balance Combination Skin...

Men’s Skin Care – Removing Blackheads

2006-11-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

Remove Blackheads

Removing Blackheads For Men

A fact of life and human nature is that men, in general, won’t just leave a blemish or blackhead alone. Luckily, eliminating a blackhead or pimple gently with light-handed squeezing can help the skin. Removing the stuff inside a blackhead or a pimple ease the pressure and reduces further damage. Squeezing can be damaging to the skin but how you squeeze decides whether you cause harm. If you over squeeze, pinch, scrape the skin with your nails, or press too hard, you are definitely doing more damage than good. The key is being gentle and when it’s dealt correctly, squeezing with minimal pressure is the way to clean out a blackhead or blemish.

How not to over-squeeze? Use a tepid to slightly warm compress (heat can cause spider veins to surface and create irritation) over the face can assist in softening the blackhead or blemish, making removal easier. First, wash your face with a water-soluble cleanser. Pat the skin dry, then place a slightly warm, wet cloth over your face for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once that's done, pat the skin dry again, then use a tissue over each finger to keep you from slipping and tearing the skin, apply even, soft pressure to the sides of the blemish area. Gently press down and up around the lesion. Do this once or twice only. If nothing occurs, that means the blackhead or pimple cannot be removed. If you continue forcing it, it will bruise the skin and risk making the infection or lesion worse and cause scarring.

What about pore strips?

You may be impressed with what comes off your nose at first. Most men do have some oil sitting on the top of their oil glands as most of the face's oil glands are located on the nose. Whether you use these strips or a piece of tape, black dots and some skin will be removed. It helps temporarily. But if you use these pore strips repetitively, they will not reduce the problem, and the ingredients found on these strips can eventually irritate skin and potentially trigger further breakouts.

The way these strips stick can definitely injure or tear skin. They are especially not safe if you've been using Retin-A, Renova, AHAs or BHA, having facial peels, taking Accutane, or have naturally thin skin or any skin disorder such as rosacea, psoriasis, or seborrhea.

Pore strips also come with strong warnings that are clearly printed on the side of the box like not to use them over any area other than the nose and not to use them over inflamed, swollen, sunburned, or excessively dry skin. It also lists that if the strip is too painful to remove, you should wet it and then carefully remove it. What a warning!

Men’s Skin Care – How To Get Rid Of Blackheads

2006-11-23T07:41:00.000-08:00

Get Rid Of Blackheads

How To Get Rid Of Blackheads In Men's Skin

Apart from not using men’s skin care products that are too emollient (thick or greasy creams) and not using moisturizers unless you truly need them, these are the four basics for dealing with blackheads and whiteheads:

Cleansing the face

Do not use bar soap because the ingredients that keep it in its bar form can clog pores, and irritation can cause skin cells to flake off before they're ready and accumulate in the pore. The best kinds of cleanser are those gentle, water-soluble types. Men with dry skin would want to consider a slightly more moisturizing cleanser. However, cleansers that are too emollient can contain ingredients that add to the sebum in your skin causing further problems.

Exfoliating

Exfoliation can both remove the excess skin cells on the surface of the face so they don't build up in the pore, and exfoliate inside the pore to improve the shape of the pore and allowing a more even flow of oil through it. The pore is lined with skin cells that can build up to create a narrowed shape that doesn't allow for oil flow out of the pore naturally. Avoid over exfoliating because removing too many skin cells can cause problems and hurt skin. Exfoliation is important for both dry and oily skin to reduce blackheads or whiteheads. Men with dry skin will want to use an exfoliant with a moisturizing base.The best exfoliants on the market are either a 1% or 2% beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or an 8% alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) products. BHA is preferred because it can absorb into the pore lining and improve conditions.Note: Topical disinfectants, like benzoyl peroxide, or topical antibiotics available by prescription, do not help in the treatment of blackheads and milia because there is no bacterial involvement related to these conditions.

Deeper Exfoliation

You might like to consider these optional treatments for stubborn blackheads and milia. Microdermabrasion, either from an at-home treatment or from a dermatologist's office or spa are options. AHA or BHA peels and laser resurfacing may have a positive impact on the appearance of blackheads and milia. Keep in mind that none of these treatments can change hormone function, the structure of the pore or improve pore functioning. Rather they can temporarily get rid of the surface problem and make the skin look better in the short term.

Absorbing Excess Oil

This step is for men with oily skin. It is not necessary for men with whiteheads and dry skin because with dry skin, the problem isn't about excess surface oil but the oil trapped inside the pore. Men with oily skin might want to use clay masks that don't contain irritating ingredients of mint, peppermint, camphor or the like. Oil-absorbing papers can also help to help oily skin at bay.

Medical Options

Retinoids are forms of vitamin A and play a crucial role in banishing blackheads. It can assist skin cells function normally and improve the shape of the pore so that oil flow is normalized and clogs are far less likely to occur. Retinoids are tretinoin that are found in prescription medications like Retin-A, Renova, Avita, and Tazorac; and adapelene as found in the prescription drug, Differin. These can be used on their own or with a BHA product. Tretinoin and adapelene are shown to have positive effects on how pores function, and these products should be a strong consideration for battling blackheads or breakouts in general.

For men with severe oily-skin conditions, which none of the options working for them, prescription medication such as Accutane should be considered. Accutane can be a cure for men with serious acne, blemishes or blackheads problems. You can talk this over with your dermatologist.

Men's Skin Care - Banish Blackheads

2006-11-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

Blackheads

The Cause Of Blackheads in Men's Skin

Many men are annoyed or puzzled about how to get rid of blackheads (comedones) or whiteheads (milia). So what’s the fuss all about? Mainly, products that claim they can get rid of blackheads don’t work and the problem continues. Instead of improving the condition in men’s skin, they make matters worst. Blackheads, found in oily skin, and whiteheads, found in either dry or oily skin are just hard to banish. Even though it is hard to overcome clogged pores, there are things you can do to improve your skin.

So what’s the cause of blackheads and whiteheads? A normal functioning pore generates a normal amount of sebum or oil. When a normal amount of oil is generated, it effortlessly moves through the pore and out onto the surface of skin, where it develops into a hardly noticeable film forming a protective, healthy barrier over the face. The amount of oil produced is regulated by hormones, specifically androgens, which are the hormones that create masculine human characteristics.

When hormones trigger too much sebum or oil to be produced, dead skin cells are in the way and the pore is damaged or misshapen. The path for the oil is then blocked, creating a clog, which creates an ideal environment for blackheads and whiteheads to occur. Aggravating these conditions further are the use of men’s skin care products that have ingredients similar to the composition of sebum (human sebum is a mixture of triglycerides, fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, cholesterol, and cholesterol esters). All these substances are normally found in thousands of skin care products and they can absorb into the pore and add on to the build up of sebum. Interestingly and contrary to popular belief, mineral oil and petrolatum cannot absorb into the pore because their molecular size is too large. Both ingredients feel greasy, especially on oily skin, but neither has been proven to clog pores or contribute to blackheads. When a combination of skin cells and too much sebum are trapped inside a pore and the pore is not covered over by skin, the clog is exposed to air, causing cells and sebum to oxidize and resulting in the dark color of a blackhead. When the sebum and skin cells are inside a pore that is covered by skin, they are not exposed to air and therefore stay clear, but form a slight white bump under the skin.

So why do some men have whiteheads and not blackheads and why does the problem occur in certain parts of the face but not others? Why do some men break out from certain products but not getting any blackheads? Why do certain products trigger blackheads but not acne? There are no specific answers to those questions. It appears to be mainly a genetic predisposition accompanied by the right conditions (mentioned above) randomly taking place in any one of the thousands of pores we have on our face. Not to mention an unknown reaction to the thousands and thousands of different men’s skin care ingredients we may come in contact with from the various products we use.

Men’s Skin Care – Steps to Getting Rid of Acne

2006-11-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Steps To Getting Rid Of Acne

Skin Care Routine For Getting Rid Of Acne

Men’s skin care steps for getting rid of acne

These steps are a mixture of cleansers, exfoliants and topical disinfectants proven to be helpful for curing acne blemishes for men. Remember the result is totally dependent on how your skin responds. Be patient and don't be disheartened by if you have to experiment before you find the plan that works best for you. Experimenting is the solution to finding the right combination of products that will work for you.

Men’s skin care steps for normal to oily/combination skin prone to acne blemishes:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA
3. Topical disinfectant
4. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
5. Light moisturizer at night where needed

Men’s skin care steps for moderate to severe acne:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA (stronger version than the one for normal to oily/combination skin)
3. Topical disinfectant (stronger version than the one for normal to oily/combination skin)
4. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
5. Light moisturizer at night where needed

Men’s skin care steps for normal to dry skin prone to acne:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. BHA
3. Topical disinfectant (over acne prone areas)
4. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the day
5. Moisturizer at night where needed.

If irritation occurs, you may need to reduce the frequency on the exfoliant and disinfectant application. It takes time for your skin to handle the frequency of application. Patience and a willingness to experiment are the solution to win the battle.

If you choose to use a dermatologist’s prescription like Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac to fight and clear your blemishes, you would either apply it once a day instead of an BHA or AHA, or you can apply the BHA or AHA first and then apply the prescription option.

If you find any of these effective topical agents too irritating, consider reducing the frequency of application on the products or switching to an alternative exfoliant or antibacterial, rather than discontinuing use. The most important thing is consistency. It takes 4-6 weeks to see improvement in your skin and that is about the life cycle of a pimple.

Note: You cannot apply benzoyl peroxide at the same time as Retin-A; you would apply the Retin-A in the evening and the benzoyl peroxide in the morning. However, Differin can be used with benzoyl peroxide.

With these actions, you will be winning the battle in getting rid of acne and will have clear acne free skin soon.

Read men's skin care - Determine Your Skin Type

Next update: Men's Skin Care - Get Rid Of Blackheads...

Men’s Skin Care – How To Cure Acne Absolutely

2006-11-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

Accutane pills

Final Resort To Curing Acne For Men

If your acne breakouts still continue after you've attempted the options mentioned in How To Get Rid Of Acne In Men's Skin, it may be necessary to consider more serious treatments designed to curing acne breakouts, like Accutane.

Considered the biggest breakthrough in acne drug treatment, Accutane is the only drug that has the potential to get rid of acne breakouts permanently after one course of treatment. It is a powerful oral drug derived from vitamin A and it is powerful drug. It is the only option that can potentially cure acne breakouts. It basically stops the oil production in your sebaceous glands and literally shrinks these glands to the size of a baby's. This prevents sebum from clogging the hair follicle, mixing with dead skin cells, rupturing the follicle wall, and creating pimples or cysts. Normal oil production continues when treatment is completed and the sebaceous glands slowly begin to grow larger again, but seldom as large as they were before treatment.

Accutane has a role as an effective treatment in patients with severe acne breakouts that is recalcitrant to other therapies because of its comparatively quick commencement of action and high effectiveness with reducing more than 90% of the most severe inflammatory lesions. In a large percentage of patients who complete a four- to six-month treatment with Accutane, acne is no longer thought to be clinically important. In other words, their acne is cured! However, you may occasionally get a pimple. That’s hardly any man's definition of acne, especially for some one who, on a regular basis, had numerous breakouts, lots of blackheads, and oily skin.

However, despite painting a colorful picture of Accutane, it does have a dangerous side effect. It can cause severe birth defects in nearly 90% of the babies born to women who were pregnant while taking it. Other side effects, although temporary, include mild nosebleeds, aches and pains, mild to severe headaches, hair loss, itching, rash, dry eyes, skin and lips, peeling palms and hands, fragile skin and increased sensitivity to the sun. More serious, although much less common, side effects include persistent dryness of eyes, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, decreased night vision, changes in mood, depression, diarrhea, bowel problems, severe stomach pain, calcium deposits in tendons, an increase in cholesterol levels and yellowing of the skin.

Understandably, many people including dermatologists are frightened off by these side effects. That's why dermatologists only recommend Accutane to patients with chronic acne or sometimes to people with less-severe acne that has not responded successfully to other forms of treatment.

Accutane can be considered as the most effective, short-term drug for acne treatment available today. All other acne therapies need ongoing, persistent devotion to the course and they don't offer a cure. The public is largely misinformed about Accutane's potential dangers as well as its potential benefit. However, for men seeking an effective method for treating blemishes, Accutane is prescribed much more frequently to men than to women.

Accutane may be THE CURE FOR ACNE and is the final resort only if the skin care steps for treating and getting rid of your acne breakouts failed.

Next update: Skin Care Routine for Curing Acne Breakouts for men.

Men’s Skin Care – Doctor's Prescriptions To A Cure For Acne For Men

2006-11-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Retin-A cream

Dermatologist's Medical Options To A Cure For Acne

Retinoids

For any battle against acne pimples in a men’s skin care routine, besides exfoliating with an effective BHA or AHA, alternatives for improving the shape of the pore can come in the form of your dermatologist’s prescription. These options include Retin-A (tretinoin), Differin (adapalene) and Tazorac (tazarotene). The frequency on your usage will depend on your skin type and you can use these up to twice a day. You can also use these nightly while using a BHA or AHA during the day. Some dermatologists advise, as an option, using the BHA or AHA first followed by Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac. The rational is that the BHA or AHA enhances the effectiveness by helping the other products penetrate better. Whichever routine you prefer, it is best to consult your dermatologist and experiment to see which frequency, combination, and order of application works best for your skin.

Oral Antibiotics

If the nonprescription or prescription suggestions for Men's Skin Care - How To Get Rid Of Acne don’t yield acceptable results, you might like to consider oral antibiotic as prescribed by a dermatologist. Studies have proven that that oral antibiotics, when used with topical tretinoins or topical exfoliants, can control and greatly getting rid of acne breakouts. Oral antibiotics can be effective but you might want to consider them carefully. A considerable problematic side effect is that the acne condition might return, after a short period of time, because the acne-causing bacteria can become immune to the antibiotic. Whatever decision you have made, you should discussed this issue at length with your dermatologist while monitoring the situation.

Light Therapy (Photodynamic Therapy)

This medical treatment has been shown to cure acne effectively. It utilizes aminolevulinic acid, a topical medication used for the treatment of precancerous skin conditions, together with a light source called blue light or a non-skin-damaging laser. After the topical medication is applied, the patient sits in front of the light source for 15 to 30 minutes. It is often necessary to have three to five sessions over a period of time before long-term improvement is seen.

When nothing works in your course of curing for acne pimples? Your final option… next!

Men’s Skin Care – How to get rid of acne

2006-11-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

Steps To A Clearer Skin

How To Get Rid Of Acne In Men's Skin

Cleansing the face

Use a gentle water-soluble cleanser. One of the most common mistakes men make when it comes to skincare for curing acne is that a cooling or tingling feeling means that a product is “working”. This couldn’t be further from the truth. That feeling is actually skin irritation. Those products that produce that feeling can actually hurt the skin's healing process, make scarring worse, and encourage the bacteria that cause acne pimples. Using soaps, bar cleansers or cleansers that contain pore-clogging ingredients can also make matters worse. The important primary step is to finding a gentle, water-soluble cleanser.

Exfoliating

Use a 1% to 2% beta hydroxy acid (BHA) product or an 8% alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) product to exfoliate the skin. As a thumb of rule, BHA is preferred over AHA for curing all kinds of acne breakouts, including blackheads because of its ability to cut through the oil inside the pore. Penetrating the pore is essential to exfoliate the pore lining. Besides that, BHA does have antibacterial effect to kill the bacteria that causes acne, as well as anti-inflammatory benefits. As BHA is related to aspirin, for those men who are allergic to aspirin, an AHA is the next option to consider. A topical scrub can be used as a mechanical exfoliant and can be helpful for those who want to remove dead skin cells. However, this does not in any way take the place of an effective BHA, AHA, or topical prescription treatment. Be careful never to over-scrub when using a mechanical scrub as too much abrasion can disrupt the skin’s ability to heal.

Topical Disinfecting

The most effective over-the-counter choice for a topical disinfectant to cure acne blemishes is considered to be benzoyl peroxide. The amount of research showing the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide is exhaustive and conclusive. Among benzoyl peroxide's qualities is its ability to penetrate into the hair follicle to reach the problem-causing bacteria and kill it with a low risk of irritation to the skin. Furthermore, it doesn't pose the problem of bacterial resistance that some prescription topical antibacterials or antibiotics do. Other but limited options for disinfecting the skin are alcohol and sulfur. However, they are too drying and irritating and that can make matters worse for skin and hurt it's ability to heal. Tea tree oil has some interesting research showing it to be an effective disinfectant. A medical research compared the efficacy of 5% tea tree oil to that of 5% benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne. The conclusion was that "both treatments were effective in reducing the number of inflamed lesions throughout the trial, with a significantly better result for benzoyl peroxide when compared to the tea tree oil. Skin oiliness was lessened significantly in the benzoyl peroxide group versus the tea tree oil group." Unfortunately, most products on the market contain little more than a 1% concentration of tea tree oil, not the 5% strength used in the study. For some men, a topical disinfectant may be sufficient. However, using a topical antibacterial and an exfoliant is a powerful combination in winning the battle against blemishes. Cleaning the skin without both exfoliating and disinfecting is less likely to have an impact on blemishes. You can get fairly good results using one or the other, but together they are an impressive defense against blemishes.

Absorbing Excess Oil

This is perhaps one of the most difficult skin care problems to manage. There is nothing you can apply topically to prevent more oil production because it is only caused by hormones. What you can do is not make matters worse by not using products that contain oils or are emollient. To absorb oil, clay mask can help a lot and only use those that do not contain irritating ingredients. Another option is liquid magnesium hydroxide, which does a very good job of absorbing oil. The frequency of you using a mask depends on your skin type, which ranges from daily application to once a week.

Following these steps cab get you on your way to getting rid of acne.

Next update: Medical option for getting rid of acne blemishes.

Men’s Skin Care – The Origin Of A Pimple

2006-11-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

Acne blemishes

The Cause Of Pimples In Men

It is not very difficult to understand how a pimple is formed. It basically begins when hormones trigger some amount of excess oil production in the pore. Due to some reasons, this oil cannot get out in an even flow, possibly due to a peculiarly shaped pore. This backed up oil, along with a culmination of dead skin cells in the pore lining, form a blockage and eventually, a clogged pore.

A type of bacteria called propionibacterium acnes, existing in the pore, thrives on the oil and dead skin cells, flourishes, and as a result causes the skin to become inflamed. The inflammation and bacteria propagation result in a pimple. There are limited studies indicating the role that diet plays in causing and/or treating acne. For some men, an allergic reaction to certain foods such as nuts, salmon, or dairy products can trigger inflammation in the pore, resulting in blemishes. Research indicates that dietary supplements, such as zinc or vitamin A, are most likely not effective in the treatment of pimples. These supplements may very well be unhealthy if too much is taken. For the best results in curing for acne:

1. Reduce oil to eliminate the environment that acne-causing bacteria thrive in.
2. Exfoliate the skin's surface and within the pore to improve the shape and function of the pore.
3. Disinfect the skin to eliminate acne-causing bacteria.

There are many over-the-counter and prescription options for men when it comes to the curing for acne. It is a complicating war to overcome because there isn't one routine or medication, or combination of therapies that works for every man out there. Finding the combination that works for you is the goal, and that requires experimentation.

Men's Skin Type

2006-11-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

Determining Men's Skin Type

6. Do some areas of your skin tend to break out with small to medium size blemishes? You could have mild to moderate acne.

7. Do some areas of your skin have more significant, consistent breakouts that are sometimes deep and painful and/or that lead to scarring? You could have more serious acne.

8. Do areas of your skin, particularly around your nose, chin, cheeks, or forehead have noticeable blackheads? You are battling with blackheads.

9. Sun damage is an ongoing struggle for every man and woman. However it is hard to determine how much it has influenced your skin. A man at the age of 20 or 30 may have serious sun damage, but the results of that damage won't show up until later in his 30s, 40s, and 50s. Some amount of sun damage is universal for almost everyone, regardless of men or women. Sun damage begins the moment your skin sees daylight. Even diligent, daily use of a well-formulated sunscreen only filters up to 97% of the sun's rays, but for most of us, we weren't even thinking about any of this when we were younger. Generally, we can all assume we have some amount of sun damage, so every man's skin has this condition. That means every man needs skincare products with ingredients that fight or prevent sun damage.(And by the way, dry skin doesn’t cause wrinkles.)

10. Do you notice skin discolorations on your face such as areas of new freckling or for people of color, areas of gray or dark pigment? More often than not, these discolorations are a condition called melasma (also known as chloasma). Typically, these skin discolorations are either caused from sun damage or hormonal fluctuations.

11. Because everyone has sensitive skin to one degree or another, you must only use products that are gentle, nondrying, and nonirritating.

12. Do you have patches of raised, red, dry, white scaly, crusted skin around your hairline, nose, eyes, or cheeks? This may be a skin disorder called psoriasis, which requires medical attention.

13. If you have consistently puffy, swollen eyes, you may have allergies to dust, mold or hay fever, though even food allergies can trigger swelling around the eye. You may want to discuss this issue with your doctor. (by the way, despite the claims, there are no skincare products that can alter puffy eyes.

As you change and adjust your skincare routine with products that are appropriate for your skin type, you will hopefully notice only positive changes that get you closer to the skin you want. Remember men’s skin type isn’t static, even with appropriate, well-formulated skincare products, your skin type can change depending on the season, your stress level, and just the fact that skin does go through changes. You should re-evaluate your skin as you notice differences, so keep this list close by so you can fully understand what you are dealing with and not blindly apply products that have no chance of helping.

Men's Skin Type

2006-11-15T08:31:00.000-08:00

Determining Men's Skin Type

Preferably, you should not be using products that produce or reinforce unwanted skin types. Among the offending products are bar soaps and bar cleansers, which can make skin dry and irritated; occlusive moisturizers that can clog pores and make breakouts worse; or male skincare products that contain irritating ingredients, like after-shave, astringents and toners loaded with alcohol and other potentially irritating ingredients that cause redness, inflammation, and flaking on the skin. All of these can wreak havoc on the skin. Through this men's skincare blog, I hope you will be armed with more information on understanding men's skin type and know how to treat your skin appropriately with what is actually helpful for your skin.

1. Do not judge your skin type after you’ve washed your face because the initial sensation you experience after washing your face can be your reaction to the water or the cleanser. You need to wait at least four hours after you’ve washed your face to accurately judge what is taking place on your skin. (Although with the right cleanser you can mitigate any discomfort after washing your face.)

2. Next, look in the mirror. Are there areas on your face that are noticeably shiny? Are those areas all over or just over the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin? If you’re not sure, take an oil blotter and dab at your face. Wait another hour and dab again. If the oil blotter has oil smears on it, then you are presently dealing with some amount of oily skin.

3. Do any areas of your face appear dry or matte? If the answer to this question is yes, then you are dealing with dry skin.

4. If some areas of your face are both dry and oily then you are dealing with combination skin.

5. Whether your skin is dry or oily, note if you have areas of redness over the nose and cheek area accompanied by red bumps that look like blemishes but aren't really pimples. Are there noticeable surfaced capillaries over these sections as well as areas of extreme sensitivity? Do you flush easily? If you've answer yes to these questions you possibly have rosacea. Rosacea is a medical condition requiring the attention of a dermatologist.

To be continued…

Does Age Affect A Man's Skin?

2006-11-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

Men's Skin Type Has Nothing To Do With Age

An older man’s skin is different from a younger man’s and that is undeniable. Yet it is a mistake to buy skincare products based on an inaccurate age group. Treating older or younger men’s skin with products supposedly aimed at dealing with specific age categories does not make sense because not every people with "older" or "younger" skin has the same needs, yet it's a trap many men (especially older men) fall into. An older man may have acne, blackheads, eczema, rosacea, sensitive skin, or oily skin, while a younger man may have dry, freckled, or obviously sun-damaged skin. Products designed for older "mature" men’s skin are almost always too emollient and occlusive, and those designed for younger male are almost always too drying. The key issue with skin type needs to be the actual condition of your skin, not your age.

In fact, regardless of age, all skin types for men, young and old, need sun protection, lots of antioxidants, ingredients that mimic skin structure, and cell-communicating ingredients. These types of ingredients are the most important for any male skincare and age doesn't change or alter that in any way. While wrinkles may tend to separate younger from older skin, your skin can still be oily at 60 and you can still struggle with breakouts. Not every man in his 40s, 50s, 60s, or 70s has the same skincare needs. In a way it's simple: You need to pay attention to what is taking place on your skin, and that varies from person to person.

Does Skin Color or Ethnicity Affect Skin Care?

Regardless of your racial background, all men’s skin is subject to a range of problems. While there are some distinctions between varying racial groups when it comes to skin problems and skincare options, overall these differences are minor in comparison to the number of similarities.

What Should Men Not Use In Their Skincare Regime?

Ideally, you should be using products that don't create or strengthen unwanted skin types. Among the offending products are bar soaps and bar cleansers (both can artificially make skin dry and irritated), occlusive moisturizers that can clog pores and make breakouts worse, or skincare products that contain irritating ingredients (redness, inflammation, and flaking) including astringents and toners loaded with alcohol and other potentially irritating ingredients. All of these can wreak havoc on the skin.

In our next discussion, we will help you determine your skin type...

Do Men Have Sensitive Skin

2006-11-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

All Men Have Sensitive Skin

Most men, to one degree or another, have sensitive or easily irritated skin. Regardless of your skin type, racial background, or age, minor or major irritating skin conditions can be present, even those you can't feel. The skin can burn, chafe, or crack, and you may have patchy areas of dry, flaky skin related to weather conditions, skincare products you use, or sun exposure. Skin can also break out in small bumps that look like a diaper rash. Skin can itch, swell, blotch, redden, and develop allergic reactions to cosmetics, animals, dust, or pollen.

Just imagine a man using several different skincare and hair care products a day, with each one, on average, containing about twenty different ingredients. That means his skin is exposed to about 200 different cosmetic ingredients on any given day. The fact that any of us have skin left is a testimony to the skin's resiliency and the talent of cosmetics chemists. Whether we like it or not, most of us will react to something along the way, perhaps even daily.

Your skin is the protective armor that keeps the elements and other invaders from entering the body. We protect most of our anatomy with clothing, but our faces are left painfully exposed to everything. It's no wonder the skin on our faces acts up now and then. Sensitive skin is probably the most "normal" type of skin around.

Everyone, men and women, has the potential to develop sensitive skin, so people of every skin type should heed the precautions for sensitive skin. What are the precautions? There is really only one and it goes for all skin types: Treat your skin as gently as you possibly can. Whether you think of your face as oily, dry, or mature, you still need to be gentle with your skin and avoid things that cause irritation.

The operative word is gentle. Preventing skin irritation, regardless of your skin type, is the most important. Of course, some skin types can and should try to tolerate certain irritating ingredients because of the potential to help skin look better. A topical disinfectant (i.e. benzoyl peroxide) is helpful for men with acne-prone skin, while a BHA solution (a salicylic acid exfoliant) is good for men with blackheads and acne-prone skin. Likewise, an AHA (an alpha hydroxy acid product used to exfoliate) or Retin-A (to improve cell formation) is beneficial for men with sun-damaged skin. Hydroquinone is a well-researched ingredient that can lighten skin discolorations. Aside from these types of exceptions to the gentleness rule, if something is irritating it can be detrimental for all skin types. If it is bad for sensitive skin, it is probably bad for oily skin, acne-prone skin, combination skin, or dry skin. As you incorporate this belief into your skincare regime, you will slowly solve many of the skin problems you have been experiencing.

In the next update, we’ll learn that men’s skin type has nothing to do with age!

Men's Skin Can Be Confused!

2006-11-15T08:01:00.000-08:00

Combination Skin Makes A Man's Skin Type Confused

The all-encompassing combination skin type makes identifying your skin type even more difficult. Almost every man and woman at some time or another, if not all the time, have combination skin. Areas like the nose, chin, center of the forehead, and the center of the cheek all have more oil glands than other parts of the face. It is not surprising that those areas tend to be oilier and break out more frequently than other areas. Problems occur when you buy extra products for combination skin because many ingredients that are appropriate for the T-zone (the area along the center of the forehead and down the nose where most of the oil glands on the face are located) won't help the cheek, eye, or jaw areas. You may need separate products to deal with the different skin types on your face because you should treat different skin types, even on the same face, differently.

Aside from the ever-present nature of "combination" skin, another limitation of skin type is that it cannot address men’s skincare needs that may not be apparent on the skin's surface. For example, sun damage is not evident when you are younger, but sun protection is essential for all skin types, men and women. Oily and dry skin that are present at the same time, along with some redness, may be an early sign of rosacea, a condition that cannot be treated with cosmetics and is not easily diagnosed. What you see on the surface of the skin does not always indicate the type of men’s skincare products you should buy.

One other important point, the skincare products you use can influence your skin type. Judging skin type simply by looking at your face and feeling your skin won't address the underlying cause. For example, if you use an emollient cleanser, and follow it with a drying, alcohol-laden after-shave or toner, and then an emollient moisturizer with a serum underneath, that could very well be causing you to have noticeably combination skin. Using a moisturizer that is too emollient for your skin could be causing breakouts. Using skincare products that contain irritating ingredients could cause dryness, irritation, and redness. You may think you have a particular skin type, but you may be looking at your skin's reaction to the products you are using.

Next: Regardless of men’s skin type, does everyone have sensitive skin?

What Influences Men's Skin Type?

2006-11-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

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...

All Men Have Different Skin Types

2006-11-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

What Are The Skin Types For Men

Skin type describes and interprets how and why your skin looks, feels, and behaves as it does.

The four most common skin type categories for men are categorizes as:

Normal (no apparent signs of oily or dry areas)
Oily (shine appears all over skin, no dry areas at all)
Dry (flaking can appear, no oily areas at all, skin feels tight)
Combination (oily, typically in the central part of the face, and dry or normal areas elsewhere)

(Often acne-prone skin is listed under oily or combination skin types, though it is sometimes listed as a skin type all by itself. Occasionally, sensitive skin may be listed as an individual skin type but I feel strongly that all skin types, regardless for men or women, should be considered sensitive.)

The truth is, understanding your skin type is more often than not far more complicated than those 4 or 6 categories, which is why lots of men find identifying theirs an indefinable challenge of changes that never settles down in one specific direction. Yet, understanding your skin type is extremely important, just not in the way the cosmetics industry approaches it or the way we've been taught to think about it.

First, skin type is never static. The variations of what is taking place on your skin can not only change season to season but month to month and even week to week. Adding to the complexity is the strong possibility of skin disorders such as rosacea, eczema, skin discolorations, precancerous conditions, blackheads, sun damage and whiteheads. Four or six categories of skin type just can't cover it.

When it comes to determining skin type you need to forget what you've been taught by cosmetic salespeople, estheticians, fashion magazines, (and even some dermatologists). The typical categories of normal, oily, dry, and combination, are a good basic, but they don’t address every nuance, and they change and fluctuate with everything from the weather to your stress levels.

Why is recognizing all the nuances of your skin type so important? Because different skin types require different product formulations. Even though many men's skin types often need the same active ingredients such as sunscreen agents, antioxidants, cell-communicating ingredients, and so on, the base they are in (lotion, cream, gel, serum, or liquid) should match the needs of your skin type. Skin type is the single most important decision influencing the choices we make about the kind of skincare regimes and the products we buy. But we need to be very careful of how we categorize our skin, or the very products we thought would help could actually make matters worse.

Next update: What Influences Men's Skin Type?

Basic Male Skincare Routine

2006-11-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

Basic male skincare routine

So what can men do to take care of their skin?

Male skincare basic routine

To begin, all men need a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, a gentle shave product (gel, foam or cream), followed by a gentle, nonirritating post-shave or shaving lotion (which is actually just a masculine name for a gentle toner). An ideal post-shave product for men would be an aspirin-based topical product that uses additional potent anti-irritants. Aspirin is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent for irritated skin and is able to alleviate the redness and razor bumps/burn. Take one or two aspirin tablets, dissolve it in about two tablespoons of water and then apply that to the face with a cotton pad.

When it comes to treating breakouts, preventing wrinkles, and addressing dry skin, the procedure is the same for men as it is for women. For blemishes, a topical antibacterial product containing benzoyl peroxide. It is very important to use sunscreen on a daily basis, rain or shine, 365 days a year. Suncare should be at least SPF 15 and loaded with effective UVA protection (it must contain one of the following ingredients: avobenzone (which may also be listed as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide) and a state-of-the-art moisturizer loaded with antioxidants and ingredients that replace vital substances to skin.

Any product containing antioxidants or other light- and air-sensitive ingredients should be packaged in an opaque container whose contents receive minimal exposure to air. That automatically rules out products packaged in jars, because shortly after opening the antioxidants begin to lose potency and won’t last for the lifespan of the product.

Coming up next,
Why Skin Types Can Be So Complicated?
…

How To Shave Without Skin Damage

2006-11-06T07:02:00.000-08:00

Learn how to shave

How to shave without damaging your skin

Shaving is the most typical start to a man's skincare regime, and it is the first area where they can make mistakes. Most shaving gels or creams, pre- and post-shave products, especially those geared toward men, contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, menthol, mint, and camphor, as well as high levels of potassium or sodium hydroxide. These ingredients are skin irritants that make the hair follicle and skin swell, forcing the hair up and away from the skin, supposedly allowing for a closer shave.

Unfortunately, the irritation and resulting swelling cause some of the hair to be hidden by the swollen follicle and skin. Note that sodium hydroxide is used in many skincare products at very low levels (the lesser amount of an ingredient in a product, the lower it will be on the ingredient list on the label) to adjust the pH value. In these low quantities, it is not irritating to skin. Additionally, the swollen skin makes it harder for the stubble to find its way back out. If the hair begins to grow (which it does almost immediately) before the swelling is reduced, the likelihood of ingrown hairs is increased.

Shaving with a razor abrades the skin enough to cause havoc, but then men typically splash an alcohol-based post-shave lotion with irritating ingredients over that broken skin. Try splashing some post-shave lotion on a cut or scrape on any other part of your body. Now, why would you want to do that to your face and damaging your skin?

Basic skincare rule number one: If the skincare product you use burns, irritates, tingles, causes the skin to become inflamed, or hurts, don't use it!

Introduction To Male Skincare Routine

2006-11-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

Intro male skin care

MEN’S SKINCARE - Introduction

Over the past several years, there has been a tremendous increase in the sales of men's skincare products on the market. With such an array of products flying off the shelves, it would be hard for men to distinguish between a good and bad product. This can be summed up to the fact that men are generally reluctant "cosmetic" consumers and are hesitant to spend too much time and effort looking into consumer information on the topic, resulting in wasting their money on unnecessary or problematic skincare products.

What men want in general is something that works and simple to use. Unfortunately, skincare is not as simple and general as the basic “3-step system” – cleanse, tone and moisturize or that simplified “wash and go” regime. As a result, most men don't use sunscreen on a regular basis and leave their skin at risk for cancer, not to mention wrinkles. This also means that most men don't know what irritating ingredients might be lurking in their shaving products, and they end up with razor burn, (which is often really "product" burn).

While it would be great if it were simple enough to recommend products from skincare lines "designed" for men, it turns out that most of those products are either poorly formulated, contain far too many irritating ingredients, or are overpriced and not worth the extra expense. In this blog, we will give you an insight into what every man needs to know about taking great care of his skin.