Male call - using moisturizers and buffers

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 2000 by Valerie Latona

Hey, guys! Learn why you should be buffing and moisturizing, too

The last time my husband, David, thought about skin care was when his shaving cream ran out. And his solution was simple: He borrowed mine until he remembered to pick some up from the drugstore. To him, skin cleansing means letting the shower spray water on his face, and wrinkle prevention means he won't have to get his dress shirts starched ever again.

Needless to say, he could care less about the truckloads of men's skin-care products available today--until he develops an ingrown hair or suffers an outbreak of teenage acne, that is. Then, and only then, is he willing to listen for a minute or so to my "beauty-isn't-only-for-women" speech. But once the problem clears up, much to my continuing dismay, he goes back to his shave-and-go ways.

So for David and the countless other men out there who believe skin care is for females only, here are eight great reasons men need a skin-care regimen. (Ladies, feel free to clip this out and give it to your man.)

A Smoother Shave

When a man doesn't shave properly or with the right products he can get nicks, ingrown hairs or the all-too-common shaving rash. New York City dermatologist Barney J. Kenet, M.D., author of How to Wash Your Face (Simon & Schuster, 1999), recommends first using plenty of warm water to moisten the skin and soften beard stubble. He then advises using a moisturizing shaving gel or foam to condition the whiskers, making them easier to cut. For the smoothest results, allow, the shaving cream to soak in for at least three to five minutes. Then when it's time to shave, make sure you use a sharp blade and shave in the direction of the whiskers, usually down on the cheeks and up on the neck. The worst thing a man can do, he says, is use a dull blade, which can contribute to ingrown hairs and razor rash. For the best results, Kenet recommends changing your razor blade every three or four shaves.

Grease Control

Men don't think twice about taking their cars in for an oil change every 3,000 miles, but how often do they think about the oil glands in their skin? The answer is probably never, though it should be daily. "Men's skin is actually oilier than women's," explains Dennis Gross, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City who routinely cleanses and buffs his own skin. That means for men, there's more potential for sebum (oil) buildup in the skin, causing clogged pores that can lead to acne. Gross recommends cleansing in the morning when you wake up (at the very minimum) and generally skipping greasy moisturizers. "Oil glands over-produce during the night," he explains. "By cleansing your skin with a cleanser in the morning, you'll help clean out that sebum." Soap is okay for men with really oily skin because it tends to be drying, says Gross, while cleansers with ingredients like salicylic acid will also keep skin clear. If it seems too prissy, just think of it as a good lube job for your skin.

Fewer Bumps in the Road

No, we're not talking about the potholes that regularly test your car's shock system. We're talking about the inflamed and often painful red bumps called in-grown hairs that can regularly develop on the face. Thick whisker hairs get stuck beneath the skin, often trapping oil and bacteria and forming an infected cyst. The best way to prevent in-grown hairs, says Gross, is by using the right shaving products: a clean, sharp razor blade and a daily exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells that can block proper hair growth. Most exfoliants are mild scrubs that either contain microscopic granules of substances like walnuts or apricots to physically scrub off the dead skin cells or contain natural chemical exfoliating substances called alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids. These go by the names AHAs, BHAs, glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid, to name just a few. Don't use these products on raw, newly shaven skin, warns Gross, because they can cause stinging and redness. It's better to wait several hours after shaving.

Live Longer

Studies show that men may be more susceptible than women to skin cancer simply because they are less likely to protect their skin from the sun's deadly rays. They also tend to get skin cancer in different places than women, being especially vulnerable in the neck area (because they wear their hair short) and on the forehead or head (if they have a receding hairline or thinning hair). That's why using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher on any areas of the body exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays is important anytime you're outside--even if it's just a quick lunch on a cloudy day. Look for sunscreens with broad-spectrum protection--ones that block against the cancer-causing UVA rays as well as the burning UVB rays (it'll say so on the label). Ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and Parsol 1789 are all broad-spectrum blocks. (See "Save Your Hide," June 2000.)

Brighten Up

Okay, we know this doesn't mean as much to you guys as it does to us women, but consider this: Men's skin is said to be anywhere from 16 to 24 percent thicker than women's. It also takes longer to renew itself, meaning that dead cells don't turn over as quickly, keeping fresh skin cells from growing. The result? Dull, blemished skin that looks older than its years. So if you're a man trying to look younger, sexier and more capable than his colleague, neighbor or golfing buddy, you should consider applying an exfoliant every evening to remove dead skin cells. You can use any type of exfoliating lotion or cream that contains AHAs, BHAs or even granular scrubs.