Confronting back acne

DEAR LUCY,

Using conditioners gives me cystic acne on my back. I am saddened that it has to be a case of choosing one over the other — nice, soft hair but acne-laden back or a flawless back but dry, stringy hair.

SOFIA

Yes, there is a way. A friend of mine had the same problem and I remember her telling me that she actually resorted to wearing a plastic cape (similar to the ones used in salons when we get a haircut) while applying conditioner in the shower, just to protect her back from being clogged by the richness of the conditioner’s formula. She would take it off only after she had rinsed off the conditioner. Then she would proceed with washing the rest of her body.

To clear breakouts on your back, use an antibacterial soap, and each night, apply a sulfur solution to dry them. You can easily get this sulfur solution from your favorite dermatologist.

Another alternative is to skip the conditioner in the shower altogether and just apply instead a nourishing hair oil that you can leave on after washing your hair. That works wonderfully also. You can supplement this by going for intensive hair conditioning treatments in the salon.                                                   

LUCY

* * *

Shampoo that cares for real men

DEAR RISSA,

I’m one of your male followers and always find your column informative. My wife introduced me to it because we read the papers together in the morning. I’m still a bit lazy buying the right products and just often use whatever is on the bathroom shelf. Do men really need special shampoos?                  

ED

We all have different habits. I’m the type who’s particular about my shampoo, while a conditioner never fails to be part of my ritual.  I recently learned that men actually have specific hair and scalp needs. Marlo Mangilin, personal care research and development director for Unilever, explains, “Based on our research, men have weaker scalps and are more prone to hair fall due to breakage. Because of this, their hair concerns consist of hair flakes, freshness and, most of all, hair fall. So when it comes to choosing a shampoo, men look for products that are anti-dandruff, anti-hair fall, and give a cooling sensation.”  

I recently let my husband try Dove Men Plus because they just launched a new range of hair care products, which address a man’s needs. Infused with caffeine, The Dove Men + Care Fortifying shampoo was developed to strengthen men’s hair, making it stronger + more resilient. It’s available in three variants: Strengthening, Anti-dandruff, and Refreshing Clean.

“The new and complete range of Dove Men+Care promises to provide the real care that men deserve,” says Julia Ng, Dove hair brand manager.

I particularly love how clean and fresh my husband’s hair smells, without being overpowering — especially since as a PBA team manager, he is surrounded by basketball players in a gym. I also like how Dove celebrates the new kind of man who understands that care makes him stronger. After all, you will only grasp the roles a man plays — a strong leader, provider, and hardworker — when you understand what it means to care for others.                      

RISSA

* * *

Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil.