Do men need skin care at all?

YES. Most certainly.

There is this perhaps kind of a macho idea in our society that men don’t need skin care. Is that true? No, the idea is kind of laughable if you think about it. The skin of a male skin doesn’t work any differently or better than that of a woman, but there is a societal double-standard that informs men that they don’t have to take care of themselves.

And that’s just ridiculous! If you’ve been reading the Skin Actives blog for any time at all, you know that our approach to skin care is about health, not beauty. We would never advocate any member of our Skin Actives family waiting until things get bad to go to a dermatologist for a lesion that may or may not be skin cancer. You need to prevent damage and reverse skin aging if you want your skin to feel comfortable and be able to do its job which is to protect your body from the elements and infection.

What Should Men Be Looking For?

With all that having been said, do men actually seek out skin care products?

Some do, certainly. And for others, it’s a case of their “significant others” nudging them in the right direction and suggesting with a gift or a suitable product.

What we have found is that when men come to us for advice it is usually about their hair or beard. This is a great place to start, but shouldn’t be where we finish.

Here are some skin concerns for men to consider:

• Men that wear their hair short are prone to elastosis of the neck, which manifests as unsightly folds.
• Permanently inflamed skin, a painful looking, reddened neck, sunburnt in appearance.
• Sun damage to the scalp, which can increase the potential for hair loss simply because of the high energy from UV and the Reactive oxygen species (ROS*).
• And remember, when we’re talking about skin concerns and exposure to UV light, we are talking about the potential for skin cancer. It doesn’t matter your sex or your gender, you should always, always, always, wear a light sunscreen for your face, arms and ears. Really anywhere that is exposed regularly to the sun! It’s just good advice to take care of yourself.

Do Men Need Special Skin Care Products?

So, if men do need skin care, do they need skin care especially designed for them? Again, no, definitely not.

Here are some options that Skin Actives provides:

• For acne prone skin: Zit Ender and Flawless kit
• For aging skin: Ageless Kit
• For sensitive skin: Calm and Soothe kit
• For dry skin: Hydrating kit
• And our Tombstone products: The Beard growth serum, the brush, The Wash salicylic cleanser, The Tonic after-shave, and The Jackpot Hair growth serum for men

What else? Avoid the sun, wear a hat, wear sunscreen, and as always, be kind to yourself! Thanks for reading!