By Shelley Abrams
One of the many health campaigns throughout the U.S. for the month of November is “National Healthy Skin Month”. This campaign is aimed at educating the public – men, women and children – on the importance of healthy skin, and preventing or resolving common skin problems and skin cancer.
Most people assume that women pay attention to their skin to try to keep it healthy, young and glowing. It is also assumed that women, in turn, tend to their children’s skin health, at least until the teen years. But men… not so much, at least that’s what we believe. However, men do take care of their skin and since 2007, there has been a significant increase in advertising for men’s skin care. In fact, the results of a study published by Mintel in September 2013 states, “beauty and personal care launches specifically targeted at men have increased globally by 70% over the past six years (2007/2012)” and “The U.S. market [men’s grooming] increased almost 20%…, with sales expected to rise by 16%… in the US… by 2017.”
Now, more than ever, men are seeking to keep their skin younger looking and healthier, just like their female counterparts. The Mintel study supports this by saying that in the U.S., approximately 28% of men are concerned about dry skin and visible signs of aging and 59% feel personal care products boost their self-esteem.
While men and women’s skin differ in texture and feel (men’s skin is often thicker and less elastic than women’s), the importance of good skin care in maintaining that healthy sexy glow is the same.
So why is it so important for everyone to pay attention to their skin? Because it’s an organ, in fact it is the largest organ in your body. It lives, breathes and serves important functions just as your heart, lung or kidneys do. Some of these functions include protecting the body from harmful external influences such as ultraviolet rays; interaction with and an integral part of the body’s immune system; temperature regulation and excretion, through bodily functions that take place through the skin like sweating; facilitates body movement and growth through its ability to stretch and shrink; and makes it possible to have sensory experiences such as touch, pain, or feeling of temperature.
When your skin is healthy, it functions properly. When it is less healthy, skin problems such as acne, eczema, various forms of dermatitis, premature skin aging, and of course skin cancer, can occur.
What you can do to have healthy skin
So what do the medical experts say we need to do to keep our skin healthy? There are many things men, women and children can do, simple things like:
- Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids – especially water – and using moisturizers and lotions on the skin
- Keeping one’s hands away from one’s face (helps minimize the spread of bacteria to the face which causes breakouts, and makes for potentially fewer wrinkles); for men, this means no pulling on the face while shaving
- Making sure there is no excess build-up of oil on the skin by washing the skin gently and regularly (ideally daily and after exercising) and exfoliating at least once a week
- Using and applying sunscreen properly, and also avoiding up close exposure to direct heat such as campfires
- Using moisturizing shaving cream or lotion, and shaving in the direction of hair growth (especially important for men to minimize skin irritations such as razor burns or ingrown hairs)
- If this applies to you – stop smoking!
- Exercising regularly and staying well rested with enough sleep
- Eating healthfully, at least most of the time
- Regularly examining our skin
- Wearing proper foot wear (shoes, socks, stockings) to prevent blisters and corns.
It is also important to use high-quality skin care products and supplements, both of which Shaklee can help you with. In fact, in