Life

7 Important Male Hygiene Tips Most People Don’t Realize Men Need To Be Doing

by Lauren Schumacker

There are things that you need to do to take care of yourself every day — or, at least, on a regular basis. These things can range from getting plenty of sleep to fitting in a workout, making sure you can squeeze in a shower, brushing your teeth, or eating nutritious foods. Having good hygiene definitely falls under the umbrella of self-care, but not everyone grew up with the tools that they need in order to develop good hygiene habits. There are some important male hygiene tips most people don't realize men need to be doing for a variety of reasons that a lot of people probably need to know more about.

There are a number of reasons why the men in your life may or may not be doing all of the things necessary to take care of themselves. Maybe they think that these things aren't actually as important as they are, maybe they were never taught to do them, or maybe when they get busy, self-care is one of the first things to go. Regardless of the reason, it's important that men establish and maintain healthy hygiene habits for the good of their physical and mental health, their relationships, and their quality of life.

1

Know The Difference Between Deodorant & Antiperspirant — And Use Them

Though the idea that you might want to use some sort of product to help keep body odor and sweat at bay might not be all that new to most people, knowing the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant and using them for their intended purposes is something that might actually be an important thing to learn for some. In an interview with Everyday Health, Maurice Voce, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Skin Authority, explained that while deodorant is meant to eliminate odors, antiperspirant is not. Antiperspirant meant to stop sweating.

Using the right product for the right problem can help make sure that you have less of a chance to end up either excessively sweaty or excessively smelly.

2

Wash Your Towels Regularly

As Complex noted, in order to have good hygiene, you have to wash your sheets and towels regularly. If your sheets and towels are dirty, they're not actually helping your level of cleanliness (or your health for that matter). For some men, this is a bit of a revelation, but it's just as important to wash your sheets, towels, and wash cloths as it is to wash your clothes.

3

Change Your Socks Regularly

Although you might always switch out your socks if you've sweat in them, you still might not be changing them as often as you should. MSN Healthy Living reported that the Institute for Preventive Foot Health’s 2012 National Foot Health Assessment found that about 29 percent of men had experienced athlete's foot. Foot fungus can cause serious issues and, while it's not the only way to avoid it, changing your socks regularly can help minimize your risk.

4

If You Have Dandruff, Wash Your Hair More

If you've read a haircare article lately or even had a conversation with your hairstylist, you might have heard that, in general, a lot of people wash their hair too often. That's true, but it also doesn't tell the whole story, exactly. In an interview with Men's Fitness, Dr. Ellen Gendler, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, said that the best way to treat dandruff is to wash your hair everyday with a specially-formulated dandruff shampoo.

5

Make Sure You're Flossing

Flossing is important for everyone, of course, but you might not realize just how vital it is for men. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2013 found that men with chronic periodontitis between the ages of 30 and 40 were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Also, as Reuters reported, a study published in Lancet Oncology found that men with periodontal disease were more likely to develop pancreatic, kidney, lung, and blood cancers. Flossing is one of the things that helps prevent periodontitis and periodontal disease, so make sure it gets done.

6

Stop Over-Trimming Down There

Whether or not you trim your pubic hair is really more of a personal decision than anything else, but there are also some things you should keep in mind. Men's Journal reported that pubic hair can help keep you clean and make sex more comfortable. That, plus the potential for ingrown hairs means that you want to be careful to not over-trim.

7

Take Your Time Shaving

In an interview with Complex for the previously-mentioned article, shaving expert Mark Sprosten said that most men who deal with razor burn are shaving too quickly or with strokes that are too long. Changing your razor blade out regularly can help prevent painful razor burn too. It'll make you feel and look a whole lot better.

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