Man's Skin Vs Woman's Skin

Men's skin has long since ceased to be a closed book. Besides having facial hair, there are structural differences between men's skin and women's skin.  Men's skin is up to 15 percent thicker than that of a woman, due to androgen (testosterone) stimulation.

According to International Dermal Institute (Dermalogica), men's skin is prone to sebum (oil) and acne. In the post-puberty stage of life, men produce more sebum, causing androgen secretion which also means longer lasting acne. Though men have smaller oil-secreting sebaceous glands, they generally have oilier skin.

Collagen content is related to signs of skin ageing. Luckily men have higher collagen density than women. It has been said a woman's skin is about 15 years older than a man of the same age. However, men are less sun savvy than women, meaning they do not use sunscreens as much. This could help explain why the '15-year' skin age difference is not readily noticed.

UV damage from the sun can add years to a man's skin and negate the benefit of slowed intrinsic ageing.

Even though body odour is common for both men and women, but odours vary due to the presence of ingredients causing them differently in men's and women's bodies.

Natural Skincare

It's your day to day habits that have a profound impact on the health of your skin. However, products you use or whatever you do, it is not going to work for you if you do not adjust your lifestyle. This starts from getting adequate sleep to help your body and skin to recover, drinking plenty of water to hydrate your body and to keep your skin moisturised, to avoiding detrimental habits like excessive sugar intake, frequent sunbathing, and smoking.

Use skincare and hygiene solutions

To get an edge on protecting your skin, you need more than being natural. What about repairing the damage you have already caused to your skin? Men's skin has its own characteristics, but it is not an anomaly for which there is no appropriate care. Quite the contrary – there is a wide range of men's facial and body care products available for all skin types.

When you wake up in the morning, wash your face gently, not with soap but men's facewash as facial skin is the most sensitive and soaps are harsh to facial skin due to their chemical composition.

Or even better, take a bath early in the morning so that the skin can get the dirt out.

There's no big difference in use of body cleanser or soap, use the one you prefer. Close your opened-up pores with splashes of cold water.

Use a light gel-based day cream or classic facial cream as your moisturiser for daytime. Regenerating night creams for men are slightly richer to assist with skin elasticity. A modern anti-wrinkle facial treatment protects men's skin from environmental influences.

Shave when and where needed

Body shaving is not much encouraged in our country, but it is helpful for maintaining personal hygiene, and curbing issues related to body odour from armpits and below the belt areas.

Men often do not shave body parts with the idea that having body hair protects against the sun. Quite the contrary!

Small droplets of water and sweat tend to stick to body hair and act like a magnifying glass in sunlight. They intensify the sun's rays and make the skin more likely to burn. If that was not enough, thick body hair also makes it difficult to apply a tight layer of sun protection against the skin.

Moreover, shaving gives men an extra edge in skin care. This intense exfoliation of the outer skin layers can lead to a more youthful skin appearance. But it can also irritate skin and lead to more ingrown hairs or bumps if you are not careful.

In general, it's a good idea to change your razor blade every 3-4 uses if you shave often. Use quality shaving products. And for other body parts, use of body shaving gel is suggested.

Smell good to feel good

When you smell good, you not only feel good about yourself, but it also boosts your confidence. Getting rid of BO usually is not hard if you practice good hygiene. While you should take a daily bath and wear clean clothes, you should also use deodorant or antiperspirant. Using deodorant or antiperspirant will help mask body odour, and/or decrease sweating.

Tidy up and be kind to your skin, and your skin will reward you with sharp and edgy looks. Also, throw out all the beauty products you have, shift to products used to cater to men's needs.

Give these a try and you will feel different about yourself.

Photo: Shahrear Kabir Heemel

Models: Daud

Styling: Sonia Yeasmin Isha

Location: Pan Pacific Sonargaon,

Dhaka