Men's Skin After 55: The Problems Nobody Talks About (And What to Do)
Published 2026-02-27 • Summer House Editorial Team
Men's skin changes significantly after 55, and most of the conversation about it is either nonexistent or aimed at selling you a moisturizer. The actual problems — sun damage from decades outdoors, redness and broken vessels, rough texture, and a face that reads as tired or stern regardless of how you actually feel — are worth addressing practically. Here's what's happening and what works.
Sun Damage and What It Looks Like
Men over 55 typically carry 20 to 40 years of significant cumulative UV exposure. For many, this means flat brown spots (solar lentigines), areas of rough, thickened skin (actinic keratoses — worth having a dermatologist evaluate these), persistent redness from dilated blood vessels, and uneven skin tone. Men also tend to develop more significant sun damage than women of the same age, partly because SPF use has historically been lower and partly because outdoor and manual labor exposure is higher.
IPL (intense pulsed light) is the most efficient treatment for addressing the combination of brown spots and redness in a single session. It targets both melanin (pigment) and oxyhemoglobin (the compound in dilated vessels) simultaneously. A single session produces visible results; two to three sessions clear most moderate sun damage. Downtime is minimal — some temporary darkening of spots over 7 to 10 days — and most men can work through it.
The Tired or Angry Look
The expression that reads as tired, stern, or unapproachable in men after 55 is almost always structural: brow descent and deepening of the lines between the brows (the 11s). As the brow drops and glabellar lines deepen, the default expression shifts toward looking furrowed. This affects first impressions in professional settings and can cause genuine confusion — people reading emotion that isn't there.
Botox in the glabellar complex (the muscles between the brows) is the most precise fix for this. It relaxes the muscles that pull the brow inward and down, softening the 11s and often allowing a subtle natural lift of the brow. The goal isn't to eliminate all expression — it's to remove the default scowl so that your face at rest reflects something closer to how you actually feel. Dosing for men typically runs slightly higher than women given greater muscle mass.
Texture and What to Do About It
Rough, uneven texture — thick pores, surface irregularities, patchy dryness — is common in men's skin after years of minimal skincare. Men's skin is actually thicker and oilier than women's on average, which offers some protection, but neglect and sun damage accumulate differently. A consistent routine of SPF 30+ daily and a retinoid a few nights per week will produce visible texture improvement over three to six months — without a complex routine.
Chemical peels and microneedling address texture more aggressively. A medium-depth chemical peel improves surface irregularity, pore appearance, and pigmentation in a single treatment with about a week of recovery. Microneedling is less aggressive but produces cumulative improvement in skin quality over a series of sessions. For men who want to do something once with clear results, a peel is often the more efficient choice.
FAQ
Will Botox make me look done or obvious? I don't want that.
Conservative Botox in the glabellar region — the 11s between the brows — is subtle. The goal is to soften a specific area, not freeze your whole face. Men are often best served by treating only one or two areas at a time, starting conservatively. Many male patients report that nobody notices they've had anything done, only that they look less tired or stressed. That's the outcome to aim for.
Is there anything I can do about pores? Mine have gotten worse.
Pore size is largely genetic and structural, but they appear larger when they're clogged, when surrounding skin is lax, or when they've been stretched over years. A good retinoid routine helps over time by increasing cell turnover and reducing congestion. Professional treatments — microneedling, certain laser options, salicylic acid peels — can produce more significant improvement. True pore elimination isn't possible, but meaningful reduction in their appearance is.
Need help now?
Summer House Medspa sees a lot of men — come in for a consultation and we'll keep it practical, not precious.