MEN ARE JOINING THE CONVERSATION

THE HAUS NOTES · MEN’S SKIN & AESTHETIC CARE · 5 MIN READ

After more than a decade in aesthetics and skin health, I’ve watched more men become comfortable asking questions about their skin, ageing and appearance and it’s a shift I’m genuinely pleased to see.

Over the past decade, there has been a quiet but noticeable shift in aesthetic medicine and skin health. More men are walking through our doors. More men are asking questions about their skin, noticing how it changes with age, becoming curious about what good skin health looks like, and feeling increasingly comfortable exploring aesthetic care. Recently, I’ve been talking about this with colleagues across the industry, and we’ve all noticed it too.

THE CONVERSATION IS CHANGING

For a long time, skincare and aesthetic medicine were largely marketed towards women. And while men have always experienced the same very natural things, ageing, sun damage, changes in skin quality, scarring, pigmentation, hair changes and concerns about how they look and feel. There hasn't always been the same social permission to talk openly about it. I'm glad that's changing. Because taking care of yourself should never have felt as though it belonged to one gender.

CARE IS FOR PEOPLE. AND EVERYONE SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING PART OF THAT CONVERSATION

Earlier in my career, men certainly came into aesthetic and skin clinics, but there was often a little hesitation around it. Sometimes the conversation would start with humour: “My wife told me I had to come." Or "I don't really know what I'm doing here."

There could be a sense that caring about your skin or appearance required an explanation. Over time, I've watched that slowly change. Men are becoming more curious about their skin and more comfortable asking questions about ageing, skin health and aesthetic medicine. They're researching. They're talking to their partners. They're asking friends about their experiences. They're becoming more conscious of sunscreen and skincare. And increasingly, they're making the appointment themselves. Perhaps most importantly, they're becoming comfortable simply saying: "I would like to look after myself." And that shouldn't feel unusual.

MEN'S SKIN CHANGES TOO

Men experience changes in their skin and appearance throughout life. Collagen changes. Skin quality changes. Years of sun exposure may become more apparent. Pigmentation can develop. Old acne scarring may become more noticeable as the surrounding skin changes. Facial structure evolves with age, and hair and scalp concerns may begin to appear. Lifestyle, work, stress, sleep, hormones, general health and years spent outdoors can all contribute to what we eventually see reflected back at us. And sometimes there isn't one particular concern.

It may simply be looking in the mirror one day and thinking: "I look more tired than I feel." Or “My skin doesn't look or feel like it used to." That doesn't mean something needs to be fixed and it certainly doesn't automatically mean you need treatment. It might simply make you curious.

YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO ASK FOR

This is one of the most important things I want men coming into Lau-vei Haus to understand. You don't need to know what treatment you need. You don't need to understand the terminology. You don't need an elaborate skincare routine. You can simply tell us what you've noticed.

• Maybe your skin feels different.

• Maybe years spent outdoors are beginning to show.

• Maybe acne scarring has bothered you for a long time.

• Maybe you're noticing changes around your eyes, face or jawline.

• Maybe you would simply like to start looking after your skin properly and have no idea where to begin.
  
  

You don’t need to know what you need. 
That’s what the conversation is for.

AND IF SOMEONE YOU LOVE SENT YOU THIS...

Take it as a gentle nudge. We know that sometimes a partner, friend or family member starts the conversation. They may already understand skincare. They may have been encouraging you to wear sunscreen for years. They may have noticed something about your skin before you did, or simply know you've mentioned something that's been bothering you. Sometimes the people closest to us are the ones who encourage us to prioritise something we've been putting off. But once you're here, the conversation is yours. We want to understand what you have noticed, what matters to you, and what you feel comfortable with. That includes deciding you don't want to do anything at all. A consultation doesn't mean committing to treatment. Sometimes it simply means having the space to ask questions and better understand your skin.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT LOOKING YOUNGER

Being interested in skin health and aesthetic medicine doesn't automatically mean you're trying to look younger. Looking after your skin doesn't mean you're fighting ageing. For many men, the goal is far more understated. Healthier-looking skin, better skin quality, understanding how to care for it. Addressing something specific that has bothered them for years. Looking a little less tired or simply wanting to continue looking like themselves as they age. There's an important difference between wanting to change how you look and wanting to take care of what you already have. Ageing well doesn't have to mean chasing youth. Sometimes it simply means understanding what's changing and making informed choices about how you'd like to care for yourself along the way.

THE APPROACH DOESN'T CHANGE

There are differences in male skin, facial anatomy, structure, hair & scalp health and patterns of ageing that are important to understand clinically. But our philosophy of care doesn't change. We listen first. We consider the individual. Their skin, anatomy, movement, health, lifestyle, concerns and priorities and then we discuss what may, or may not, be appropriate. Not every concern requires treatment. The goal is to provide thoughtful, individualised care that makes sense for the person sitting in front of us.

CARE THROUGH EVERY STAGE OF LIFE

This is part of the broader philosophy behind Lau-vei Haus. We aren't creating a space exclusively for women. Nor are we creating one exclusively for men. We're creating a place where people can feel comfortable asking questions about their skin, health, ageing and appearance throughout different stages of life. Because what matters to us changes. Our skin changes. Our health changes. Our priorities change. And what feels important at 30 may look completely different at 40, 50, 60 or 70. Good care should be able to evolve alongside us.

PERHAPS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS SIMPLY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT

This is the part I find most encouraging. It isn't simply that more men are exploring skin health or aesthetic medicine. It's that more men seem comfortable having the conversation in the first place.

Less embarrassment.
Less need to make a joke about it.
Less feeling that caring about your skin or noticing visual changes somehow needs to be justified.

It should always have been acceptable. But after more than a decade in this industry, it’s genuinely so nice to see that conversation changing.

So whether you've been thinking about your skin for years, you've only recently noticed something changing, or someone who cares about you has sent you this article with a gentle hint attached. You're welcome here. You don't need to know what you need. You don't need to know the terminology and you don't need to commit to doing anything. Come as you are, ask questions, be curious. We'll help you understand the rest.

Because taking care of yourself was never supposed to belong to one gender.

Lauren Chandler
Registered Nurse · Advanced Dermal Clinician · Aesthetic Clinical Trainer
Founder, Lau-vei Haus
Ascot, Brisbane
Personalised aesthetic medicine, skin health and regenerative care.