Complexion (womens' opinions please)

[Felt Tip]

Okay, this one's been bugging me for.. well, ages.

I'm interested the opinions of women (though men are welcome to reply of course) - how much of a turn-off is a bad complexion ?

Please, be honest about it, I'd rather know...
(Just don't be too scathing, okay? )


Why I'm asking ?
My skin's.. well, not that bad really, not in the stereotypical spotty teenager sense. (Oh, and I'm 22, I figure I should be past this by now )
But I have red blotches and old semi-faded scars. I don't know whether women see it as a big turn-off, or less of a decisive factor.

Also, I work out a bit, which makes it worse. So I could stop or cut back to improve my skin, but it'd be at the expense of my physical condition (plus I enjoy it, it's very relaxing), so I'm not sure if it's worth stopping the training.


Ideally I could find myself a nice slightly spotty girl, and neither of us would have to worry about it. But the devious minxes use make-up

 

[angylfyre]

I know what you mean... I'm almost 21 and it still freaks out... for cryin out loud, I thought this was supposed to be over after a couple years or something... but NOOOOooo.
Anyway, about your question... to me, it doesn't matter. Scars don't bother me, I think they're sexy for some reason. As long as you're clean and healthy I think it is ok. It's not really a turn off, the easiest way to turn a girl away is to be a jerk, which you don't seem to be!
Keep working out though, it makes you feel good, and its good for ya too. Girls admire a guy who works out and takes care of himself.
PS: watch out for that icky make-up, sometimes you don't want to see whats hidden behind it! lol

 

[tythisredheadup]

Acne-free

I found the best stuff at Walmart called AcneFree. It is the generic ProActive but it cost so much less. I am 32 and have dealt with bumps for years. This stuff is the remedy for me. My face is bump-free.

As far as men go, it is only a turnoff if the man is not attempting to correct it.

 

[Ms_Lilith]

While my man doesn't have spots on his face, he does have them on his chest and back.. he doesn't have scars from it, but he gets break-outs depending on his activities (more sweat equals more spots). I don't find it to be a turn-off. Not at all. It's just the way he is. *shrug*

What I do suggest for you, though, is to increase your intake of water (I drink about 2 litres a day, and it's still not enough.. I'm going to try working up to 3), and use a good facial cleanser. I've tried phisoderm (or however it's spelled), oxy, etc.. I tried everything when I was having skin troubles, and the only thing I've found that works for me is Aveeno.

In the morning, I use the exfoliating scrub on my face, when I'm in the shower, and at night, I use the radiant facial cleanser. Basically, I have spotless skin on my face. Though, to be honest, right now, I have a pimple on my cheek. *grumble*. I think it's from sun-screen.

Working out is good for you. Don't cut down on something so inherently good for your body because of something so passing as acne. Buy a loofah. Use it. Again, I recommend Aveeno bath products, but I've also found that for my honey, bathing with a loofah and DIAL antibacterial liquid soap has done a great deal towards lessening his acne on his back and chest. *shrug*

If it gets really bad, see your doctor. And don't worry, a scummy attitude will scare women away far faster than a few bumps and scars.

 

[angylfyre]

While we are giving tips, I might as well give some too!! I ignored the dr.s because they all wanted to put me on tetracycline when I didn't want any meds. I've started to only wash my face once a day or once and a half. I use Biore blemish fighting cleanser, and when I'm in the shower I use the extra shampoo thats left on my hands. Now that I don't wash my face as often, it seems to be getting better. I actually only have two little spots and its going great! Loofahs are freaking AWESOME! They can do wonders on your skin! Don't wash your face too much, or else it will dry out and I've heard that that can cause your skin to create more oils, or something like that! If you have seriouse bumps that just won't go away, check out what Cliniche has to offer. They have a liquid to spot treat the particularly icky bumps, that works almost over night.
I know that they have all sorts of pills out there to offer, but be careful of what the dr. whats to put you on, some of them have reallllllly nasty side effects that aren't really worth it. Plus, they aren't very cost effective compared to things that are just at Walmart or someplace like that.

 

[dollface007]

Re: Acne-free

I found the best stuff at Walmart called AcneFree. It is the generic ProActive but it cost so much less. I am 32 and have dealt with bumps for years. This stuff is the remedy for me. My face is bump-free.

As far as men go, it is only a turnoff if the man is not attempting to correct it.

Thanks for the tip on this! I spend a lot of money on Proactiv. It works great and is worth every penny, but so expensive for a lowly grad student like moi

 

[je404ucd]

Actually, even if it doesn't itch, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, you should probably mention it to your doctor at your next check up (assuming you have regular exams).

I had a pair of skin fungi. Fortunately, they are harmless and "not contagious" (but that begs the question, "How did it get there?"). One takes the form of pixel sized red dots in a ring in the middle of each upper arm. The other is a "christmas tree fungus" a new discovery named for the shape it takes on the back. It is a triangle pointing down made up of small splotchs of "more tanned" looking skin (I don't sunbath at all, let alone in weird mesh shirts). Unfortunately, there are no treatments. Fortunately (again), sun exposure seems to kill the fungi (the red dot rings have dwindled to two dots on each arm!).

So try short term exposure to the sun. Not for too long as that can lead to skin cancer. All I did was get out like normal (maybe more than normal as I have been doing a lot of moving of stuff...).

 

[dollface007]

So try short term exposure to the sun. Not for too long as that can lead to skin cancer. All I did was get out like normal (maybe more than normal as I have been doing a lot of moving of stuff...).

No!! Unless it really is fungal (ew!) and the doc tells him to do so, don't use this as "therapy." Sun exposure makes acne worse!

Anyways, back to the original question, a few spots or scars wouldn't scare me away. I have them too. Plus, I don't like my guys too perfect

 

[je404ucd]

Are you sure? I can't think of a single fungus species that photosynthesizes... But I guess if it isn't fungus caused, then it could do more harm.

I'm sorry if I gave the wrong idea, I just went about business as usual and it started to clear up.

 

[angylfyre]

sun exposure? Is it true that when you tan your skin actually become more thick, thus making it harder for oils and dirts and such to get out, and easier for pores to get clogged up and causing even more acne? Or is that just a myth someone told me? Gah!! So many ideas out there, it's hard to know which are true and which can make it worse!

 

[je404ucd]

well... assuming the skin is killed (instead of having its DNA mutated... this kills it 99.99999% of the time anyway), it will just come off like any other dead cell...

Assuming you shower daily, you should be fine skin wise.

However, I can't stress enough that I am not an expert. All I know I picked up either in AP Bio or the same place I learned everything else... I can't remember.

 

[SXCRgirl]

Assuming you shower daily, you should be fine skin wise.

Not to be a smart ass or anything, but ... doesn't everyone?

Heck, I know I could NEVER start a day without a shower. Nowadays, I start my day with one and end my day with one. It's so freakin hot out here and we don't have A/C in the house, that it's the only thing that helps to cool me down.

 

[je404ucd]

I am inclined to agree with you SXCRgirl, but you never know. Some people don't.

My shower in the morning is like my shot of caffine. And since I made the switch to caffine free soda it helps. *dramatic pause* A. Lot.

And I get one post closer to the one-hundred count. http://www.geocities.com/je404ucd/ad/pamper.txt

 

[SXCRgirl]

I am inclined to agree with you SXCRgirl, but you never know. Some people don't.

My shower in the morning is like my shot of caffine. And since I made the switch to caffine free soda it helps. *dramatic pause* A. Lot.

I know what you mean je404ucd. *sigh* There are some people out there that don't ... and it's downright disgusting. Bleecch!

My shower works the same way too. For me, that's just normal. But then again, me being normal ... isn't exactly normal for anyone's standards. LOL!

 

[angylfyre]

I WISH everyone would bathe at least once a day. Preferably right before they go out in public... or maybe before getting on the airplane, for a LONG flight. Has that ever happened to anyone? I got stuck next to a guy that smelled like he hadn't showered for weeks once on a 6 hour flight, he kept farting and there was nothing the flight attendant could do becuase it was a full flight. It sucked.

Sorry to get so off topic! lol

 

[je404ucd]

Summation

In an effort to undo the tangent I might've caused (and to add another post to my count http://www.geocities.com/je404ucd/ad/halo.txt):

1. See your doctor when it is convenient. If he/she thinks you should see a dermatologist, do so. (just beware of liquid nitrogen and beatle extract *shiver*)

2. Get some AcneFree or other non-prescription topical treatment cream of choice. (I use St. Ives Aprocot Scrub in the shower in the morning and before going to sleep at night.)

3. Get a little sun everyday as you walk from your door to your car, bus, bike, or form of transportation of choice.

4. Have a shower a day.

Oh! A new tip: Avoid touching your face if you have face acne problems. A lot of oil is secreted from the hands, and you can get that (and god knows what else you pick up on your hands just by living) on your face by touching it. This also contributes to greater health in general (your hands touches more bacteria than your ass does when you sit on a public toilet seat constantly).

5. Avoid touching your face and wash your hands often.

 

[tythisredheadup]

Re: Re: Acne-free

Thanks for the tip on this! I spend a lot of money on Proactiv. It works great and is worth every penny, but so expensive for a lowly grad student like moi

You're welcome.

IMO, it is the best out there...

 

[Ms_Lilith]

Hey now, not showering every day isn't disgusting. I do, cus I can't wake up without it, but my sweetheart doesn't. Every two days or so he has one.. but he doesn't get very sweaty at all, and he never smells bad, and he's very healthy, so it doesn't really seem to matter to him or to me. *shrug*

 

[Amaterasu]

Re: Summation

2. Get some AcneFree or other non-prescription topical treatment cream of choice. (I use St. Ives Aprocot Scrub in the shower in the morning and before going to sleep at night.)

St. Ives has a medicated Apricot exfoliating scrub that I love....
http://www.stives.com/db_images/4_mas_lg.jpg

And I've been loving the new Neutrogena Rapid Clear foaming cleanser...
http://www.neutrogena.com/images/Pd/Pd_00182_00_lg.jpg

I've struggled with acne since I was 13... did the proactiv thing for awhile, but after a certain point, i felt like my skin didn't get any better.

As for the main topic, as long as the guy looks like he's trying to maintain and improve his facial condition, and doesn't walk around with pussy pimples or pick at his face in front of me, its all good.

 

[Felt Tip]

Wow, great response
I'm not going to say I'm glad so many people have the same problem, but it's nice not to be alone!

Hmm. There seems to be a bit of conflicting advice in there though -

Sun good / sun bad
Wash often / less often
...


At the moment I use an antibacterial soap twice daily, and shower every other day, or whenever I get sweaty.
I guess there's no harm in going daily though.

I'm not sure about the product recommendations, as I'm in the UK and I don't know which will be available here, but I guess I'd better get myself into a chemist and have a look.
It's kind of lame, but I still don't like shopping for stuff like that. I can buy condoms, but not skin stuff... Silly really, it's not as if it's a secret that I have bad skin, it's right there on my face!


"Avoid touching the face" - Heh, I had my hand on my chin as I was reading that
I'm sure that's good advice though - if I can make sure I follow it..


A positive response that it's not such a turn-off too
I'm never entirely sure about the responses when you ask women questions about what they find attractive though - it seems that if you engage someone's rational side, you get very different answers to if you engage their emotional / instinctive side.
I don't mean any offence of course, but for many people what they think they want is often different to what they actually want...

Then again, my recent success with women could be more down to confidence as a knock-on effect of the skin thing, it's hard to know...