How do you fight skin aging? Sunscreen is key, says skin expert

If there is one thing that you should not skip in your skincare routine, regardless of the weather and where you are in the world, it’s sunscreen.

It has been said time and again that using sunscreen daily is the most cost-effective and preventive measure to fight skin aging and other serious illnesses like skin cancer.

In a summer-centric event hosted by Anessa Philippines, board-certified dermatologist Windie Villarica-Hayano said “95% of skin aging is due to the sun.”

“If there’s something that you can do that is cost-effective, sustainable, and will do you well from this day forward, it will be using a sunscreen, and a good sunscreen at that,” Windie said.

The skin expert also stressed that it doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman, “the sun doesn’t discriminate.”

“It doesn’t have anything to do kung lalaki ka, kung babae ka, your skin, all of us, are exposed to this [harmful UV rays],” she said.

“Laging sinasabi na ‘yung mga lalaki, dapat ikahiya ‘yun, hindi dapat kinakahiya ang paggamit ng sunscreen,” she added.

For Filipinos and Asians in general, Windie said the most common skin diseases they complain about are Melasma (Pekas), sunspots, and freckles.

“Once nagkaroon na tayo ng mga ganyan, ibig sabihin, may damage na yung balat,” she said.

“We have to think about [applying sunscreen] as healthcare, and not just self-care dahil walang pinipili ang skin cancer, and skin cancer is due to unfiltered UVA/UVB,” she added.

As previously explained by Dr. Vicki Belo to GMA News Online, UVA or Ultraviolet A is aging rays, and UVB or Ultraviolet B is burning rays, “and you have to have sunscreen for both.”

“UVA, which can penetrate very deep into our skin and cause a significant amount of inflammation and disease, can pass through indoors, so you need protection even if you’re not directly exposed to the sun,” Windie said.

In addition, an earlier report highlighted the importance of using sunscreens even on rainy days. —JCB, GMA Integrated News