Skin Struggles For Men: How To Deal With Them

Real men take pride in caring for their skin. Grooming has evolved far beyond simply getting a haircut and applying aftershave. And it’s not just to look good, although who doesn’t want to cheat their age? Guys are just as concerned about skin struggles like sun damage and skin cancer.

Here are the top three skin struggles for men and how to deal with them

Skin Cancer

Let’s start with the serious stuff. At Skin Renewal, we are all too familiar with skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions. Living in sunny South Africa with its second-highest UV concentration globally, this is our reality. The trick is to check for the earliest warning signs of what could become more dangerous. Pre-cancerous lesions, such as actinic keratosis (AK), are common lesions. It’s a result of ultraviolet light and means the very first sign of squamous cells (SCC). However, discovering an AK early is vital. The same applies to moles or any other skin marks that appear abnormal.

Sun Damage

Managed to live in South Africa and escape the heat? We didn’t think so. Even the most sun-smart will have been exposed to our harsh UV at some point. And for men, maybe that means with age come signs of sun damage. This is also known as photoageing. As the skin thins, all is revealed, and issues like sun spots appear. These common skin problems for men include pigmentation and rough-textured skin. The solution lies in treatments that target uneven skin pigment. And also smoothing the skin’s surface once more. The industry term for it is resurfacing. A number of treatments may be needed, including IPL-type therapies. Additionally, consider a mild skin peel that combines gentle acids. Perfect for oily and acne-prone skin, this type of skin peel can help with sun damage.

Age Spots

Which one out of three skin struggles would really give away a guy’s age? Age spots! Described as “liver spots”, they look brown, grey or black in colour. Appearing on the body’s sun-exposed places – like the hands – they crop up as you age. But not always. These flat spots sometimes show up as early as the twenties! A real sun worshiper? That may be why. For most men, it’s not until they hit forty or even fifty that age spots appear. In that space? Your treatment plan needs to include both home products and in-clinic therapies. We suggest trying active ingredients like AHAs, PHAs, Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone. Formulated into skincare products, gentle acids can help treat age spots and pigmentation. For targeted treatments, advanced lasers and IPLS are extremely helpful. Breaking up pigment (the uneven colour), it’s accurate when working on small areas of skin.

In conclusion, it’s encouraging to know that there are many ways to address your skin concerns. We know that getting older is just a matter of time. However, as your skin is your body’s largest organ, its health is crucial. Starting the conversation is the first big step. We’re always here to chat.