Men’s Skin Care Tips

Hair loss

• Male pattern baldness can be inherited from either side of a family.
• Usually starts in a man’s thirties but can sometimes begin during the teen years.
• Topical and oral medications block the formation of testosterone in the hair follicle.
• Hair transplantation surgery involves moving hair from hair-bearing portions (donor sites) of the head to bald or thinning portions (recipient sites).
• A dermatologist can help determine which hair-loss treatments work best.

Shaving

• According to a recent consumer poll¹ conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy), 78 percent of men who shave have experienced irritation.
• Razor bumps and ingrown hairs are formed when facial hair is cut too short and it curls back into the skin.
• To properly shave:
  • Thoroughly wet the beard.
  • Shave in the direction that the hairs lie.
  • Avoid repeating strokes.
  • Keep the skin relaxed.
• Men who have severe shaving problems might want to consider laser hair removal.

Tattoo removal

• Lasers can remove tattoos without scarring.
• Dark blue, red, some lighter blues, and green inks all respond well to laser treatment.
• The best candidates for tattoo removal are people who have light skin and a black tattoo.
• Complete removal might require several treatments.

Excess body hair

• For large areas of the body like the shoulders and back, laser hair removal might be the best option.
• People who have light skin and dark hair are ideal candidates for laser hair removal.
• New, longer wavelength lasers can successfully be used on people who have darker skin tones.

Athlete’s foot, jock itch and nail fungus

• Tinea fungus can cause three common fungal infections: athlete’s foot, jock itch, and nail fungus.
• Tinea fungus can easily spread from one area of the body to another and requires immediate treatment.
• Tinea fungus also can affect the nails, causing the end of the nail to separate from the nail bed.
• To avoid tinea, keep the areas it targets dry and clean, use shower sandals in public bathing areas, and wear loose-fitting clothing.

Sunscreen use

• According to a recent Academy consumer poll², 65 percent of men used sunscreen when outdoors.
  • However, only 5 percent use sunscreen on a daily basis.
• Applying sunscreen is the No. 1 thing men can do to reduce aging skin.

See your dermatologist for successful diagnosis and treatment of men’s skin conditions.

^1,2 Source: Web-based consumer poll fielded in September 2005 by the Segmentation Co., a Division of Yankelovich Inc., in collaboration with the American Academy of Dermatology.