Men are now eagerly trying to be well-groomed and adventurous in their choices to look their best. Though the main concern with men is still their hair, skin sagging, aging, and pigmentation are gradually now other critical concerns.

Dr. Rashmi Shetty says, “Almost 30% of my patients are men. And why not?”

The skincare industry has also recognized a huge potential in the male grooming market. We now have male skincare products that cater to their skin and lifestyle specifically.

Is there any difference in the male and female skincare products?

Is it necessary for them to be different?

Before we answer these questions, let us first try to understand the skin structure:

In layman terms, your skin is essentially a layered structure. It is the same in a man and a woman.

However, the difference lies the hormone metabolism, hair growth pattern, sweat rate, production of sebum, surface pH, and fat accumulation.

• Men skin is roughly 20% thicker than women skin
• Men have a higher proportion of elastin and collagen.
• Women have a thicker layer of subcutaneous fat than men.

Men have higher collagen and lose collagen at a slower rate than women when past middle age.

•  Men are more prone to develop alopecia (hair loss) and acne.
• Men sweat more and are more prone to develop acne.
• As men sweat more, it creates an environment favourable for bacterial growth. This could result in the production of odour. It is one of the reasons why cosmetic products for men have a strong fragrance.
• Men usually have more body hair that results in a higher body surface area for bacterial growth. Antibacterial soaps are highly popular with men.

Due to these differences, the market is now flooded with ‘gender-specific skincare products’ which are made acknowledging these variances promising maximum benefit when one uses them for a specific purpose.