Jeannie Jacinto-Ang, dermatologist
For dermatologist Jeannie Jacinto-Ang, much can be deduced about a person by the state of his or her skin. "A healthy skin emulates a healthy body. It is the mirror of a person's well-being and also a feeling of satisfaction with oneself," she says.
Ang says perfect skin, at least "in theory," is when it "feels firm, not too oily or too dry. Its appearance shows no dark or white pigmentation."
Her skin-care regimen reflects her efforts to achieve this state of perfection. Her first step is to cleanse her face properly with a mild soap, then apply glycolic-acid products to prevent oiliness and exfoliate old skin. She then uses a toner to restore her skin's pH balance and temporarily close her pores. Should she have the occasional breakout, she uses antibacterial preparations such as erythromycin or benzoyl peroxide. When her face feels dry, Ang uses moisturizers to hydrate her skin.
"Most importantly, I do not leave my house without using sunblock with high SPF (sun-protection factor) for protection against the harmful rays of the sun," she added.
Ang also takes good care of the rest of her body. For her hair and scalp, she uses mild shampoos for everyday use to remove sebum and cellular debris. She follows it up with a conditioner to enhance her hair's manageability and appearance. For her hands and feet, Ang always applies "a special formulation of deep moisturizers that specifically target the thick layers of skin over those areas." She has her nails cleaned weekly, and when she does apply colored nail polish, she does not allow the paint to stay for more than a week to prevent her nails from becoming brittle and discolored.
She counts having a beautiful appearance as a plus for anyone, particularly a career-oriented person. "A beautiful appearance commands attention, thus allowing you a better chance of advancing in your chosen career. In a choice between two people of equal intelligence and skills[,] … one with impeccable appearance and grooming … gets the position," she says.
She notes that when a person looks and feels good, that person acquires self-confidence and his or her outlook in life becomes more pleasant.
When Ang has time, she visits spas to avail herself of their Swedish/shiatsu massages "to ease my mind and relax my body." Sleeping for eight to 10 hours a night also keeps her relaxed for the long day ahead.
Due to Ang's hectic schedule-she juggles a career, playing mom to three kids and wife to her surgeon-husband, Hernan-she just runs on her treadmill at home for at least 30 to 60 minutes two to three times a week. She used to play badminton and go to a gym regularly.
While Ang does not follow a specific diet, she said she tries "to minimize my carbohydrates and fat intakes. No sweets or sodas for me. I drink a lot of water and eat lots of fruits." She also takes vitamins A, C, and E and the minerals zinc and selenium daily.
Ang personally has nothing against cosmetic surgery, "especially when its done by a competent plastic surgeon and enhances one's features well," but she "strongly advocates use of various topical and oral antiageing preparations first before considering the surgery."
As for dealing with stress, Ang has a straightforward way of doing so.
"I just don't think about a problem until it becomes really a problem. When stressed, I relax by listening to music, mainly classical," she says.
Ang plans to spend this summer by going on out-of-town trips with her family. "We love the beach but I make sure that I wear adequate amount of sunscreens with the highest SPF possible, and using my 'bolero' hat," she says. Though what she wears to the beach will depend on her mood, "what is constant is my use of a wide-brimmed hat when I am under the sun."
"When I was young, sunbathing was a favorite activity. But as I got older, I realized that overexposure to the sun could do so much damage to my skin. At present, I prefer to avoid direct sun exposure especially between 10 A.M. to 3 P.M., when the sun's rays are most harmful. During those times I am under the shade just happily reading a book." she adds.
M
Grace Dizon, ophthalmologist
Opthalmologist Grace Dizon plans to spend summer indoors, perhaps with her fiancé Sam, an orthopedic surgeon. Dizon says she is "not really a beach person." "[I am] sobrang scared of the sun and its ageing effects. Summer will be spent indoors, definitely!" she says.
If she is actually caught on the beach, Dizon prefers to wear shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops and "eat lots of food. Get in the water at 5 P.M. when the sun is not so hot."
Admitting that she is obsessed with sun protection, Dizon uses Cetaphil to wash her face (she has been using this product since she was 12 years old), then applies VMV's Armada Sunblock SPF 45 and Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer SPF 20.
For everyday wear, she uses Benetint cheek stain and Clinique lipstick.
Dizon says she is only "obsessive" about her facial skin, and perfect skin to her means skin that is "clear, soft, and supple, no blemishes, glowing." The rest of her body just gets "slathered with whatever lotion I have on hand."
As an eye doctor, Dizon believes that having clear skin will help her career.
"Remember that Dove ad which says, 'Kahit mataba ako, maganda naman ako?' or something to that effect? That would be my mantra. I think if you have clear skin, your patients will find you more pleasing to look at. Seriously," she quips.
Dizon is not a fan of spas and the treatments they offer, and has a-sort of-horror story to tell. "The only time I went to one was to get that massage my cousin gifted me and Sam. We both could not relax because we kept on thinking the girls massaging us would somehow damage our spines," she relates.
Dizon can get by on six to seven hours of sleep, an asset in a job that keeps her on her feet. "If you count in clinic work and OR days, I do helluva lot exercise. The serious stuff, not yet. Soon, I plan to start running, though," she says.
To maintain her figure, Dizon eats lots of vegetables and some chicken, limits her rice intake, and tries to keep away from pork. She regularly takes vitamin C and calcium lactate tablets.
Dizon is frank about her beliefs in the benefits of undergoing cosmetic procedures to stave off signs of ageing. She says that it's okay to go under the knife (or laser, or what passes for tools with which to shape the skin and its underlying tissue) so long as "you really need it and it is done tastefully."
Asked what she does to deal with stress, Dizon answers succinctly, "Sam."
M
Evangeline Handog, dermatologist
Dermatologist Evangeline Handog believes that perfect skin is just "for the books or for the artists," pointing out that even babies "in general do not have perfect skin."
While perfect skin may just be a myth, the quest for it is very real, particularly among women.
"If there is such, then the business of facial centers and salons will not flourish. Perfect skin is blemish and wrinkle-free, with very fine moisturized texture and good elasticity. Because of sun exposure and the lack of practice of putting sunblock, everybody is prone to have photodamaged skin," she argues.
Handog is the vice chair of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center's dermatology department.
Her regimen to come close to having perfect skin is detailed, down to the specific product she uses. She cleanses her face daily with mild soaps like Dove or liquid Neutrogena, then applies Dermatics Vitamin C 10-percent serum for photoprotection, and Neutrogena SPF 55 with Helioplex or L'Oreal Sunblock with Mexoryl for sun protection.
For the rest of her body, she uses Orange Peel soap, then slathers on Physiogel lotion after bathing "for smoothness and moisture." She also uses Ellgy to keep her feet free of calluses, and enjoys a manicure and pedicure every week.
To maintain her skin's health, she also avails herself of 30-percent glycolic peel every two months to help her skin slough off dead cells. For her crowning glory, Handog uses Pantene shampoo and conditioner every other day.
Handog admits that her skin's appearance and health are important to her, particularly in her profession. "The skin reflects our inner health. Systemic signs of diseases are reflected by our skin," she says. "As a dermatologist, I should look good with beautiful skin, shouldn't I?"
In contrast to her strict skin-care regimen, Handog only wishes she could go to spas, and confesses that exercise "is not part of my routine. However, I am blessed with an ideal weight."
She gets seven hours of sleep each night, which is one to two hours more than she needs.
Handogs tries to eat a well-balanced diet, but occasionally treats herself to Lindt and Reese's chocolate. She does not take any particular food supplements except for her daily dose of 500 milligrams of vitamin C.
She believes in availing herself of "noninvasive procedures" such as "chemical peeling, lasers for rejuvenation and iontophoresis of vitamin C and Arbutin" to stave off the signs of ageing.
"I adhere to evidence-based medicine. What I do recommend to my patients, I should have tried ... myself. If I believe the cosmetic procedures do me good, then I also share and advise my patients to undergo" these procedures, Handog says.
For the times she is under stress, she does what many women do to cope-"shopping galore!"
Handog plans to spend this summer enjoying "a nice short trip with the family in Asia. We are definitely going to Boracay and Davao's Pearl Farm to promote local tourism," toting along "tons and tons of sunblock with SPF 80 and Heliocare caps" to protect her skin.
Her favored beachwear is her "three-piece suit," a light jacket, denim pants ("they do great wonders to protect the skin"), and a cotton blouse, with a wide-brimmed hat and dark glasses. "I am always sun-shy," she says.
At the beach, Handog loves "to watch my family swim while I have a relaxing massage."
M
Evangeline Johnson, dermatologist
For Dr. Evangeline Johnson, growing old gracefully takes work, and her skin-care regimen is a reflection of this: "Daily bath with moisturizing soap like Dove Moisturizing Liquid; in the morning after bath I use the Dermatics Cleanser then Toner, then Vitamin C & E Serum 10, and Purelight, topped by Dermatics Sunscreen. Then dabbed with talcum powder. At night before bedtime, I wash my face with Dermatics Cleanser, followed by Dermatics Toner then Nightlight and Dermatics Eye Cream."
To maintain her skin's health, Johnson also has weekly Dermatics facials, stays away from direct sunlight and applies "generous amounts" of sunscreen. She prescribes "plenty of hydration with water, healthy diet, adequate rest, and sleep to prevent eye bags and create [a] twinkle in the eyes." She goes for a manicure and pedicure weekly, uses Nivea Whitening Body Lotion, applies Oriental body scrub once a week, and has a foot spa twice a month.
To her, perfect skin "has a uniform color and consistency, is soft to the touch, free of pores, imperfections, acne, pimples, and blemishes. It should have plumpness and [be] well moisturized, free of wrinkles."
As president of Saviour International Hospital in Iloilo City, Johnson prioritizes her skin-care regimen "as I am usually facing different kinds of people and also to set an example to my patients and doctor colleagues. I get a great deal of self-esteem when I am satisfied with my own appearance."
She seeks refuge from the demands of her work by going to a spa every other month to get soothing massages and body scrubs. Johnson relieves herself of stress by going ballroom dancing, singing, having plenty of time alone, reading, organizing her closet, watching old movies, spending time with her grandchildren, or simply indulging in a glass of red wine at night.
"I also have strict time management and organizational habits and keep my phone on silent mode. I keep my appointments promptly and I plan carefully to avoid cramming for deadlines," she adds.
While she gets at least six hours of sleep every night, Johnson says she could use more, and enjoys "a long beauty sleep on Saturday afternoons."
To keep her figure trim, she does abdominal exercises every night and uses three-pound weights to firm up her upper arms. "I go ballroom dancing at least twice a week where I usually expel a lot of body toxins through heavy sweating," she saya.
Johnson keeps tabs of what she eats, observing a diet very low in carbohydrates and rice, "with predominance of water, vegetables, fish, chicken, and salads. I avoid carbonated drinks and desserts but I take plenty of fruits and nuts. Absolutely no junk food."
She takes fiber and One-A-Day Women's Multivitamins with minerals and iron with her oatmeal every morning.
Johnson believes in undergoing cosmetic procedures to stave off the signs of ageing, though she said she has yet to avail herself of a procedure. "It's always a nice feeling to regain your youthful looks and grow old gracefully ... but one must select a cosmetic surgeon with care," she says.
She believes that "women should exhaust nonsurgical facelift procedures first before age 55 but beyond that age, surgical facelift and breast lifts should be the norm to correct the sagging effect of advancing age."
Like most professionals, Johnson plans to hit the beach this summer, wearing a one-piece bathing suit "such as a backless Speedo," lots of Dermatics Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat. "I love to frolic with my grandchildren for a short while then go back to my reading, sitting on the beach lounge chair with a glass of cold buko juice while my favorite CD music plays on."
M
Ma. Isabel Mangubat, dermatologist
Try holding your breath as you read Dr. Ma. Isabel Mangubat's skin-care regimen.
"Daily skin-care regimen consists of cleansing, toning, sun protection, and rejuvenation. I use a cleanser that is low in pH, preferably one with glycolic acid (Dermatics Gentle Wash or Neostrata AHA facial cleanser). I use a toner with very little alcohol, again with glycolic acid or salicylic acid to replenish the moisture lost from washing (L'Oreal Step 2, Obagi 2, or Dermatics toner).
"I remove my make-up with a gentle make-up remover (L'Oreal Gentle make-up remover or plain baby oil). I apply sunblock daily regardless of whether I will be exposed to the sun or not. I use one with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide since these are very good physical sunscreens-SPF 30 and above.
"For rejuvenation, I use Dermatics Vitamin C serum or Skinceuticals C and E Ferrulic, Neostrata smoothing cream which contains AHA, Skinceuticels phytocorrective gel plus to even out skin pigmentation and 0.05-percent tretinoin cream for exfoliation. I use these at bedtime, one after the other or alternately," said Mangubat of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and Asian Hospital and Medical Center.
 |
To approximate the "perfect skin" of a preadolescent child, which she describes as "skin that is clear, nonporous, blemish-free, and luminescent," she also follows a treatment regimen. "To maintain my skin, I undergo CACI every week. CACI stands for Computer-Assisted Cosmetic Instrument. It is a wonderful machine that deep cleanses, firms, and tones your skin while allowing Vitamin C and collagen to pass through. I have radiofrequency treatments with the Polaris once a month to achieve a tightening of the face and neck as well as lifting of the facial muscles without surgery. I also have a diamond peel every two weeks to remove dead skin from the face and the rest of the body," she says.
The rest of Mangubat's regimen is simple: she shampoos and conditions her hair daily, applies Neostrata smoothing lotion (which contains 15 percent AHA) to her hands feet twice a day after bathing, and goes to the nail spa every two weeks.
Mangubat says as a dermatologist and laser specialist, "it goes without saying that skin health and appearance are of paramount importance to me. As we all know, the skin is the largest organ of the body and plays a vital role in protecting the body's internal milieu from foreign bodies and allergens that cause disease and allergies. It is also the first thing that people see in a person and so, not only is it a reflection of inner health but also a mirror of our personality."
She notes that career-wise, "other things being equal," the person with great skin would fare better.
While other people go to spas for various skin-care centers, Mangubat goes to them to "have a good massage" to relieve backaches and stiff neck.
Her answer to stress is to either "sleep it out" or "eat out with my family and friends."
Given her hectic schedule, she still averages eight hours of sleep a night and does high-impact aerobics three to five hours a week.
Mangubat practices "sensible eating" and cuts down on carbohydrates. She takes Theragran M, vitamin C, and calcium supplements daily.
She "absolutely" believes in cosmetic procedures to delay the signs of ageing. "We are fortunate to live in an era where we have a plethora of surgical and nonsurgical procedures to delay ageing and improve one's looks. If undergoing cosmetic procedures can improve your self-esteem and quality of life, why not? If you can afford it, then do it!" she says.
She plans to spend this summer out of town and out of the country. At the beach, she says she will apply sunblock "every hour (no kidding)." Dressed in her preferred beachwear-shorts, t-shirt, slippers, tankinis for swimming-Mangubat and her husband "prefer to vegetate and do nothing but sleep, eat, sit on the lounging chair at the beach and watch our children have fun."
M
Claudia Samonte, dermatologist
Dermatologist Claudia Samonte is not averse to going under the knife to stave off the signs of ageing. "I believe one does not have to wear his or her age. I like to look younger even in my old age," she says, adding that since her husband, Ferdinand, is a "good cosmetic and bariatric surgeon," she sees no reason "I should not allow cosmetic procedures to be done if necessary."
Samonte, who heads the dermatology section at Delos Santos Medical Center, describes perfect skin as one that has a "smooth, balanced tone" and is free from blemishes or discoloration.
Her skin-care regimen involves regularly washing her face twice a day using a mild cleanser and tap water, then applying a little toner followed by vitamin C antioxidant serum and sunblock. At night, Samonte uses an antiwrinkle cream such as tretinoin mixed with bleaching cream.
She says the Dermatics skin-care line is "a good choice" since it has mild exfoliation and good bleaching creams "that will not cause rebound pigmentation."
Skin Ceuticals B5 hydrating serum, according to Samonte, is a good moisturizing agent and bionic cream for the eye area. She also mentions Avene's products as good for sensitive and very dry skin.
She believes in applying sunblock every morning before she goes out, saying it is "a necessity for our tropical weather condition to prevent further skin ageing and avoid more injury to my skin."
For her sensitive scalp and fine hair, Samonte prefers hypoallergenic shampoo with minimal or no scent at all, and avoids residue buildup and dandruff.
Samonte says her skin's appearance and health are very important for her career and well-being. "I noticed that patients would judge the dermatologist's potential to care or treat their skin condition with the quality of the derma's skin. It would be difficult to convince a patient to go through treatment and procedure if the derma does not prove to be a 'good example,'" she says.
For stress relief, she goes on trips with her family and parties with friends and relatives. She also goes to spas for shiatsu or sports massage.
Samonte gets her requisite eight to nine hours of sleep each night, and works out for one hour three to four times a week. She goes on the treadmill and stationary bike for 30 minutes each, and does a little aerobics and badminton on weekends.
She eats vegetables, fish, and other seafood, and a lot of fruits, but avoids carbohydrates in general. To maintain her figure, she eats completes meals at breakfast and very little food at night. She does not drink beer, but considers imbibing "a little red or white wine" okay. Samonte also takes any multivitamin that is "acceptable" and pops calcium tablets once or twice a day.
She plans to spend this summer traveling with her children. At the beach, she will use a good sunblock with SPF 30 to 50 and take Heliocare UV protection capsules each day to prevent sunburn.
"I like to swim, go snorkeling, and deep-sea diving so I opt to put the best sunblock available. I don't think it will harm the skin much since we do this once or twice a year," Samonte says.
She adds that while she likes to see women in two-piece swimwear, "after giving birth to two kids I prefer to wear tankinis. I prefer to expose some skin during the summer."
M
Camilo Te Jr., internal-medicine specialist
As the only male doctor featured in this issue's cover story, Camilo Te Jr. stands out in more than one way: his skin-care regimen is best described as Spartan. "I don't really take time out to take care of my skin," Te says, adding that he only uses soap and water and "some moisturizer sometime."
As a 30-year-old specialist in internal medicine, Te's definition of perfect skin is simple and refreshing, at least to many who are used to guys ogling mestizas: "Smooth and soft. Doesn't have to be fair-skinned."
Te does the "usual care and hygiene" to take care of his skin, hair, hands, feet, and nails, but ranked the importance of his skin's health as a seven or eight on a scale of one to 10 because "I don't want to have bad skin."
Unlike other people who go to spas to get treatments to pamper their skin, Te is content with "just massages" to help him relax.
Sleep is not high on Te's agenda, and he believes it is enough that he gets around four to six hours of zzzs each night. However, he exercises three to five times a week, alternating between jogging, swimming, cycling, and "some weight training." Spartan indeed.
As for his food intake, he did try following a regimen, but gave up, saying he "never could follow a diet." Neither does he take food supplements.
Te does not believe in undergoing cosmetic procedures, at least for himself, saying, "Ageing isn't so bad, I think."
When he is under stress, he unwinds by either watching a movie, running, or swimming, but the best therapy for him is to "play with my baby girl."
He does not yet have any plans on how he will spend this summer, but if he does go to the beach, he says he will wear sunblock and board shorts and spend the days "frolicking with my loved ones in the water, snorkeling, [and] sleeping in the sand under the shade of a coconut tree."
M
Teresita Ribano, pediatrician in training
Blessed with a Rubenesque figure and a smile that hints at a mischievous nature, pediatrician-in-training Teresa Ribano could be the modern-day version of the Earth Mother.
While she finds is "sooo hard" to take out sweets and sodas from her diet, she faithfully follows her skin-care regimen to achieve perfect skin, which she describes as "smooth, with smaller pores, less breakouts. Skin that actually glows, even sans makeup."
Ribano washes her face daily with "a skin cleanser, not soap," in the morning and evening. She follows it up with a moisturizer, but notes that she makes sure "that my day moisturizer has at least an SPF 15." At night, she takes off her makeup, cleanses her skin, uses a scrub, and then puts on moisturizer.
To maintain her skin's healthy appearance, she drinks lots of water and liquids, avoids direct sun exposure after 9 A.M., and only uses hypoallergenic products. She also undergoes a facial every month if her schedule allows.
Ribano washes and conditions her hair daily, uses a wide-toothed comb to rid her hair of tangles, and tries "not to use a blow dryer daily." She treats her hair with hot oil at least once every two weeks.
She maintains a strict regimen "because my skin and my appearance are the first thing that people see. It gives them the idea of the pride I take in taking care of myself and thus, gives them confidence in how I do my work. This translates in my line of work because like it or not, parents put a premium on how their child's doctor looks like."
Ribano goes to spas once every two or three months to enjoy facial, massage, and foot spa.
Since skin health is affected by stress, Ribano finds relief from the stress of her training at the Makati Medical Center by "eating, doing yoga, and going out with friends." She only gets five hours or less of sleep a night, but needs at least seven or eight hours.
While she does not have an exercise regimen, Ribano says she walks a lot and takes time from her busy schedule to "get off [the elevator] a floor or two below my office's floor then walk up. I park far from my office and walk (it's a 10-minute walk one way)."
Even as she jokes that she follows a "see-food diet," she replies with a resounding "Yes!" when asked if she believes in undergoing cosmetic procedures to stave off the signs of aging. "If it can keep you looking youthful, why not? I especially like liposuction," Ribano admits.
She adds that she does not take food supplements except for "folic acid for my thalassemia" and ferrous sulfate "only on the days that I need it."
Asked how she plans to spend this summer, Ribano sighs. "Working at the hospital, unfortunately. Maybe take a day or two off to swim at a pool."
Should she find herself at the beach, Ribano prefers to wear "[tand tops] and a two-piece bathing suit with a cover-up, like a sun dress. A large hat and shades."
She will swim a bit or snorkel, then "lie in the shade and read a nice book," and get a massage.
M
Ma. Assumpta Cecilia Realubit-Serrano, dermatologist
If she could help it, Dr. Ma. Assumpta Cecilia Realubit-Serrano tries to stay away from the sun and therefore the beach. And if she has to, she covers herself "with a white ensemble to reflect the sun's rays away."
It doesn't matter whether it's summer or not. In fact, from France where she is vacationing at the time she sent her reply to MEDICAL OBSERVER's questionnaire, she says: "It is nine degrees centigrade but the sun is out-sunblock is a must. A light moisturizer for the face as a starter is best before putting a physical sunblock with good UVA-UVB coverage. Even before the cold weather dries out our skin, I asked my daughters to put on a lot of good moisturizers on their legs and arms. I choose one that doesn't sting, one with light liquid paraffin for my daughter who has atopic dermatitis and a blander emollient for the others," she writes.
 |
Serrano's description of perfect skin goes right to the heart of the matter, in a manner of speaking: "Perfect skin is understanding skin function. Perfect skin is when it functions normally as how it should, maintaining its physiologic dynamic state of continuously changing or exfoliating at its normal rate. So that, if it does so, then pigments, wrinkles, benign skin growths are almost nil or kept to a minimum."
Serrano has reduced her daily skin-care regimen to three words: "Clean, correct, and protect."
"Washing the skin with cleansers that are not true-detergent chemicals is a good way to keep one's skin function correct. Moisturizer on areas that need it will pamper your skin. Correct problems and try not to achieve what your skin is not," she explains.
Serrano says the key to maintaining good skin is "a good keratolytic, whether it is a chemical, an ablative machine, or an 'energy-toting dermatologic gun' that works up to the lower layers of the skin."
She says she has been using retinoic acid for this purpose but has recently tried retinaldehyde with hyaluronic acid (HA) since "my skin is on the dry side and the HA really helps to moisturize without the oily feeling when my skin peels. And a good sunblock is a must, and don't miss out on the neck, chest, feet, and hands."
Asked how important her skin's appearance is to her and her career, she replies that a healthy skin "gives one a healthy look that translates to self-confidence."
Serrano admits that she has "bad sleeping hours" and needs to work on correcting it. "One needs sleep to recharge much like recharging the batteries. Eight to 12 hours and a good nap in the afternoon is ideal. One's immune system and endorphins are 'revived,'" she says.
To deal with stress, Serrano has an unusual method: she watches Hoops and Yoyo! and reads on the French revolution.
Her increasingly busy schedule only allows her to do a little Pilates, some minutes on the treadmill, and a limited repertoire of isotonic exercises using light weights. "Like diet, consistency is the key to exercising, like an hour a day of aero and stretching. A good posture and proper way of breathing using the abdominal muscles is one consistent thing one can do that will go a long way for your spine, trapezius back muscles, and abdominal muscles," she counsels.
Serrano takes multivitamins but still has to "research or read on systematic reviews on the benefits of food supplements. Meantime I try to watch the quality of my diet. The real problem is staving off the dolces when they're right under your nose."
She believes cosmetic procedures "have a role for people whose self-esteem is marred by how they look. And I try to evaluate the patient's psychologic make-up before I discuss with them enhancement procedures like wrinkle reduction with Botox, lifting with machines like Thermage."
M
Claudine Yap-Silva, dermatologist, and Paolo Silva, ophthalmologist
Now that she's out of residency at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital dermatology section, Dr. Claudine Yap-Silva gets six to seven hours of so-called beauty sleep: "That's sufficient for me. I feel rested and refreshed after."
She hasn't taken after any diet. Neither does she take food supplements but tries to take a balanced meal when she eats.
In her view, perfect skin "serves all its functions like protection from the environment and infection, providing sensation and thermoregulation, [and] must be free of dermatologic lesions."
With proper care plus consultations with a board-certified dermatologist, the potential for perfect or near-perfect skin can be achieved, she points out.
She uses any mild or hypoallergenic soap as part of her skin-care regimen. Mornings, she uses a sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before she ventures out. At night, "I apply tretinoin cream or an alpha-hydroxyl acid to fight photoageing."
Cosmetic procedures may be resorted to maintain one's good looks, ease wrinkles or skin discoloration, and keep the signs of ageing at bay. But for Yap-Silva who takes the dermatology board exam in june, it's a measure of prevention that can be worth more than cure-"sun protection is best."
As part of skin care she slathers herself with an emollient or a moisturizer right after taking a bath. She also visits the salon once every one or two months. Also, she goes to spas and usually has a massage.
"I am a dermatologist and my skin is the first thing my patients see. My credibility is strengthened if I take good care of my skin," she avers.
Her husband Paolo Silva, an ophthalmologist who begins clinical fellowship at the Beetham Eye Institute of the Joslin Diabetes Center, admits to not even having a skin regimen-despite having a dermatologist for a wife.
To ease stress that can cause distress to one's looks, Yap-Silva does some singing or listens to music, or she goes out with her family, and as she confesses, a lot of prayers does help.
She'll hit the beach this summer, donning something comfy-"I'm open to wearing anything as long as I'm comfortable with it." And of course, she'll have sunscreen on her "preferably one that contains a physical agent like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide."
But whether it's the beach or a mountain hideaway she'd take to for summer fun, she'd opt for the company of her family or friends. For her, "it's the company that's important."
M
