Ruben Hopkins believes he has finally figured out what is best for his skin -- warm water and a towel.

“The more I scrub and am rough with my skin, the better it looks,” he says.

Hopkins, 50, of Milwaukee, is not necessarily concerned about getting his skin squeaky clean by exfoliating and unclogging his pores. He is like most men who stereotypically do not pay as much attention as they should to skin care.

Dr. Michael Gold, founder of Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, Tenn., says men suffer from similar skin issues as women and should pay more attention to their skin’s care.

“Men don't like lotions and potions,” he says. “We don't like putting medicines on our skin. It’s just a culture thing.”

Lotions And Potions

Nevertheless, men suffer from some of the same skin issues that women combat every day by applying various lotions and creams.

“The biggest problem for me is that men are usually not as compliant as women are in using skin care products, whether over-the-counter or prescription,” Gold says. “Men suffer from dry skin, flaking skin or seborrhea, acne and other conditions which require some sort of medical or skin-care intervention.”

Gold adds that both men and women should use a sunscreen and other skin care to decrease signs of aging, such as wrinkles and sun spots.

He says men should start a skin care regimen by applying a sunscreen daily.

“Then they should get in the habit of using a moisturizer, especially those with dry skin,” he says. “Products like Revaleskin skin care can help with signs of aging and in this economy and job environment, men need to stay looking good and having good skin so as not to be overlooked in a job search.”

Ingrown Hairs

Men, especially black men, also sometimes suffer from a condition known as pseudofollicultiis barbae, or razor bumps, Gold says.

It happens when the hairs twist and turn back to the skin, nicking the skin. That irritation results in raised bumps at the site of the injury.

“The condition is often difficult to treat, but can be dealt with proper skin care and at times, lasers,” Gold says, adding that antibiotics and topical therapies also help.

Hopkins, who is African-American, has experienced ingrown hairs.

“The closer I shave, the more ingrown hairs I get once hair starts to grow back. By the 5th or 6th day, the ingrown hairs are driving me crazy,” he says. “(It’s) very irritating.”

To help curtail this problem, he does not shave as close as he would like.

“I use an electric razor and have it set so it does not cut the hair below the skin,” Hopkins says. “So, I always get my 5 o’clock shadow at around 2 o’clock.”

Bumps On Your Back

Back acne is also common among all men.

Gold says it is seen more commonly in those who are more active and perspire a lot.

Because backs are often neglected in daily hygiene routines because of inaccessibility, many spas offer back "facials" to ward off and get rid of back acne.

Irene Starlone, an esthetician at Salon Menage Day Spa and Relaxation Center, says a back facial should be part of a skin care regimen at least once a month to ward off blackheads and breakouts on the back. The spa is located in LaPlace, La.

Starlone said the spa's back facial includes a deep cleanse under steam to open the pores and an exfoliation process. There is also an extraction of black heads. A toner is then applied, followed by a clay mask.

"A lot of people come in the summer because that is when they sweat a lot," Starlone says.

Other services specifically for men include men's facials, sports pedicures and deep tissue massages.

Targeting men is a growing trend, according to International Spa Association, because men account for about 30 percent of spa-goers.

"At first, there is a fear of, 'Oh, I'm girlie,' " Starlone says. "Then they realize they have to take care of their skin, too, and they come back."