Damage control

Fighting the inexorable march of time is a battle that women have faced since the advent of cosmetics - and now skin-conscious men are joining the ranks.

Cosmetics companies, meanwhile, are looking at the unique factors that affect how the skin ages and developing special serums, gels and creams to protect against this.

Men's skin, says Mandy Leung, senior training manager for Shiseido, is affected by five main factors: age, lifestyle, environment, food and overall health.

"Due to hormonal differences, women's skin ageing is more obvious and there are a greater number of skin concerns, while men's skin ageing issues appear later in life," she says.

"As with women, men's skin moisture decreases with age. Moisture and oil will become unbalanced, and pores will become rough by their later years."

While it's true that men's skin ages at a slower rate compared with women's, when ageing does begin it occurs at a far greater rate and often the damage is more visible.