At 20, the skin is at its best — radiant and glowing. At 30s and 40s (inset), the skin collagen fibers begins to break down and cell production starts to lag.

Aiming to educate the female workforce on how to enhance their health and general wellbeing, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) recently held a series of talks on skincare, healing, yoga and relaxation, as well as breast cancer awareness and early detection in honor of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Dubbed ‘Wellness for the Working Woman,’ the whole afternoon event was participated in by HSBC’s women employees and graced by well-known experts from their fields such as dermatologist Aivee Aguilar-Teo, psychologist Imelda Villar, yoga guru Raya Mananquil, oncologist Kelly Salvador, and breast cancer warrior Ging Tarroza.

Starting off the delightful afternoon was Dr. Teo’s lecture on how to take care for the skin at every specific age.  Dr. Teo obtained her dermatology degree from the St. Luke’s Medical Center and completed a fellowship in cosmetic laser surgery at the University of Ramathibodi in Bangkok as well as a preceptorship at the National Skin Center in Singapore.  She currently holds clinic at the Asian Hospital in Alabang, and The Fort, and offers free consultations at the Las Piñas Doctors Hospital.

“Everyone wants to look like Hollywood stars. Unfortunately, not everyone can look like them.  Even the most expensive skin care products and treatments cannot turn back the years completely especially if they’re done too late in life.  Thus, the key is prevention,” tells Dr. Teo.

Participants were taught of skin care tips and educated about anti-aging treatments that would ensure a skin that looks healthy and vibrant no matter what age bracket, as well as easy steps to follow to defy skin aging.  “First and foremost, it’s important to devote some time, effort, and money in order to look after our skin.  To be able to look after our skin, it’s necessary to understand the basic function of our skin.”

Anatomy of the skin

The skin is the largest organ of the body and it serves a lot of functions.  It protects from the environment’s harmful elements.  It also protects from sun damage due to melanin pigments in the skin.  It also helps circulate body temperature by warming up and cooling up the body as needed.  It also gives the sensation of touch, feel, and pressure because of the numerous nerve endings present in the skin.

The skin has three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer.  The epidermis has five sub-layers.  It’s the outermost layer of the skin and it mostly consists of dead cells which are continuously shed off and replaced by new cells beneath. The dermis is the little layer composed of connective tissue containing collagen and elastin as well as blood vessels, nerves, glands, and hair follicles.  Meanwhile, the subcutaneous layer is composed of fat and adipose tissue.

Now what are the factors affecting the skin?

“First and foremost is genetics.  It depends on your natural skin type.  In general, white skin or pale skin tends to wrinkle faster than darker skin because dark-skin individuals are protected by higher amount of melanin.  While dry skin tends to age faster than individuals with oily skin because dry-skin individuals tend to form more lines and wrinkles than those with oily skin,” tells Dr. Teo.

She further adds, “External factors are also important such as sun exposure, smoking, and alcohol intake.  Sun exposure is the biggest enemy of the skin.  It causes formation of lines and wrinkles, as well as pigmentations such as sun spots, melasma and freckles.  Prolonged sun exposure may also lead to skin cancer.  The degree of damage on the skin may not be appreciated initially until such time the damage is already irreversible.”

Smoking, on the other hand, is very harmful to the skin because it prevents oxygen from reaching the outer layers of the skin.  Thus, it has a premature aging effect.  It also makes the skin prone to developing lines around the mouth.

“Alcohol dehydrates the skin.  It deprives the skin of its natural nutrients leading to skin dullness.  It also causes facial blood vessels to dilate leading to the formation of superficial or spider veins on the face,” she says.

Skincare for 20s

The 20s is the best time for the skin — exuding with radiance and youthful glow.  The epidermis is well toned, there is good skin elasticity, and there is faster cell growth.  And luckily at this age, individuals can still afford unhealthy habits such as lack of sleep, infrequent exercise, and taking unhealthy foods without drastic consequences to the face and body.

Dr. Teo cautions, “Do not be complacent since in the late 20s, cells can drop by 20 percent and external factors are already starting to have an impact on the skin and body.  At this stage, what’s most important is to adapt preventive measures to delay the aging process.”

Dr. Teo advises establishing basic skincare regimen composed of cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliation, and sun protection.  Exfoliation should be done three times a week.  A balanced diet is also advisable with lots of fruits, fish, and vegetables.  Other foods rich in anti-oxidants and vitamins A, B, C and E are also recommended. 

Other skincare tips for 20s on Dr. Teo’s list include:

• Minimal consumption of alcohol and smoking.  Both can dehydrate the skin and it can accelerate moisture loss and cause skin dullness. 

• Hydration. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily.  A well-hydrated body manifests in the skin.

• Quality sleep. Rest the skin and body.

• Exercise.  It enhances blood circulation and gives the skin a glow.  Improves muscle tone and flashes out toxins. 

• Protect from harsh elements.  Avoid sun exposure especially around 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..  If you cannot avoid sun exposure, it’s important to wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and protective clothing.  For sun protection, sun screens that are at least SPF 15 for daily use or SPF 30 for longer stay under the sun.  There are also oral sun block available, ask your dermatologist.

According to Dr. Teo, the most common concern during 20s would be acne for some individuals who may have post-adolescence acne due to hormonal imbalance or genetic factors.  Some women may also have premature wrinkles at this age, especially those who are constantly exposed under the sun.  Also at 20s, there may be presence of cellulite and unwanted fats, and unwanted body hair in certain body parts.  This is the time when skin care and anti-aging treatments may be considered apart from preventive measures.

“Monthly facials and cleaning is recommended for maintenance.  IPL or Intense Soft Light Photofacial is also important to help lighten skin pigmentation such as freckles and sun spots, as well as address redness and uneven skin tone.  Microdermabrasions and chemical peels may also be started at this age to clear blackheads, eliminate superficial blemishes, and smoothen out the skin texture.  Those with stubborn acne can undergo the Blue Light Therapy.  Also, laser hair removal is very popular at this age to prevent chicken skin in the armpits. Non-surgical body contouring treatments may also be started at this age.  Quite popular are Mesotherapy, Radio Frequency, Ultrasound, and Carboxytherapy,” says Dr. Teo.

Skincare for 30s and 40s

“By the time you reach 30s and 40s, normally, you are more wrinkled and your metabolism is no longer as fast as it used to be.  Usually, people in their 30s have healthy skin but collagen fibers have begun breaking down, cell production already starts to lag, and the effects of what we consume are more evident in the physical health appearance,” Dr. Teo describes.

Wrinkles and fine lines are definitely more prevalent than in your 20s.  Slower metabolism in your 30s and 40s could also mean development of stubborn fats that even with exercise remains difficult to address.  “If you have not started preventive measures in your 20s, it’s very important that you start them in your 30’s and 40’s.” reminds Dr. Teo.  She enumerates:

• Use a complete skincare system. Aside from the regular cleansing, toning, moisturizing, and sun protection, it’s good to start a skincare regimen as well.  It’s important to start on whitening creams such as licorice, arbutin, hydroquinone, kojic acid, as well as typical vitamin C, which are good anti-oxidants that will help address sun spots and skin pigmentation at this age.

• Target the eye area and invest in a good eye cream.

• More extensive exfoliation.  At this age, be more disciplined with exfoliation.  Use a topical vitamin A, retinoin or fruit acids such as alpha hydroxy acid.  It’s important to exfoliate the dead skin to have that wanted glow and to improve the dullness and even the skin tone.

After implementing the appropriate skincare regimen, Dr. Teo further explains skin rejuvenation through surgical cosmetic enhancement procedures such as: IPL, for sun spots and broken capillaries; Microdermabrasion and chemical peel; Laser Resurfacing for improvement of wrinkles and discoloration and acne scarring; Skin Tightening (i.e. Refirm, Thermage, Accent or the Titan) for sagging skin prominent in the jaw area; Botolinium Injections or Botox; and Dermal Filler for deep lines and lost volume on the cheek area of the face.

“Aside from all these facial treatments, a big occurrence during 30s and 40s is settling down into a family environment.  Along the joys that come with having children, there are also sacrifices that have to be made.  For women on 30s and 40s who have just given birth, their most common complaint would be stubborn weight gain and sagging skin that remains even after post-pregnancy that they are having a hard time treating,” she tells.

To counteract extra inches and sagging skin, Dr. Teo recommends combining exercise and diet with body contouring treatments.  The more popular are the non-surgical treatments such as: Mesotherapy, it involves injecting the fat with vitamins to the softer fat and is guaranteed to increase one’s metabolism; Velashape or Laser Frequency such as Accent Tripolar are very good for losing unwanted fat and tightening and cellulites; ultrasound treatments are for stubborn fats; and Carboxytherapy which involves injecting carbon dioxide into your fats good for those with very stubborn stretch marks and those with very loose or sagging skin.

As for surgical treatments, Dr. Teo enumerates breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and liposuction as the most popular.

50s and beyond

When people hit 50s and beyond, the signs of aging begins attacking in full force.  Collagen levels are now at an all-time low, skin elasticity is minimal, age begins to show predominantly on the face, and skincare treatment becomes more important at this age.  But if you have the foresight to adapt a skincare regimen, chances are, you will display the kind of synthesis of aging to a lesser degree.

“The effects of exposure to sun and elements over the years, manifest itself in the form of deep lines, wrinkles, prevalent age spots, the appearance of varicose and spider veins, sagging skin in other areas of the body such as arms, chest, tummy are also common at this age,” tells Dr. Teo.  She further adds, “The non-surgical procedures are still popular at this age, however, for those who have extreme cases of sagging or lose skin, they may not yield the same level of results as compared to women in their 30’s and 40’s.

Dr. Teo explains that some patients may opt for surgical skin tightening procedures such as facelift, necklift, browlift, or eyelift surgery and these may still be combined with skin rejuvenating treatments for maximum results.  Also, body contouring treatments could still be performed at this age group, however, those with serious medical problems, surgical medical treatments may not be the treatment of choice.

Lastly, Dr. Teo imparts, “Whatever age you are in, whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or 50s, the most important thing is to discuss all important options with the well-trusted and qualified dermatologist, cosmetic or plastic surgeon.  Not only will you be able to learn about the benefits and risk of every particular procedure, this way you can also get informed opinion about which procedure will work best for you.”