They say “Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus,” but that’s only somewhat true when it comes to skin care. Here’s a closer look at the physiological differences, as well as the ideal components of a man’s skin-care routine.
Featured Experts
- Joel Schlessinger, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in Omaha, NE
- Dr. Matthew Elias is a board-certified dermatologist in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Taylor Hooker is the marketing manager at Jack Black
- Daniel Schlessinger, MD is a board-certified in Omaha, NE
The Differences Between Men’s Skin and Women’s Skin—and How It Ages
Though most skin-care products are universal, there are structural differences between male and female skin. Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD says most of the differences are due to hormone levels. “Men have more androgen hormones—testosterone—than women. This causes the dermis, the deeper layer of skin, to be approximately 25-percent thicker in men and contributes to larger pores.”
Fort Lauderdale, FL dermatologist Dr. Matthew Elias adds that “men also have smaller oil-producing glands than women, but typically produce more oil. This can lead to potentially worse and longer-lasting acne.” Finally, men have a higher collagen density. Fortunately, this usually means fewer lines and wrinkles.
There are differences in how men’s skin ages, too. “We know that both men and women naturally lose collagen—the key culprit behind wrinkles, thinning and sagging—starting in our 20s, but, we do so at different rates,” explains Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, MD. “Men lose collagen at a constant rate over their lifetime, but women’s collagen loss ramps up around the time of menopause.”
Dr. Elias says that men’s skin aging is typically directly related to skin care and sun protection, or lack thereof. “Men are typically much worse than women at skin care and sun protection, leading to more solar damage and early signs of skin aging. These first signs are usually crow’s-feet, sunspots and actinic keratoses.”
Products That Should Be in a Man’s Skin-Care Routine
The essentials in a man’s daytime skin-care regimen include a cleanser, an age-defying serum and a moisturizer with sunscreen, says Taylor Hooker, marketing manager at Jack Black. This is also the order to apply them. In a 2024 BeautyEngine survey of 1,400 women, 80.1 percent of people said their male significant other used a cleanser regularly, but only 43.2 percent said the same man used a moisturizer. “At night, wash your face and then exfoliate,” recommends Hooker. “We suggest a chemical exfoliator if you have dry or acne-prone skin. If you have combination or oily skin, use a chemical or physical exfoliator—a scrub—such as our Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub ($30). Then, apply serum and a nighttime moisturizer.”
Eye cream is considered optional, although crow’s-feet are an early sign of aging in men. For those who are bothered by puffiness and/or dark circles around the eyes, the caffeine-infused Awakening Eye Gel ($10) from Dwayne Johnson’s new men’s grooming brand PAPATUI can help.
Sun Protection for Men
Men are notoriously worse when it comes to sun protection. According to 2023 Statista data, 27 percent of males surveyed in the U.S. reported that they never apply sunscreen; 33 percent said they use it some of the time, and only 14 percent always use it. “This lack of sun care leads to more solar damage, including sunspots,” says Dr. Elias, noting that eventually these spots can become skin cancer.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer rates are higher in women before age 50, but higher in men after age 50. Dr. Elias urges his male patients to get in the habit of placing their sunscreen next to their toothbrush, so that they are reminded to apply it each morning after brushing their teeth. “I recommend EltaMD UV Sport Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($31) for men who are active outdoors playing golf or running, or those who work outside,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “It’s a hybrid of chemical and physical sunscreen that provides great protection. It’s also oil-free, so it’s less likely to clog pores.”
Shaving Staples
Though more men are embracing beards these days, Dr. Elias says men’s skin care, as it’s currently constituted, is typically built around shaving. “Good shaving products that protect the skin are essential to prevent cuts, bumps and folliculitis. Post-shave products that calm and moisturize are equally important.”
Dr. Daniel Schlessinger adds that shaving can open the door to more skin irritations in men, but some experts think that the exfoliation of shaving offers a long-term skin benefit. However, if ingrown hairs do arise, try the eucalyptus-scented Aftershave Toner from The Shop ($10), a new men’s grooming line backed by LeBron James.
In-Office Treatments for Men
Dr. Elias says neurotoxin injections (Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, or Daxxify) and light skin-resurfacing lasers are the most popular treatments for men at his South Florida practice. “Depending on the man’s age, skin quality and texture, we may use a lighter treatment like Clear + Brilliant for a younger male, versus a light CO2 or Fraxel DUAL treatment in a middle-aged male. For an older man, we may choose a more aggressive fractionated CO2 laser, though not typically up to the extent of resurfacing that we may perform in a woman of similar age.”
KLAUS VEDFELT/GETTY IMAGES
