Men’s Skin Care: all links so far

men's skin care

• A good idea: Facial Brushes for Beards

• Beards & the skin they cover

• Forgotten Places: Balding Heads

• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A

• Ingrown Hairs—what they are and what to do about them? (new!)

• Men & Proper Skin Care

• Men & Skin Care: One profile—is this you?

• Men’s skin care advice: Q & A

• Men’s Skin Care Dos & Don’ts

• Proactiv—Solution? Part II: Donn’s story

• Real Men Get Facials Too

• Shaving & Your Skin

• Shaving Tips for Men (new!)

• Tarzan exfoliates

• What are razor bumps?

• Tend Skin Lotion for problems with ingrown hair

Shaving Tips for Men

Whenever you go to shave, remember: the softer the skin and hair, the easier the shave will be. Here are a few other tips to help you get the perfect shave. There are several other posts on this subject, links are below.

• Applying your shaving cream when you first get in the shower will give it a chance to moisturize your skin and soften the hair. If you can, leave the cream on for a few minutes and enjoy a smoother shave.

• Use your shaving cream sparingly. If you use too much cream it can cause the potential for nasty nicks and cuts due to a dull (clogged) razor.

• Next, shave the toughest areas on your face last. This will give the shaving cream time to soften the skin in these areas and hopefully make for a smoother and nick-free shaving experience.

If you have tried every technique and still have major razor bumps, you may want to try a few things. First is a product on the market called Tend Skin (see ingrown hair link below). It is also said to help with ingrown hair. I am not a fan of this particular product because it contains a high percentage of the bad type of alcohol, but I have heard from several people that it did actually help with their razor bumps.

If you choose to use Tend Skin, be careful and watch to see if your skin becomes dry and especially flaky. If so, discontinue use of this product and opt for something more soothing. If the places are red and infected, you can use essential oils (lavender specifically) and/or clay mask on your razor bumps.

Secondly, alpha hydroxy acids have been found to successfully reduce razor bumps. Why? There is usually a lot of dead skin that interferes with the hair making its way to the surface of your face. AHAs help to decompose some of that dead skin, leaving room for the hair to make an appearance. There are moisturizers that contain alpha hydroxy acids, or even stronger AHA gels that can be used locally on the areas where razor bumps are a problem.

Some skin is simply prone to irritation while shaving. But if you prepare your skin before shaving, use the appropriate shaving technique and apparatus (whether manual or electric razor), and tend to the skin you have just shaved, you will fare much better than if you did not incorporate all of these techniques and steps.

For more detailed tips on preparing your skin before shaving, see:

• Hair Removal Options: Shaving & Your Skin 

Also see:

• What are razor bumps?
• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A
• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?

Ingrown Hairs—what they are and what to do about them?

Ingrown hairs are basically hairs that have lost their way. Instead of moving directly up the hair follicle, which is cylindrical like a tunnel, the hair curls around and remains either close to the surface of the skin or actually makes its way back down to the base of the follicle. This inability to reach the skin’s surface and eventual exit above it causes an ingrown hair.

Ingrown hairs are a problem for many people, but men tend to have the most trouble with ingrown hairs on their faces, which look like irritated bumps on the skin. This is especially true for African-American men because dark-skinned people generally have curly and coarse hair. Curlier hair has a more difficult time finding the surface of the skin. These ingrown hairs may cause inflammation to occur, which is a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae.

Ingrown hairs generally form after the hair in a particular area has been cut, waxed, or in some other way removed. Some say that pulling the hair out against the natural grain (most waxing procedures follow this rule) can cause the hair to break just below the surface. Then when the dead cells set in, the hair can’t find an exit, causing an ingrown hair.

Exfoliation is really important if you’re prone to ingrown hairs—no matter where you get them. If they occur on your face, using a scrub or other exfoliator on a regular basis should help to alleviate the problem. This is where alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) may come in handy. Several of my male clients have seen good results with their ingrown hair problems by using products that contain this ingredient. AHAs help to dissolve the intercellular glue that holds cells together, which can be helpful in the case of ingrown hairs. AHAs may work well for women who find ingrown hairs are a problem in the bikini line area.

Women who get ingrown hairs on their legs can try using AHAs, but because of the large surface area of the legs this could get quite expensive. Using exfoliation gloves may be your best bet. The gloves give you the ability to regulate pressure and therefore not irritate the skin. Do be careful not to rub too hard with these gloves. They are abrasive and too much of a good thing can turn bad.

Exfoliation gloves can be found at most stores where cosmetics are sold. They’re easy to use and are machine washable. Unlike a loofah, you can get them clean and bacteria free between uses. They aren’t very expensive so you could get several pairs and just throw them in the wash after each use. They make great gifts too. Put them in a basket with bath and body products and maybe a scented candle, and you will make someone very happy.

If you have irritation bumps with the ingrown hairs, be careful when you shave over this area. You can easily break open the skin and cause further irritation and possibly spread infection.

A product called TendSkin (see upcoming post) has been helpful for some people with ingrown hairs. Be careful to follow the directions and do not use on a large area of the face. Men’s skin tends to be less sensitive than women’s, but even so, if you are a man and have ingrown hair in your beard area, be careful to apply this product appropriately. If you experience irritation with TendSkin, discontinue use immediately and refer back to some other products and techniques for helping with ingrown hairs. You don’t ever want to use a product that is causing more harm than good.

In the end, no matter where the ingrown hairs are forming, exfoliation is the best course of treatment before trying to remove them. Read other posts on this frustrating condition: , What are razor bumps?, and many more articles under the category hair removal.

For more information, see:

• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A
• Tend Skin Lotion for problems with ingrown hair
• Hair removal options

Hair Removal Options: Shaving & Your Skin

Please first read Thoughts about Hair Removal Options for some important preliminary information.

As most of you hopefully know, preparing your skin before shaving is of the utmost importance. If your skin is flaky and dry, shaving will be an exercise in skin irritation. To prepare your skin before shaving, the following re the steps I recommend.

Exfoliating the area to be shaved is essential for good results. Exfoliation gets rid of dead cell buildup on the surface of your skin. This buildup is a factor if you are feeling dry. If you are a woman who has trouble shaving your legs, try exfoliating beforehand and see if this helps you get a smoother shave.

For men, you are actually exfoliating every time your shave, so it may not be practical to pre-exfoliate your face every time before you shave—unless you are having problems shaving due to dehydrated skin. Using an exfoliant (like a scrub or gommage) at least once or twice a week on your entire face will give your skin a smoother texture , setting up the optimum environment for shaving. Keeping your skin well-moisturized day and night will also help the cause.

Next I recommend using a soothing shaving cream. Aveeno is the brand I like best, and it is good for men and women alike. On the bottle it says, “Dermatologist recommended, therapeutic shave gel with natural colloidal oatmeal. For sensitive skin, irritated skin, razor bumps. No added fragrance.” This is certainly not the only shaving product available, and perhaps you have already found one that works well for you, but if not, try Aveeno shaving cream and hopefully you will get better results.

I do not recommend using soap (especially bar soap) to shave with. Usually soap is alkaline, causing dryness on the surface of your skin. It also does not give you a thick, creamy-textured substance for the razor to glide across. Stick to shaving gels. You can even find some that heat up on your skin. In emergencies I have used cream rinse (hair conditioner) as a substitute shaving cream. I don’t recommend this as a regular practice, but in a pinch it works better than soap, creating a smooth surface to work with without drying out the skin.

Note: If you find your skin becomes irritated after using a shaving product, discontinue use and try something else. Irritation may be your skin telling you it is sensitive to something in a product, and irritation is not the goal. But before blaming a product, please make sure your razor has a sharp edge. A dull, overused razor spells disaster for even the best-prepared surface.

Finally a triple (or more) blade razor is a must in my opinion. Years ago I had a client who shaved his head. I asked him what he used to get such a close shave without nicking his head. He said triple blades made all the difference in the world. A few days later one of my employees said about the same thing for shaving concerns for women. I immediately ran out and got a triple blade razor and have been singing its praises ever since. If you haven’t ever used a triple blade, give one a try. Once you do, you won’t go back to a double blade—I promise! You can find razors with 4-5 blades now.

If you are shaving your bikini area, ladies, no doubt you have run into some problems—namely irritation and ingrown hairs. Shaving with a triple blade razor may bring some relief, but due to the delicate nature of that particular skin, shaving is not the optimum way to remove hair at the bikini line. It is, however, the cheapest way. So if money is a factor (and you don’t experience the pain of irritation and ingrown hairs), shave on. But if you are a woman who does have problems when shaving this area, waxing or even electrolysis may be something to consider. These services will cost varying amounts of money, but will give you fewer problems than shaving that delicate area. 

Aftershave. Whether you are male or female, using something on your skin after you shave (wherever you shave) will greatly increase your chances of having smooth and soothed skin. As long as you are not allergic to it, aloe vera gel makes a great aftershave skin soother. Slather it over the area just shaved. Aloe vera has tremendous healing and soothing abilities; it is used for sunburns, so it will help with your after-shaving needs too. Another alternative would be to use your toner in a spray bottle as an aftershave. As long as you use a toner without alcohol, this product will hydrate and soothe just-shaved skin.

Of course there are many aftershave products on the market, but be sure to use one without alcohol—the bad kind (isopropyl alcohol)—in its ingredient list. Alcohol will be anything but soothing, although it does have antiseptic abilities. Alcohol will probably cause a burning sensation, which is the opposite effect you are looking for after your have run a razor over your skin.

For more information, see:

• Beards & the skin they cover
• What are razor bumps?
• Shaving Tips for Men

Proactiv—Solution? Part II: Donn’s story

Donn is a beautiful young black man. He is fit, happy, and healthy. He eats a good diet and yet was still experiencing skin troubles—mostly located in his beard area.

Men—especially African-American men—have a propensity to develop a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae. This is where the hair coming up to form the beard cannot find its way straight to the surface. For black men, this is primarily because of the curly nature of their hair. But men of all races can face this dilemma. The result is what seems like acne in their beard area. Some men have so many problems with pseudofolliculitis, they may simply let their beards grow and not deal with the daily hassle of these ingrown hairs.

Donn had to take daily medication for an unrelated condition. Although he was only on the medication for a year, it caused a lot of his skin problems. Once he got off the drug therapy, his skin problems persisted, and all he wanted was clear skin. So he turned to the advice of some people who had used Proactiv and decided to give it a try. Why not? He felt he had nothing to lose. After the first month on Proactiv Donn’s skin improved dramatically, and he has enjoyed clear skin ever since.

Donn’s is a success story. He approached me one day and asked if I could tell he used to have skin problems. His skin looked clear, without scars, and his beard didn’t seem to be housing any infected spots—all looked good. That is when he announced he had been using Proactiv for the past eight months—faithfully and successfully. He was so happy he had found something to help his problem skin.

I include Donn’s story for several reasons. First, it is not my goal to knock down every skin care regime out in the marketplace although I don’t find many products that are very effective. Proactiv has “torn up” many of my clients’ faces, but it has also helped some tough cases of problem skin.

A 20-something co-worker of Donn’s also used Proactiv. She said it seemed to work at first, but after a month or so her skin looked dull and felt dry. She didn’t get the results she was looking for and was asking me for recommendations.

This seems to be a common complaint about Proactiv. It helps, or seems to help, at first. Then it either stops working or the skin just can’t adjust to all the drying out and starts to look worse. In my opinion, this isn’t a good enough reason to use Proactiv. However, there are many people who swear by it. Try it and see. It’s pretty inexpensive, but beware if you don’t cancel your required membership after the first shipment you receive, the company will automatically send you a new batch of products on a regular basis—and charge you for them too.

The bottom line is no one product or product line works for everyone. Sometimes, especially if you have problems with your skin (whether breakout or sensitivities like rosacea, for instance), you will have to go through a trial and error period—trying out perhaps many products until you find the one(s) that work.

As you’ve read, Proactiv works for some people and not for others. If you have problem skin, I hope you will utilize the many articles on this blog that, no matter the products you’re using, can help you understand more about why the problems exist.

For more information, see:

• Proactiv—Solution? Part I
• What is Folliculitis? 
• What is causing your breakout?

A good idea: Facial Brushes for Beards

Although I’m not a fan of women using facial brushes (manual or electric) on their faces, a good use for a manual facial brush would be under a beard or even just a moustache. Due to the dense hair growth, the skin underneath doesn’t get any action and certainly little if any exfoliation. This can cause itching and possibly bumps under the skin, although you may not be aware of their existence.

To exfoliate the area under a beard or moustache, take a manual facial brush and gently nudge it underneath the hair onto your dry skin. Use this brushing technique prior to washing your face. Gently massage with the brush until you can feel the stimulation on the surface on your skin. Go over the entire area under your facial hair. If using this method on dry skin causes irritation, try wetting the skin under your hair growth and then use the brush.

Afterwards, take some cleanser and wash your face as you normally do (hopefully!), paying extra attention to the areas you just brushed, and work the cleanse into your facial hair. Be sure to get a thorough rinse to finish. Use your spray toner, and moisturizer your skin as usual. Do try to get some moisturizer under your beard, but don’t glob it on there. Just massage a little into the hair to help moisturize the skin you brushed underneath.

By using a facial brush under your beard, you are benefiting the skin by exfoliating that untouched area.

For more information, see:

• Beards & the skin they cover
• Men’s skin care advice: Q & A
• Men’s Skin Care Dos & Don’ts 

Tend Skin Lotion for problems with ingrown hair

Tend Skin is made to help reduce the pain and inflammation of razor bumps, ingrown hair, and razor burn. The main active ingredient in Tend Skin is aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Aspirin, of course, is an analgesic (pain reliever) as well as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Next on the ingredient list is isopropyl alcohol. This, as you hopefully know, is the “bad” kind of alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is very drying to the skin. Water is the next ingredient, so the fact that alcohol comes before water means this product is almost entirely made of alcohol. (Ingredients are listed by weight.)

However, many people have seen results with their ingrown hair by using Tend Skin. Sometimes even I have to bypass the information I know to be true in lieu of getting results, as long as there are no adverse effects to the skin when using this product. In other words, if you can use Tend Skin successfully without experiencing any problems as a result of using it, you may be able to help your ingrown hair problems. But if you use Tend Skin and it causes reactions or just doesn’t help your problems, I don’t recommend using it. This is a specialized product and because of the alcohol content, it won’t be for everybody.

For more information, see:

• What are razor bumps?
• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A
• Alcohol in Products: The good and the bad

Men’s skin care advice: Q & A

What skin care advice do you have for a man?

This question comes from many different men I have spoken with about skin care. My short answer (and this is specifically directed to men) is: use products! Classically, men are not huge consumers of skin care products. That of course is changing, but by and large, men are not as educated in matters of the skin as many women are.

The Basics (cleansing, toning, and moisturizing) would be about all I would ask a man to do for his skin. If he is truly looking to do more—great! The Extras (exfoliating and using a clay mask) would be excellent additions to anyone’s skin care program, male or female. Most men just don’t use any or many products on their skin, so I like to start them off slowly and see how it goes. Usually once they see a positive difference in their skin, they are more willing to do a few extras to further help the health of their skin.

I would like some recommendations for men. My brother has some problem areas, and I would like to pass along some information to help him. What exactly should a man with problem skin do?

Recommendation #1: Don't pick!

The recommendations for a man with problem skin are really no different than for a woman. The main difference in this equation is men are generally not accustomed to doing much with their skin. So for a man to treat his problem skin may mean using products when in the past he didn’t use any. I think you have to take this into consideration when making suggestions. To recommend a lot of products to someone—especially a man—who isn’t using anything is probably a mistake. It’s just too much, and the routine is doomed to failure.

As mentioned before, The Basics would be beneficial for any skin, especially if there are problems with breakout. You want non-alkaline skin care products, which includes your cleanser. Aveeno bar soap or Cetaphil liquid cleanser are both easy to find and are pH balanced.

A spray-on toner that has essential oils in it would be good to use following shaving and dabbing pure essential oils neat (straight) on the blemishes would make an excellent spot treatment for breakouts. Remember, breakout needs antibacterial products to help quell the growth and proliferation of bacteria. Without treating the blemishes, they will just take their own sweet time going away. I don’t recommend oxy-type products, as they are usually too harsh and drying; essential oils are my personal products of choice.

Shaving may open up blemishes that are trying to go away, prolonging the healing process. If you are trying to clear up broken out skin, if possible try not to shave for a few days. Obviously this may not be something you can do, but by not shaving and treating the spots with essential oils, you are giving your skin the time it needs to heal. When you do shave, be very careful to avoid opening the blemishes up. I understand this is not an easy task. Try shaving with the hair growth in order to avoid too close of a shave and possibly nicking the blemishes.

Finally, using some sort of treatment cream (moisturizer) would be good. Many men are not accustomed to using creams on their faces. And some men might not like the way a moisturizer feels on their skin. However, if you want optimum resources for treating your problem skin, find a good lightweight cream specifically meant for problem skin. Use this day and night along with cleansing and toning. Hopefully this all will help you to have clear, problem-free skin.

I love the spray bottle idea for my toner (my husband likes it too!). My husband’s skin is doing better than ever. I’ve got him into a daily and nightly skin regimen, and he hardly breaks out anymore. He used to have frequent breakouts, which runs in his family.

Attention men: If you just give your skin The Basics, it can and will make a difference! The total time spent on those three steps is less than two minutes. Surely you have a few short minutes in the morning and before you go to bed to take care of your skin.

For more information, see:

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• Help for Breakouts
• TONERS 101: WHAT is a toner and WHY use one? Also HOW & WHEN to use a toner?

If you take care of your skin, your abs will look like this!

What are razor bumps?

Razor bumps are basically ingrown hairs that have become red and/or infected, otherwise known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. An ingrown hair is where your (usually previously shaved) hair decides to navigate back down into the skin instead of coming out onto the surface. Because these hairs are coarse, they can wreak havoc on the tissue below.

They usually cause red, irritated bumps that resemble blemishes, but they are actually small irritations caused by the ingrown hairs. Once this sensitive tissue meets with a razor, small red bumps (razor bumps) follow. Although ingrown hairs cause inflammation and irritation, there is usually not a bacterial infection present as with true folliculitis. Pseudofolliculitis tends to happen more with curly-haired men, especially African-Americans.

The first course of treatment for ingrown hairs is exfoliation. By exfoliating the outer, dead skin layer, often the hair finds an easier path to the outside. When exfoliating, a gel-type, nonabrasive peel would be preferable to using a scrub. If a scrub is all you have at the moment, don’t get too aggressive with it or you can cause more irritation, but be on the lookout for a gentler, gel-type product.

Give exfoliation a try and see if it solves your ingrown hair problems. If you can, try not shaving so closely with your razor. This can help to alleviate some of the irritation. If nothing seems to work, another option—although maybe not for everyone—is to let your beard grow out.

If you’re having problems with skin irritations around your beard area that won’t go away, it could be true folliculitis. This is a bacterial infection (staphylococcus) in your hair follicles caused by any number of things, even contaminated washcloths. If you think you have folliculitis, you may want to consult your dermatologist, who can prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria present in your skin.

With the following articles, you should be able to start understanding the difference between folliculitis and pseudofolliculitis barbae:

• What is Folliculitis? 
• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A

For information about exfoliation, see:

• All About Exfoliation
• Yonka’s GOMMAGE—gel exfoliator

Don't be confused. Keep reading to understand the difference between these two frustrating skin conditions.

Men & Proper Skin Care

There really is very little difference between treating male skin and treating female skin. I approach each person as a unique individual—male, female, black, white, young, or old. Everyone has several combinations of characteristics that make up his or her skin. There are, of course, certain qualities to men’s skin that make it distinct.

As I’ve said before, when it comes to men and their skin care habits, the word apathy comes to mind. Men I’ve met and the husbands and boyfriends of my clients tend not to do too much with their skin. I don’t think this is because they don’t care. No doubt the lack of exposure to proper skin care products and techniques plays a part in a man’s lack of a skin care routine. I see this changing over the years, and consequently I see many more men taking good care of their skin.

Your skin is usually thick; thick skin tends to be oily. You have high amounts of androgens, including testosterone (a male hormone linked to sebaceous activity), so your skin will usually be oilier than a woman’s. You typically experience problems with your skin at the onset of puberty, when your body is going through tremendous hormonal surges. Along with blemishes, you may experience irritations due to your newly sprouting facial hair.

Also many young men are active in sports at this time. Sweating during these activities can bring its own set of problems—namely irritation on the surface of the skin. Couple this irritation with chin straps or other gear that may interfere with sweating, and you have a recipe for trouble.

After puberty, you generally don’t have too many problems with your skin. As apposed to women, who have monthly hormone fluctuations throughout their lives, many of you have smooth sailing after the teen years. This, however, is not always the case.

Do you have problems with your skin? If so, you might have a hormone imbalance that can cause mild to severe breakouts. Folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles) and basic irritation with shaving can plague you throughout your life too. Diet also plays a key role in the health of your skin. An overall lack of proper care can cause problems as well. If neglected, your skin will reflect it.

One common problem you may experience is extreme dryness (which is really dehydration) that comes from a lack of moisture in the skin as well as a thick dead skin buildup. Exfoliating and moisturizing can help lessen this type of red, flaky skin. However, dry skin may actually be eczema, a dermatitis showing up as red, scaly skin that usually itches. In this case, skin care products will not be of much help, and you’ll want to seek out a dermatologist’s care.

Dermatitises (skin inflammations) explained

Sun damage is another skin problem I see frequently in my male clients. Because many of you are not as conscious about taking care of your skin as some women are, you tend to skip sunscreen and sun protection in general. This can lead to sunburn as well as general dryness (dehydration) from overexposure. Whenever sun exposure is involved, there is always the possibility of cancerous growths down the road. As with all skin, female and male, sun protection is a must.

A common condition for men is ingrown hairs, otherwise known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. This is where your hair decides to navigate back down into the skin instead of coming out onto the surface. Because these hairs are coarse, they can wreak havoc on the tissue below. The misguided hairs usually causes red, irritated bumps that resemble blemishes, but they are actually small irritations caused by the ingrown hairs. Once this sensitive tissue meets with a razor, small red bumps (razor bumps) follow. Although ingrown hairs cause inflammation and irritation, there is usually not a bacterial infection present as with true folliculitis.

Pseudofolliculitis tends to happen more with curly-haired men, especially African-Americans. The first course of treatment for ingrown hairs is exfoliation. By exfoliating the outer, dead skin layer, often the hair finds an easier path to the outside. When exfoliating, a gel-type, nonabrasive peel would be preferable to using a scrub. If a scrub is all you have at the moment, don’t get too aggressive with it or you can cause more irritation, but be on the lookout for a gentler, gel-type product. Give exfoliation a try and see if it solves your ingrown hair problems. If you can, try not shaving so closely with your razor. This can help to alleviate some of the irritation. If nothing seems to work, another option—although maybe not for everyone—is to let your beard grow out.

If you’re having problems with skin irritations around your beard area that won’t go away, it could be true folliculitis. This is a bacterial infection (staphylococcus) in your hair follicles caused by any number of things, even contaminated washcloths. If you think you have folliculitis, you may want to consult your dermatologist, who can prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria present in your skin.

There are many articles posted on this blog specifically for men, however any post here can be beneficial for any skin, male or female. For your basic skin care program, see:

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care 
  
• The Extras—Do more to have healthy skin

Also see:

• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q&A
• Dermatitises (skin inflammations) explained
• What is Folliculitis?

What is Folliculitis?

Yes, even dogs can get folliculitis.

Folliculitis is a persistent infection caused by either bacteria or possibly a fungus within the hair follicle. It occurs due to shaving, long-term irritation, or even restrictive or tight clothing. Folliculitis should not be confused with pseudofolliculitis barbae, otherwise known as ingrown hair. This happens due to hair curling back down into the follicle wall instead of coming up out onto the skin’s surface, which is the reason pseudofolliculitis barbae tends to occur more often with African-American males or any men with curly hair.

Believe it or not, there is a condition called hot tub folliculitis or pseudomonas folliculitis. Like standard folliculitis, it is a bacterial infection within the hair follicle, but as the name implies, it is contracted by sitting in a hot tub! Usually the infection is located where the water meets the skin; around the neck, upper arms, and upper back areas.

I actually know several clients who have experienced this condition. It starts with a hot tub that is not well-ventilated, perhaps sitting inside a garage, and fungus multiplies in the water. Although poor ventilation seems to be a common factor, I have a client who was in an outdoor hot tub at a resort, and everyone who participated developed pseudomonas folliculitis, which looked like little red bumps all over their upper bodies and faces.

Regardless of how you got folliculitis, getting rid of it is what is important. Mild cases of folliculitis will respond to topical antibiotics that you can get either from your dermatologist or over the counter. Remember, the prescription treatment will be a stronger version than the store-bought kind.

Don’t wear tight or restrictive clothing over the affected skin, and I would steer clear of using harsh products on the area—even sunscreens. Due to the chemicals in sun products, this may further irritate the skin and cause a longer recovery period. However, if you are going to be exposed to the sun, you obviously need to use a sunscreen, but if at all possible avoid these types of products until the skin condition clears up.

For a man who has folliculitis on his face, shaving can delay the healing process. Every time you go over your face with a razor, you are probably causing further irritation. Be sure to prepare your beard and use a softening shaving cream or gel. It would be best to shave in the direction of hair growth. This won’t give you the smoothest shave, but it will help to lessen the irritation caused by the razor. After shaving, apply a soothing aftershave product, and then apply your antibiotic cream to the affected area. If you don’t use an antibacterial treatment, the bacteria inside the hair follicle will persist.

The timetable for recovering from folliculitis varies with the individual. Sometimes it can take months for this condition to clear up, so be patient and follow your doctor’s recommendations.

For more information, see:

• What are razor bumps?
• Tarzan exfoliates
• Ingrown Hair—Men’s Edition: Q & A

Tarzan exfoliates

I have a lovely male client who comes in every month for a facial. First I have to say that the fact he comes in regularly wins brownie points in my book. I’ve said many times that facials are genderless treatments. Similar to haircuts or massages, facials are good for the male of the species—not just the ladies.

On his last visit, I was remarking about the improvement I saw in his skin, no doubt partly due to the fact he was no longer using a loofah on his face. Yes, on his initial visit when doing his intake form, I found out he was using a loofah sponge and water to exfoliate his face. I told him I was glad he was no longer using the “Tarzan Method” of exfoliation and it was definitely helping his skin.

Sometimes (usually?) men tend to use a more, let’s say, practical, bare bones approach to things. Your skin needs to be sloughed off, so you use a hard, stiff loofah sponge. Why not, it’ll get the job done, right? I’ll tell you why not: Using a loofah or any other stiff, hard material on your skin can and will wreak havoc! These types of materials are simply too rough for the delicate nature of the skin—even the tougher, thicker texture of a man’s skin. (Regarding this photo: there is nothing happy about using a loofah on your face.)

Facial scrubs are the most common product used for exfoliation, and they are the most readily available in stores and salons. Scrubs are also the simplest exfoliators to use. I recommend applying a facial scrub while taking a shower because it makes cleaning it off your face much easier than at your bathroom sink. The little particles that make up the scrub will get completely rinsed off with the showerhead spray, perhaps not so much just with your hands at the sink.

In case you, too, are using the Tarzan Method to get rid of dead skin cells, please (please) put the loofah down and reach for a scrub the next time you go to exfoliate your face. No matter what you use, exfoliation is an important step in your healthy skin care routine.

My client now uses a facial scrub. His skin (through facials as well as home exfoliation) is looking better than ever. He said he doesn’t miss his loofah at all. 

For some of the hows and whys of exfoliation, read:

• All About Exfoliation 
• Exfoliation Quick Tips for Facial Scrubs

For an effective yet gentle product for all the Tarzans of the world (it’s the scrub this client is using now with great results), see:

• Yonka for Men: FOAM SCRUB 

“No loofahs, please!”

The Forgotten Places: Balding Heads

A head without hair is truly a neglected and Forgotten Place. I’m not going to tell you to exfoliate and moisturize this area, gentlemen (although those are not bad ideas). But it is extremely important to keep the sun off the top of your head. This is true whether you are shaving that area; perhaps you’re follicly challenged; or you are just losing or have lost the hair up top. You are literally a target for skin cancer if you don’t take precautions against sun exposure.

The best and most obvious protection would be a hat. But if you can’t, don’t, or won’t wear one, applying sunscreen to your bald head would be wise. There are companies that have spray-on sunscreens, making it easy to get protection on those places where your hair might be thinning or absent. My strongest recommendation is to not fool around when it comes to the sun because in the end, the sun will win.

For more information, see:

• Sunscreen: Toss it out!
• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Men’s Skin Care Dos & Don’ts

Beards & the skin they cover

I ♥ George Clooney—couldn't resist!

My husband has a full beard. I was wondering what he needs to do, if anything, to keep the skin underneath healthy. Is it better for the skin to be covered with hair or clean-shaven?

My husband’s skin underneath his beard is beginning to itch, and it’s driving him (and me) crazy! What is causing this, and how can he remedy it?

Deciding to have facial hair or not is purely personal preference. And although having a beard may seem easier on your skin than being clean-shaven, the skin underneath does go through its own hardship. The hair inhibits some of the skin’s natural exfoliation, whether it be from shaving or just having that skin rubbed or touched throughout the day. Since the hair is in essence shielding any activity in the covered area, this skin needs exfoliation. It will keep the skin from itching and flaking as sometimes happens underneath a beard.

Since exfoliating underneath facial hair really cannot be done through conventional means (scrubs and gommage), this is a good application for AHAs. Fruit acids help to exfoliate just by lying on top of the skin. After you have done your morning or evening routine (assuming you have a skin care routine), take some AHA cream or gel and try to get it onto the skin under your beard by massaging it in with your fingertips. What you don’t want to do is pile on a bunch of moisturizer just because it contains AHAs, so be careful how much you use. Towel off any excess.

Using a manual facial brush can help to exfoliate the area under your beard. You want to be careful not to irritate the skin by using the brush too aggressively. And you always want to thoroughly wash the facial brush after every use. 

Glycerin is another option for getting needed moisture to the skin underneath your beard. Pure glycerin is a runny liquid that can be massaged into the area with the excess blotted off the hair. This should not cause any adverse effects, yet can really help to keep that skin soft and moisturized.

Finally, if you are experiencing severe problems underneath your beard, it may be time to shave it and see exactly what is going on. If you choose to shave, getting a facial before you regrow your beard would be an excellent idea. Getting that skin in good shape before the hair covers it up will help, even if temporarily. If the skin doesn’t respond to exfoliating and moisturizing, you may want to visit your dermatologist and see if there is something more serious going on.

For more information, see:

• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?
• Is your face in need of extra hydration?
• Sensitive Skin: Q & A

Men & Skin Care: One profile—is this you?

The following is one profile of how some of you take care of your skin. I know this is a generalization, but it is based on seeing male clients over the years, listening to stories about my female clients’ husbands, and asking men wherever I go how they take care of their skin. I know there are those of you (more and more) who are conscientious about your skin and who really do have good skin care habits. The following is not a profile of you, but of “the others.”

• You almost always use soap. And you use the same soap on your face as you do on your body—whatever is within reach in the shower. This can include deodorant soaps, which by the way, are working to inhibit the sweat glands from producing. How can this be good for your face?

• After washing with soap in the shower, you usually shave.

• Next you use aftershave. Many times these products contain alcohol.

• Sometimes you slap on a moisturizer (any one will do), and you’re off. That’s it—simple, easy, done.

• You may only use soap in the shower and never mess with moisturizer or even an aftershave. Your reasoning is, “What for?” You aren’t having any problems with your skin, so why bother with products?

• At night, sometimes you just splash your face with water.

Believe me, I’m not advocating that men follow a complicated skin care routine (women either) when the less-is-more approach seems to be working just fine. I am, however, suggesting incorporating a few minor changes that would be beneficial.

These articles will give you information on how you can best take care of your skin on a daily basis:

• Men & Proper Skin Care
• Men’s Skin Care Dos & Don’ts
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care

—sometimes