No one is exempted from getting old and experiencing the signs of skin aging, but there are ways to slow it down.
Our skin ages as we do, and it’s normal to not feel good about it. Notice how you scroll through old pictures and wonder why you looked fresh and full of life just a few years back? Totally understandable.
Skin aging, according to MedicineNet, starts as early as 25 years old, when you begin noticing your skin turning dull and less elastic. This is the time when your body’s capacity to produce collagen starts to deplete because of pollution, sun exposure, stress, and genetic factors.
We lose 1% of our collagen after that, and by 40, your skin no longer produces collagen. Most likely, the skincare regimen you used in your 20s or 30s no longer work, and now you’re noticing aging lines, wrinkles, skin sagging, and drying. However, there are ways to slow this down, like adding necessary products to your skincare routine and changing lifestyle habits.
To get you started, The POST interviewed Dr. April Geraldez-Rivera on things you can do daily and treatments you can get to limit the signs of skin aging. Rivera is the CEO and founder of Remedy Skin Solutions, a Manila-based dermatology clinic that provides solutions for anti-aging, acne and acne scars, skin rejuvenation, and overall skin health.
Rivera gave a comprehensive explanation of her clinic’s offerings at the recent “Refresh with Remedy” in Manila House. Below, the dermatologist also shared skincare tips to help keep your skin’s youthful glow as you age.
1. Add sunscreen to your daily routine
If there’s one thing dermatologists wish people knew about sunscreen, it’s that it should be part of our daily lives. This is because ultraviolet light (UVL) can damage our skin cells and speed up the development of wrinkles, age spots, and dryness.
Wearing sunblock is one of the proven, not to mention easiest, ways to protect your skin’s health at any age. “Sun is the number one cause of skin aging, which is why you should apply sunscreen daily even if you’re just staying indoors,” Rivera said.
This includes “cloudy days when up to 80% of the UVL rays will penetrate through the clouds,” according to the American Medical Association.
Rivera recommends sunscreen with at least SPF 50, which is more effective in warding off sun damage and dark spots. “For sunscreen, the guideline is at least SPF35, but for me, it’s better to make it at least 50. You don’t need 100 or 90,” she said, and suggests going for a sunscreen that is water resistant.
If you’re going to spend the whole day outside, the dermatologist recommends not only applying sunscreen in the morning but also in the middle of the day to ensure that you have continued protection against prolonged exposure to UVL rays.
2. Look for ingredients that target skin aging
Products that promise to limit skin aging are popping here and there. To know which ones to get, it’s best that you learn the necessary ingredients in their formulation.
For Rivera, this should include alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) as they “regulate skin turnover.” These chemical exfoliants gently dissolve dead skin cells which help in revealing smoother, more even-toned skin.
Retinol is another ingredient that the dermatologist recommends. Over the years, retinol has become the holy grail skincare ingredient because it exfoliates the skin and increases collagen production, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and acne.
“Retinol is always good. That’s the best thing you can do for your skin” Rivera said. “If you’re a newbie, start with retinol first.”
The Remedy CEO doesn’t recommend retinol for those with dry skin, though, as it can cause flakiness. Instead, you can use hyaluronic acid as recommended by US-based dermatologist Anthony Rossi Jr.
Hyaluronic acid increases skin hydration by up to 55% and enhances its firmness and elasticity, which reduces the appearance of fine lines. Rossi said, “Hyaluronic acid is one of the best anti-aging ingredients. It will help hydrate the skin and is pleasing for dry skin and wrinkles.”
3. Nourish your skin with a moisturizer
Moisturizing is key to making your skin look and feel young. Rivera said that when moisturizer is used once or twice a day, it can keep your skin hydrated and refreshed.
According to the United States National Institutes of Health, moisturizers restore the skin’s protective barrier function, which prevents water loss and replaces skin lipids and other compounds.
This, in turn, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and makes the skin appear soft and smooth. It happens especially with moisturizers that have ingredients like glycerin, petrolatum, and dimethicone.
4. Practice a healthy lifestyle
Your skin is a reflection of your health. That is why for Rivera, skincare must go hand-in-hand with a healthy lifestyle. “You have to ask yourself, are you eating well, do you get stressed, do you get enough sleep — those are really things you need to factor in,” the dermatologist said.
“For me, it’s really a holistic approach because sometimes, even if you use a facial wash, moisturizer, and sunblock, they’re not enough. Are you exposed to pollution and stress?” she continued.
To keep your skin looking young, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests the following lifestyle changes:
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables because this prevents damage that leads to skin aging. Meanwhile, a diet that is high in sugar and other refined carbohydrates can speed up the signs of skin aging.
- Drink less alcohol as alcoholic drinks dehydrate the skin and damage it. If you smoke, it would be best to stop as smoking causes wrinkles and a dull complexion.
- Exercise several times a week as it can improve blood circulation and boost the immune system, which can help make your skin look more youthful.
Rivera also recommends cleaning your skin in the right way and avoiding “skin friction through rubbing and scrubbing” because they can damage the skin.
5. Get a proper derma consultation
Skincare is not a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for most people might not be right for your skin, or the routine you’ve been religiously doing over the years may no longer keep you glowing as before.
For that, Rivera recommends getting a proper derma consultation. “It’s really one thing I recommend. I know the trend is for people to do their own research and DIY skincare, but sometimes it does more harm than good,” she explained.
“If you already tried DIY and a lot of products but you’re not getting the results, maybe it’s time you get a proper consultation with a dermatologist.”
Rivera, for her part, ensures that her patients’ concerns are rightly addressed by developing an approach that is more personalized at Remedy Skin Solutions. At her clinic with branches in Taguig and Quezon City, the treatment begins with a consultation that is three to four times longer than the industry standard. According to Rivera, these 45-minute consultations allow dermatologists to craft in-depth treatment plans and skincare regimens specific to the patients.
Apart from that, Remedy clinics use a skin analyzer — a facial assessment device popular in Korean clinics — which The POST got to try during last Thursday’s event. It provides patients with accurate, personalized evaluations of their skin conditions and potential treatment recommendations.
My skin analysis showed that while my skin’s condition is average, or fairly healthy, for people in the 30s age group, it already has hidden signs of aging. My face showed that it has fine lines, redness, sun spots, and uneven skin tone after the device took photos of it with UV light.
To address all these, Remedy suggested using Innoaesthetics Sun Defense SPF 50+ sunscreen as well as Innoaesthetics Age Rescue 24H cream. When it comes to derma treatments, Rivera recommends people with skin aging problems like mine to try the clinic’s Pure Contour treatment.
She explained, “Filipinos are sagging phenotypes; Caucasians, on the other hand, are wrinkling. So even in your 30s, your face begins to sag. And even if you do ultherapy, hindi ‘yan magli-lift ng madaming fat. So we do Pure Contour, which was developed with proper research and development, with ultherapy and our patients are much, much happier.”
Rivera also recommends a treatment dubbed “Ulthera Pro” which uses a non-surgical lifting and skin tightening approach to treat sagging, fine lines and wrinkles, ill-defined jawlines, and dropping eyebrows.
Other anti-aging treatments offered by Remedy include the Glass Skin Facial, HydraBoost Facial, Skin Refresh, Skin Lift, Skin Vitamin, and Wrinkle Relaxers.
Amid the continuous rise of dermatology clinics and treatments worldwide, Rivera said that what sets Remedy apart is that all her services are backed by comprehensive R&D. “As a doctor, I wouldn’t try a treatment that has the potential of high side effects,” Rivera said, noting that some popular treatments, particularly the thread lift, do not deliver results as advertised.
A thread lift, according to Cleveland Clinic, is a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure that uses threads under your skin to create a more refreshed, smoother appearance. Rivera continued, “An example — I’m not against it — is the thread lift, which gained popularity 15 years ago. But after several years of doing the procedure, some people’s faces have sloped downwards.”
“So as a doctor to my patients, I’ll match what we have to your problem and priorities. We really do R&D so that what our treatments say they will do, they actually deliver.”
Remedy Skin Solutions has branches in Uptown Mall at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Vertis North in Diliman, Quezon City. You can book an appointment by visiting the Remedy website or by calling +639178736339 for the BGC branch and +639178736389 for Quezon City.
