Men, Myths and Skincare

April 2006

Let's not kid ourselves -- men really do care about the way they look, even if they don't show it. Here are some solutions to those common problems men don't want to talk about.

It's the 21st century, and men are finally coming out of the skin care closet. In fact, men's skin care is a seven-point-seven billion dollar industry. Whether it's treating hair loss or eliminating unsightly hairs, men are finally taking pride in how they look.

What are the most common problems men face and how can they be fixed?

More than 20-million American men are losing their hair. Who's to blame?

You might have heard baldness is inherited from your mother's father. But Doctor Robert Weiss says that's a myth. "You're probably in trouble though if both your mother's side and your father's side are bald," said Dr. Weiss. To reduce the risk -- drink up.

Two glasses of wine a day are shown to slow hair loss by preventing the liver from breaking down as much estrogen. Doctor Weiss says Rogaine and Propecia can help.

Nearly 80 percent of men say shaving irritates their skin.

"The curlier your hair is, the more likely it is to, as it's growing, to grow back into the skin and create a bump," said Dr. Weiss.

To minimize the ouch factor, get the beard thoroughly wet, shave with the grain, don't repeat strokes and relax your skin.

Finally, unwanted hair is a big problem for many men.

"That seems to be something that bothers women a lot about their, their mate," said Dr. Weiss. But you can skip the waxing and shaving. New lasers can zap a back-full of hair in less than 20 minutes. They work on faces, too.

"It's starting to permeate into male consciousness that you actually can do things," said Dr. Weiss. Things that will keep that man in the mirror smiling back. Doctor Weiss is currently studying a new way to stimulate hair growth.

He's testing a device that uses low-energy red light to energize hair follicles. The energized follicles absorb the light, which stimulates them to grow. We'll be sure to bring you that story when there are results to report!