C'mon Boys! Skincare for Men

Thankfully, we are a long way past the days where anything other than a shave and a splash of cold water is considered ‘girly’ – for at least two decades now, men have been becoming more aware of how to best look after their skin too. My skin clinic in Needham Market is testament to the fact that men like to look after their skin too. As well as the huge ranges of male-focused skincare treatments available in the shops, there are some exciting treatments that are perfect for male skin, which is different in many subtle ways from women’s skin, so if you’re a man who wants to look his best – read on. In my experience, men are just as susceptible to worries about ageing as women and noticing signs of ageing can be a powerful incentive for men to start taking care of their skin – although as you can imagine, I’d suggest that men need to start looking after their skin well before the signs of aging appear! Another factor that seems to have propelled many men towards the skincare aisles recently is Lockdown – with more time to focus on themselves and often working from home, there seems to be more self-awareness, extra time to focus on self-care and time to research what can be done to keep things looking and feeling healthy. With such a massive focus on all things health-related, self-care has been forefront in many people’s minds and yes, this includes aesthetics and skincare. Let’s face it, male or female, looking good can make us feel better, and vice versa. It’s no longer just vanity to want to look and feel your best. Lines and signs For age-related issues, men can find that non-surgical treatments help them reduce evidence of those deeper lines that might be beginning to embed themselves – let’s face it, the past year has been stressful, and this can show up in lines and ‘hollow’ looking eyes. Of course, good nutrition, plenty of sleep and adequate hydration are key to preventing the development of these lines in the first place, but they can’t turn back or hold back time, so a little help is always welcome. In-clinic aesthetic treatments such as 3JUVE Skin are safe and effective for treating fine lines and lack of firmness, and the Remodel programme works really well with the other 3JUVE® treatments to lift and tighten mature skin, and helps to improve ‘jowls’ and sagging around the face and neck. That strong jawline doesn’t need to be lost… Men have thicker skin than women. It’s true - male skin is around 20 – 25 percent thicker than women’s, and contains more collagen which makes it tougher, too. The collagen in male skin reduces at a constant rate over the years, unlike female collagen which takes a dip mainly as we get older, mostly after menopause. Oiliness Men’s skin produces roughly double the sebum as woman, which makes it oilier, and their pores tend to be larger too. That’s the reason men are more prone to acne and less prone to dry skin. Men who have oily skin, acne or scarring can benefit from treatments in my skin clinic at Needham Market. I have several excellent, effective treatments that will reduce the appearance of acne scarring, deep cleanse skin and give male skin a healthy glow. Aging Because male skin contains more collagen, which diminishes gradually, it does tend to age slower than female. It’s estimated that a woman’s skin can be, condition-wise, about 15 years older than a man’s. However, men do have a disadvantage as they don’t tend to use moisturiser or be as sun aware as their female counterparts. This, for many men, cancels out the age advantage! UV damage from the sun will add years to a man’s skin – so get the sunscreen out and make the most of it. Male skincare advice It’s time to invest in home skincare – every man should use anti-ageing and moisturising products regularly to make sure that they keep their 15-year age advantage for as long as possible! There are so many great products available for male skin; contact me if you need any advice on what would suit your skin, and I’ll be delighted to recommend the best products for your personal needs. If you’re choosing something yourself, bear in mind that men generally need to use lighter, oil-free products because heavy, greasy products tend to aggravate skin that has been sensitised by shaving, as well as exacerbating acne if you’re prone to that. I can’t stress this enough, but you always, always need to wear SPF. If my skin-related warnings aren’t enough to convert you to the use of sunscreen, did you know that sun damage can also impact hair health? UV creates oxidative stress that hastens the ageing of skin on the scalp. It also increases inflammation, which can lead to hair loss. If you’re already noticing hair loss and you want to protect the skin on your scalp, apply sunscreen – for hair and scalp health as well as for basic protection from UV-related skin damage and cancers.

Shaving tips It’s the closest some men get to skincare so and so make sure you’re doing it properly and not damaging your skin in the process! • Always use protective shaving products that will properly lubricate your skin – a good quality shaving product will help your razor glide smoothly over your skin and help to prevent nicks and cuts. • Always use a clean, sharp razor to avoid razor burn and those irritating bumps. It also gives you the best possible, closest shave. • Always shave in the direction that your hair grows, not against it. Book a consultation, or get in touch!