What Men Don’t Know About Skin Care

SPOKANE — The difference between how men and women approach their skin care regimen – or lack of one – may be obvious to many, but it’s especially apparent to skin care specialists like Janette Watson.

“They use the wrong products,” Watson says of men. “They think a bar of soap will do everything for them from head to toe. They think it’s magic, but it’s not.”

Men, she says, operate under the assumption that their skin is somehow tougher than a woman’s, which she cites as a fallacy.

“Their skin is delicate, actually,” Watson reveals, “Because you have an aggressive shave regimen, probably, if not everyday. You shave, so that leaves your skin open and it’s more vulnerable that way.”

While many men might not give a second thought, Watson cites problems that can arise with a lack of proper skin care, especially for those relying solely on a bar of soap.

“It dries your skin out,” she says. “It changes your PH level of your skin and then it can lead to other problems as well.”

Watson recommends basic preventative steps like moisturizing, exfoliating and using sun screen even in winter months. Though most men don’t spend the time on this sort of routine, she says it’s easier than you might think.

“You can get products that have simple application,” she says. “They’re very basic and it takes care of quite a few steps.”

For men looking to take this step, Watson says the first thing to do is get an evaluation from a skin care professional, a practice that she says is getting more and more common.

“Usually when they first come in they’re really hesitant and not all that excited to be here,” Watson claims, “But then when they leave they’re booking their next appointment and making sure that I don’t tell anybody that they’re coming back… But ya, they do come back.”