There’s a distinct skin care perk to being male… Aging strategies for men’s skin is naturally thick with a strong underlying structure. That means the aging process comes on slowly, and the years of neglect can be treated successfully, even if you start doing it a little later than you should have.
Men usually start worrying about lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet at two different periods in their lives:
- Late 20’s – early 30’s: You’re finally starting to make it in the world. But when you look in the mirror, the years of partying and playing ball in the sun all day long are causing your face to show early signs of aging.
- Late 40’s – early 50’s: You’ve achieved personal and professional success. But you look ten years older than you feel. And now you’ve got younger guys eyeing your spot at work. It would help if you stayed young and energized enough to stick it out in the challenging business world and your personal life.
A man’s skin ages differently than a woman’s, and understanding a few key factors is necessary to effectively address these concerns as we age. First, androgens (testosterone) cause men’s skin to be 25% thicker than women’s, which leads to a higher concentration of collagen and elastin—and, therefore, firmer skin that tends to look more youthful in older age. Another concern is shaving and skin sensitivity. While the exfoliation that comes with shaving is vital to refine skin texture and smooth the skin, doing so improperly causes irritation that can harm the skin over time by compromising its protective barrier.
Most Common Skin Complaints
Reddish Brown Discoloration on the Sides of the Neck and Forehead
Redness on the neck is often caused by vascular damage; in medical terms, it is called Poikiloderma. These are little clustersof dilated or broken capillaries, making the skin look red. Brown patches associated with Poikiloderma are hyperpigmentation caused by excess melanin production. This is no different than hyperpigmentation brought on by conditions such as melasma or even just summer sunspots. Still, the combination of brown and red discoloration makes Poikiloderma a little more complicated to address. What causes this? Multiple factors can contribute to this condition since it’s a group of symptoms rather than an actual disease. The main trigger, however, seems to be sun damage. Poikiloderma is sometimes simply referred to as “sun aging.” Since Poikiloderma mostly appears on the sides of the neck, the use of aftershave, cologne with synthetic ingredients, when spritzed on to the skin, interacts with UV light from the sun and causes the skin to discolor.
Since Poikiloderma mostly appears on the sides of the neck, I used to hear the theory that it was brought on by a reaction to perfume or cologne being spritzed onto this delicate skin and how it might interact with the sun. This has since been debunked, but I still avoid using perfumes or anything else sensitizing on these areas.
Crusty Age Spots (seborrheic keratosis)
Seborrheic keratosis and actinic keratosis can resemble each other. They both begin to appear after the age of 40, and they both can appear crusty and scaly. Seborrheic keratoses are crusty age spots. They’re scaly, bumpy growths that are darker than the rest of your skin. My clients and I call them skin barnacles because they’re stuck on the skin like barnacles are stuck to boats and rocks!
These skin barnacles can form on any part of your body, but most commonly along your hairline, neck (where they can look like small skin tags), under your breast folds, on your back, on the outside of your forearms, on the back of your hands, on the top of your feet, and behind your knees.
Over several years, liver spots or sunspots have been caused by exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV light causes cells in your skin to produce melanin in a high concentration. Melanin is what gives your skin these patches of color. Skin barnacles, like warts, occur when living skin cells grow excessively and form a little mound raised higher than the rest of your skin. The little mound of living cells makes excessive layers of dead skin cells (called the stratum corneum). That’s why they feel crusty and stuck on – like a barnacle. These can be successfully eliminated twice daily use of Sunshine Botanicals texture refining double cleanse system. This blend of enzymes and gentle acids will successfully dissolve layers of blotchy, crusty, and discolored skin texture and transform the skin – this tutorial will explain how this works.
Blackheads, Breakouts, and Oily Skin
Testosterone increases oil gland oil production, meaning that oily skin and clogged pores can be a lifelong skin problems for men. The good news is that most men outgrow their worst acne-prone years after adolescence. It’s still important for men to pick the right skin care products to control skin oil and clogged pores. I’ve developed efficient skin care routines that use powerful, multitasking products to tackle men’s skin problems. The bottom line is that it takes just a few low-maintenance but targeted skincare steps for a man to have healthy and attractive skin that looks well-groomed and youthful. I treat a number of men in my skin care practice, and so many men don’t realize that oily skin, acne, and clogged pores can be treated with simple skin care products – deep cleansing and oil-free hydration used twice daily can resolve e these issues quickly. Hands down, this daily skin detox combo is a total game changer and will clear clogged pores and congested skin fast.
Dark Circles Under Eyes – Crows Feet
The skin around and beneath your eyes is extremely thin and sensitive. Blood naturally pools under this thin layer of skin, forming visibly dark circles. This issue is exaggerated in the morning since you’ve been laying down all night sleeping, and lymphatic fluid can build up and pool in the face making you look puffy. On top of that, the aging process doesn’t help. As you get older, your natural layer of fat under the skin starts to thin out, and this reduces a buffer that had once dulled those dark circles, making them look more pronounced. Sunshine Botanicals Liquid 02 Extreme Eye Repair was developed to address these needs and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 15% with our stable form of vitamin C (Astaxanthin) – this ingredient is 50 times more effective than ascorbic acid as an antioxidant and skin brightener and very specific to treat environmental aging.
Redness and Sensitivity
There is no universal cause for sensitive skin. It is different from one person to the next, and the term “sensitive” can mean many things. Mostly, what people refer to as sensitive skin isa condition caused by irritating ingredients in topical products used on the skin, environmental conditions, seasonal dryness, a dull razor, poorly-pH-balanced skincare products, and much more. In addition, when you are enjoying a hot shower, you may not be thinking about what harmful contaminants you may be showering in – this is HUGE for sensitive and reactive skin…get the chlorine and chemicals out of your bathwater immediately, and choose ultra-soothing, plant-based, anti-redness cleansers like Sunshine Botanicals Redness Relief Bar and aftershave/skin hydration formulations such as Hydrating Recovery Mist and The Elixir to immediately reduce irritation, rashes, and stressed skin conditions of all types.
What Ingredients Should You Be Looking For?
Just because a product has the words “anti-aging” on the label doesn’t guarantee it does anything to address signs of aging. However, a few proven ingredients can make a real difference if used correctly.
Liquid Oxygen
Oxygen is nature’s ignition for cellular metabolism and is needed for optimum cellular turnover to preserve youthful skin. But as we age, our skin’s ability to capture oxygen from blood circulation diminishes. Capillaries begin to deteriorate, limiting the circulation of oxygen-loaded hemoglobin and vital skin nutrients. Moreover, sluggish circulation interferes with the evacuation of toxins leading to skin aging symptoms, including wrinkles, age spots, and loss of tone and moisture.
Our skin’s thirst for oxygen is vital in the production of collagen. Essentially, oxygen promotes metabolic processes within the dermis and viable cells to produce a higher state of activity. Oxygen enhances collagen formation in fibroblasts, among many other actions resulting in strengthening the connective tissue matrix and firm, more youthful-looking skin.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal Silver has been described as “the best all-around germ fighter” by research scientists and is essentially a water suspension of ionic silver. Since medieval times, silver has been used as an anti-bacterial agent that helps heal skin abrasions and burns. and
The antiseptic and preservative power of Colloidal Silver has been well proven for decades, especially for burns and wounds. It supports the destruction of enzymes required for the metabolism of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Compared to standard antibiotics, Colloidal Silver has been shown to destroy several hundred different microbial strains.
Comfrey
Since 400 BC, early Greek physicians have used Comfrey to heal wounds and damaged skin. The high Allantoin content promotes skin cell regeneration, stimulates the growth of new cells, and helps sensitive skin to become more resilient, counteracting dryness and cracking. Comfrey acts as an emollient and is very soothing inhibiting further damage to tissues and stimulating the production of cartilage, tendons, and muscles.
ASCORBIC ACID POLYPEPTIDE
A stable, water-soluble form of Vitamin C that can penetrate the outer layers of the epidermis. When applied to the skin, it is exceptionally stable and readily available to convert to Vitamin C.
Purslane
A botanical “superfood” that activates telomerase, also known as the fountain of youth enzyme that protects our DNA to prolong the lifespan of skin cells.
Ferulic Acid
A strong antioxidant that boosts the activity of all the active ingredients in this formula and helps minimize lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic Acid
Plumps and binds moisture deep into the skin.
Your Anti-Aging Strategy!
When you know what causes the signs of aging and which ingredients help fight it, you can create an effective plan to prevent and even reverse the signs of aging. Adopt this easy, strategic anti-aging routine to see noticeable results.
1. Cleanse and Detoxify:
This is THE foundation of any effective skin care program, and done consistently. It will transform the skin faster than absolutely anything else… Sunshine Botanicals double cleanse system was created to jump-start your skin transformation and help repair rough skin and sun damage, minimize large pores, and eliminate breakouts. Results are immediate and impressive.
2. Moisture, Hydration, and After Shave Repair:
Rapid Repair Fluid is a light, oil-free hydrating fluid that is ideal for all skin types and infused with nature’s most healing and skin-repairing ingredients to heal nicks and irritation and minimize breakouts quickly. For super sensitive and in need of additional moisture and repair, The Elixir is the perfect finishing product for shaving and provides extra moisture for daily protection.
3. Serum:
Think of these as “power tools”… high-performance ingredients blended into gel-based nutrient “cocktails” that are supercharged and known for their abilities to repair and regenerate aging and environmentally damaged skin. Botanical extracts, antioxidants, amino acids, and moisture-binding plant sugars have been shown in research studies to nourish deeply, repair, and restore skin vitality. Serums may be used alone or layered with other anti-aging creams for even more specific results. Our Vitamin C+ Brightening Moisture Fluid is an absolute favorite of our male clientele.
4. Eye Cream:
With this knowledge and results-focused strategy, you can greatly change your skin. Don’t be surprised if you get asked how you turned back the clock. (It’s up to you if you want to tell them the truth!)
I hope this information helps you find your solution, and I can’t wait to show you more! Follow us on FB, YouTube, Our Blog, and sign up for our newsletter. Sending much love and blessings!!
My Passion Is Your Solution!
XOXOXO
