A Simple Guide to Guy's Skin Care

In our modern world, guys are fast realising that the attention, energy and money women have been investing in skin care might actually have some value for them – if only it didn’t feel so girly and time consuming!

In this blog, we’ve developed a simple guide to guy’s skin care and offer some suggestions for an achievable daily routine.

The Basics of Guy’s Skin

• Male hair follicles help act as a support structure for the face
• Men have more connective tissues in their skin, to give it greater strength and elasticity
• Men’s skin is thicker than womens and does a better job at resisting wrinkles, but it is also generally oilier because they have larger sebaceous glands that produce oil, so are more prone to break outs
• Male pores are generally larger, which can also lead to more break outs

Rule Number One: Stop doing the obvious dumb stuff

There are several things that everyone should stop doing, for their general health and the health of their skin specifically.

Stop smoking. You know this is true. It dries the skin, can speed up ageing and give skin a weathered look. That’s on top of the issues it can cause to your teeth, mouth, throat, lungs and just about every other part of your body. Just stop smoking.

Stop thinking you don’t need sunscreen. You do. The Aussie sun is particularly harsh and everyone needs sunscreen if they’re outside, year round. Where your hair is thinning or you have bald spots, you need to take particular care.

Stop using soap to clean your face. Facial skin is gentler and needs greater care. Regular body soap can be too harsh and drying. If your skin feels tight or “squeaky clean” after you’ve washed it, use a different product.

Our Super-Basic Guy’s Guide to Simple Skin Care

1.Wash your face, with a product, morning and night.

Because guy’s skin is prone to greater oiliness and because most guys shave each day, creating a greater chance for oil to get under the skin and cause issues, washing your face with a quality product is essential.

Liquid cleansers are generally better than soap bars. Specialised cleansers intended for the face are best. And yes, you’ll likely have to spend more as well as trying out a few before finding one you really like.

And remember, if you feel itchy, stingy, experience redness or any other negative reaction to a soap (or any facial product) don’t keep using it.

If you have acne prone skin, specialised products can be helpful. Ask your chemist or doctor about this.

2.Use a moisturiser appropriate to your skin type

We realise this might already be too complicated for some men, but it really is simple. If you have particularly oily skin, you’ll need a moisturiser that is designed for that – it will be light and not exacerbate the problems created by oily skin. If you have particularly dry skin you may need a thicker or richer moisturiser – particularly good after thorough cleansing at night.

And the right moisturiser for your skin may be different in summer compared to winter, as the weather does impact the natural state of your skin.

Finally, if you have acne prone skin, specialised moisturiser can be helpful. Ask your chemist or doctor about this.

If you have eczema, the thicker and greasier the moisturiser, the better.

3.Wear a sunscreen every day

A good quality, non-oily, 50+SPF sunscreen should be the final step of your basic daily skin care routine.

It is possible to find moisturisers with an SPF as well, which is a good way to reduce a step in the routine, though often the SPF number in moisturisers is lower than a pure sunscreen.

Remember to apply sunscreen to your bald spots and ears, to your neck and any other skin exposed to sunlight.

The lighter your skin, the more important it is to protect it from the sun. So we’d also suggest the use of hats, sunglasses and protective clothing (long sleeves and pants).

4.Taking it one step further

Many guys also have rough or bumpy skin on their faces, backs, chests, shoulders and arms.

There are many products available that can help smooth out skin, whilst also cleaning the skin well. Exfoliating gels, creams and soaps can help, but often have beads in them, which can clog skin and can be damaging to the environment. The use of a loofah or rougher style washing tool can be sufficient, but may be too harsh for facial skin.

This is where a good skin mask designed to exfoliate can do wonders. Speak to your chemist or a beautician for advice on treating your rough skin.

Feeling overwhelmed?

We know it’s a lot to take on board if you’ve never thought about skin care before – and that’s without even beginning to shop for products.

Our clinic’s skin care specialist, Luise Lentell, offers consults to discuss skin care needs and help advise our patients on the best choices for their skin type and conditions. We have our own skin care range, Radiance, which we recommend, and Luise has samples available and trial packs at lower cost.

Our receptionists can book you a consult with Luise, or our dermatologist for a more thorough skin review, to discuss your skin care needs, and help you establish the optimal skin care routine for your skin. Call today on (02) 9953 9522.