Men’s Skincare & Shaving Tips for Healthy Skin

Historically, men have typically maintained simple skincare routines. However, in recent years, there’s been a growing trend among men to pursue healthy, glowing skin that keeps them looking young. In celebration of Men’s Health Month, we want to provide some of the ways men can take care of their skin and achieve the look they want.

Understand your skin type

It’s important to recognize your skin type as it will help determine what kind of skin care products or regimens to do daily. There are five different skin types all of which are listed below:

• Sensitive Skin: This skin type makes it easy for reactions to occur when using different skincare products. This can result in burning, stinging, itching, and more.
• Normal Skin: This skin type tends to be pretty balanced, feeling neither too dry nor too oily.
• Dry Skin: This skin type often feels more on the rough and patchy side, given that there’s very minimal moisture. This can cause some discomfort as the skin tends to flake or become scaly.
• Oily Skin: This type of skin produces more oils than normal, due to oversized sebaceous glands, leaving the skin looking greasy.
• Combination Skin: This type of skin tends to have both oily and dry spots on the skin, with the T-zone being oily and the cheeks being dry.

Read product labels

Depending on your skin type, you should opt for skin care cleansers and moisturizers with the right ingredients. If your skin is more on the sensitive side, you should use mild, “fragrance-free” products that prevent the skin from drying out. If your skin is more prone to acne and breakouts, try to avoid facial cleansers and moisturizers that are labeled “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” as these are designed not to block your pores.

Choose your shaving technique carefully

Multi-blade razors can often be too effective or shave too closely to your skin’s facial hair, resulting in razor bumps, razor burns, and ingrown hairs. Instead of multi-blade razors, switch them out for single or double-blade razors as this will help alleviate these issues. Before shaving, ensure that your skin and hair are wet and apply moisturizing shaving cream to the skin for smoother results. It’s important to shave in the direction of hair growth and rinse your razor after each shave. Make sure to change your blade every 5-7 shaves to reduce irritation.

Moisturize on a regular basis

Men’s skin tends to be on the rougher side compared to women, so moisturizing can help even out the texture and give a more youthful appearance. Applying moisturizer with SPF can also protect your skin from UV rays and sun damage. For optimal results, you should apply moisturizer immediately after showing or shaving while the skin is still damp.

Conduct skin checkups

Regular skin checkups are crucial, especially as men get older and become more prone to skin diseases such as melanoma. Check your skin for any new spots that appear, and schedule an appointment with your dermatologist annually for a full-body professional skin exam.

Apply sunscreen when outdoors

As the summer months roll around and the UV increases, SPF protection is essential for sun damage prevention as this can lead to premature aging, sunburns, and skin cancer. For optimal results, use a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher and can be reapplied every couple of hours. Other ways to protect your skin from the sun can include wearing clothing that covers your skin such as long-sleeves, pants, hats, and sunglasses.

Men’s skin can differ from person to person, and can require a trial and error approach to skincare. Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin, it’s important to understand which type of skincare products or regimen to do on a regular basis. If you have any further questions or need to gain a deeper understanding of the type of care your skin requires, we recommend reaching out to a board-certified dermatologist.

At Dermatology San Antonio, we are committed to providing you and your family with caring, comprehensive, dermatologic care. Our dedicated experts offer a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide our patients with thorough treatment for all skin, hair, and nail conditions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

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