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Shave and a haircut no longer cuts it for well-groomed men

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In addition to shaving, daily cleansing and moisturizing should be part of a man's grooming routine.

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By JACKIE SILVER

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 14, 2009

Proper skin care isn't just for women anymore.

Good habits are as essential for men as they are for women, and men are starting to catch on.

"Men are now getting facials. Men get their backs waxed. We see plenty of men doing laser hair removal on their backs," says David Green, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. "Men are getting Botox treatments at a much higher rate than you imagine."

Some people say that a man's face ages better than a woman's, and that could be because of shaving. Skin cells are renewed just about every 30 days, and old cells need to be exfoliated. Shaving removes more than facial hair; it also removes dead cells, revealing the smoother skin underneath.

Still, daily cleansing and moisturizing should become part of a man's grooming routine. After all, there are parts of a man's face that don't get the benefit of shaving.

For cleansing, choose a product based on your skin type. Men tend to have oilier skin than women, so a good scrub that invigorates and exfoliates the skin without irritating it is a good choice. There are plenty of men's products on the market for cleansing and moisturizing, so creating the appropriate regimen is as easy as driving to the nearest drug store.

Incorporating a few healthy habits into daily life also can have a positive effect on your skin. Exercise, proper sleep, healthy diet, not smoking, moderate sun exposure and lower alcohol intake are just some of the easy ways to be kind to your skin.

Jackie Silver is the founder and president of Aging Backwards, LLC, and author of "Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young." Send your questions or comments to jackie@agingbackwards.com or follow her on Twitter, @AgingBackwards.

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