Men's Personal Care Information
More articles below:
Study Offers Insights Into Male Pattern Baldness
Your Social Network Affects Your Drinking Habits
As You Age, Better Health Means Better Sex
Advance Toward Test for Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Taking Viagra Won't Spur Risky Sexual Behavior
Health Tip
Make A Great First Impression With Your Appearance
Beyond taking a shower every morning, here is some basic tips:
Check your face
You don't necessarily have to shave, but at least ensure that your face is clean and free of "debris." A quick look in the mirror to check for nose hair, stuff in your beard or crust in your eyes doesn't take more than a few seconds, and is well worth the effort.
Groom your hair (ear, nose, chest, head, etc.)
Hair growth happens with regularity, so make trimming and upkeep part of your routine. Wash and condition your hair every day (or every other day, depending on your hair type and length). Set aside one day a week (preferably a Saturday or Sunday, when you have more time) to tend to ear, nose and chest hair.
Clean your hands
In the business world, handshakes can make or break you; in the dating world, a woman expects to see nice hands. So all you have to do is cut your nails regularly, scrape away the dirt with a "nail cleaner" or a nailbrush (which you can keep in the shower to save time), wash your hands frequently (to avoid sweaty, sticky hands), and use lotion on occasion (to keep them smooth).
Apply lip balm
There is nothing worse than looking at chapped lips, and trust me, no girl will want to kiss them. Find a good lip balm and use it regularly. Just don't put too much on, or it will end up looking like lip gloss. And if you don't like applying it in public because of the unmanly look it portrays, then do it in private when you go to the bathroom.
Dress well
You don't need a suit (unless the occasion calls for it), but you should always wear clean clothes that are wrinkle-free and smell good. In other words, wear clothes that were just in your drawer or closet, not your hamper.
On a related note, select clothes that fit. After you put on your clothes, take a look in the mirror for a few seconds to make sure they fit properly. Yes, their preferred fit will vary over time as styles change (along with your body and taste), but the key here is to pay attention to what you're putting on.
Use some sort of scent
Many guys go to town wearing some sort of fragrance, using everything from scented soap and deodorant to aftershave and cologne. Other guys prefer not to use anything. Like most things in life, the answer is moderation. Pick one scent (otherwise you'll combine fragrances, which will result in a weird smell) and go with it. Just make sure it isn't too strong and make sure not to bathe in it. One final note: Don't skimp on cost here; cheap cologne will act like repellant.
Shine your shoes
People tend to look at your shoes right away. If dress shoes are appropriate, make sure they're shined. If you're wearing casual shoes, make sure they look clean and new. Tattered shoes tell the world that you either don't have money or don't care -- neither option is attractive.
Gene Test Helps Detect Prostate Cancer
SUNDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- A new blood test greatly reduces false-positive results in prostate cancer screenings and, when used in combination with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, could prevent many unnecessary biopsies, U.S. researchers say.
Their two-year study of 484 men found that using a six-gene molecular test with a PSA test accurately detected prostate cancer more than 90 percent of the time and eliminated most of the false-positives from the PSA test alone. Earlier research has found that the PSA test is 60 percent to 70 percent accurate in detecting cancer.
"These findings are very encouraging and suggest that this new test could spare tens of thousands of men from undergoing an unnecessary biopsy," study author Dr. William K. Oh, clinical director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said in a news release from the organization.
"However, until we can verify our findings, it is important to recognize that the PSA test, despite its limitations, is still the best test available for diagnosing prostate cancer at this time," said Oh, who was to present the findings Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, in Orlando, Fla.
The study received funding from Source MDx, which developed the new blood test. Oh and his colleagues are planning a larger clinical trial of about 1,000 men to verify the findings.
Being able to more accurately detect prostate cancer is important. Men who are found to have elevated PSA levels in screening tests are often referred to a prostate biopsy, a painful procedure with some risk of complications. Nearly two-thirds of prostate biopsies don't find any cancerous cells, according to the news release.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about prostate cancer screening.
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