Skincare, once the exclusive domain of women, is now being sought out by more and more men. No longer just for women, even men’s magazines are getting in on the male skin care trend, with skin care advice columns focused on the elements of basic and sensible skin care.

As more men become interested in improving their skin, more products and gadgets are being formulated especially for them. No matter what the skin care regimen, it must be constantly maintained for constant results.

Anyway, skin care treatments for men are growing in popularity. Men require special skin care treatments because their skin is different than women’s. Male skin is about half a millimeter thicker than female skin, and men tend to have larger pores in their skin. These larger pores often lead to oilier, sweatier skin.

Most men wash their faces with the same deodorant soap they use on their bodies; which, unfortunately, can lead to skin irritation or a dull, pasty complexion. Men, generally, should opt for light citrusy cleansers which will cut the oil without drying the skin.

Once a week use of a salicylic acid based scrub can help keep the skin in check; it will remove dead skin cells and will reduce or prevent blemishes. A mild toner will reduce the size of the pores and decrease the possibility of ingrown hairs.

Men should wear sunscreen, and should apply it to the face, nose, ears and scalp, as these are areas most likely to burn (or worse). Most men ignore warnings about sunscreen.

With some cleansing, toning, and sunscreen, men can develop a simple skin care regimen which helps them look and feel great.

A new study offers the intriguing result that male skin function can be improved by creams containing caffeine.

In this study, scientists noted that androgens (like testosterone) tend to decrease the health of hair at the scalp, and to reduce the skin’s capacity to repair itself.

Caffeine, as applied in a hydroxycellulose gel, was applied to the arms of male volunteers and female volunteers for seven days. Water loss through the skin was measured at the start and at the end of the seven day study. Amount of water loss did not differ between male and female subjects at the start of the study, but there was a significant difference at the end of the study.

This means that caffeine was able to slow down water loss from the skin, which helped skin retain moisture and proper hydration. This boosted the skin’s capacity to repair itself, and to repel infection.

We probably will see more caffeine creams coming onto the market in men’s skin care. This should improve skin health and barrier protection, resulting in fewer skin problems in the future.