Issue link: http://www.finelinesmagazine.com/i/1221552
www.ascpskincare.com 11 FACT 6 Estheticians can address your worries about ingrown hairs, large and clogged pores, and wrinkles with thorough, deep- cleansing treatments and gentle extractions. FACT 7 Men frequently have back and chest skin issues. Back and chest acne and breakout-prone skin require both professional and home-care treatments. Have back hair? Having it waxed stings a little, but it's a fast and inexpensive way to remove it. FACT 8 Consider purchasing the home-care products your esthetician suggests. Routinely using professional-grade scrubs, shaving- related products, lightweight moisturizers, and even eye creams at home will help maintain the treatment you've just received. ▪ How to Shave Correctly Follow this step-by-step procedure to achieve calmer, smoother, and clearer skin, and avoid shaving irritation and beard bumps. • Always cleanse the face first with a low-foaming cleanser. Rinse thoroughly with room-temperature water. • If using a manual razor, make sure the blades are fresh and sharp. Use an unscented shave cream; fragrance can be an irritant to freshly shaved skin. Apply the shave cream liberally to the skin. • A single-blade razor is a better choice if you have a tendency toward ingrown hairs. • Shave in the direction of hair growth. Carefully check different areas of your face to see which direction the hair grows in. Different areas of the face can have different growth patterns. • If you don't think you get a close enough shave when you shave with the growth pattern, shave twice. Shaving against the growth pattern does give a closer shave but can definitely cause the hair to be cut at angles so hairs can easily become ingrown, causing infected follicles (beard bumps), folliculitis, inflammation, redness, pimples, and even possible scarring. • If using an electric razor, the skin should be completely dry before shaving. Shave following the razor manufacturer's directions. Again, you may need to follow the pattern twice to get a closer shave. • After shaving with either method, spray your face thoroughly with an alcohol-free toner. This one step makes a huge difference in diminishing the likelihood of shaving irritation and ingrown hairs. • If your skin is very sensitive or reddens easily, apply a soothing serum with ingredients like green tea, allantoin, witch hazel, or licorice extracts. • For ingrown hairs, ask your esthetician to recommend a specialty product containing salicylic acid, sulfur with resorcinol, or benzoyl peroxide. Sulfur masks may also be helpful in drying up these lesions. • Finish with a lightweight, broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen moisturizer. If your skin is oily, make sure the sunscreen is a matte-finish moisture product.