‘Baby fat makes you look more youthful’ – doctor 

MANILA, Philippines — In light of today’s face and body slimming craze, dermatologist and TikTok sensation, doctor Chesca Sy-Alvarado, reminded everyone that face and body fat are not all that bad.

“The dermis is the deeper layer of the skin that contains collagen and elastic fibers, which helps give structure to the skin. And it's usually also where the immune defense of the skin comes in the subcutaneous fat, usually associated with youthfulness because having more fat in the face or at least the body makes us more youthful. It gives volume and support and it helps regulate body temperature. Also, this is very rich in stem cells,” she explained at a recent talk for the launch of Avon’s reformulated Anew anti-aging solutions in Makati City.

Apart from being the body’s largest organ, the skin serves many functions, so it is vital to take a good care of it, the doctor said.

“The nerve endings are also present in the skin. They help us sense dangers… So our skin is very protective of us. Going back to the anatomy of the skin, if you're familiar with the skin barrier, it's actually a function of the epidermis. So that's our first protection from the environment.”

Within the skin’s dermis is collagen, which “gives structure, strength and elasticity to our external appearance,” said the doctor. 

In the first two decades of life, people actually produce more collagen. But by the mid-20s, collagen production starts to decline, she said.

“There are many factors that influence skin aging. So those built within us are our genetics, metabolism, our biological aging and there are also factors from the external environment like human light exposure, radiation, pollution… However, very specific to collagen are certain factors like alcohol, smoking and divergent sugar,” she explained.

“We know that when we're very stressed, there's free radicals, that's why we should incorporate antioxidants in our diet and beauty regimen. So aside from skin aging, our face will age because we have loss of bone, we also have loss of circuitous tissue, our tissue support, where we all have collagen and the collagen in them also breaks down. So, if we can inflate the beach ball, we actually deflate.”

As such, although it is good to get rid of bad fat for health reasons, the doctor stressed the importance of maintaining collagen in the face and body through supplementation and proper skincare. 

“So, this is actually a good time to start our aging well or pro-collagen routine,” she urged. 

“Wherever your age is, whether you're still building or you're losing collagen,” it is never too late to catch up with collagen loss to maintain the good health and youthfulness of the face and body, she affirmed.

At the same talk, Jowie Dizon, Head of Beauty Innovation, Avon Philippines, introduced the brand’s latest breakthrough, Anew Skin Renewal Power Cream, a new addition to the award-winning Anew collection. According to Dizon, the new day-and-night cream harnesses the power of 10X Protinol and Niacinamide to boost collagen production and enhance skin's strength, elasticity, and firmness in just seven days. 

Protinol, said Dizon, is “exclusive and unique” to the brand and is a “reflection of the dedication and the hard work of our scientists” because it took over 20 years to develop. According to her, Protinol enables the new cream to be clinically proven to activate Collagen 3, the collagen “that gives babies a wonderful elasticity and soft skin.”

Like Vitamin C and retinol, Protinol has been clinically seen to reduce wrinkles. But unlike Vitamin C and retinol, Protinol is gentle even when used in a high dosage, making it effective in lessening pores, redness and inflammation across all skin types, even sensitive skin, said Dizon.

Apart from proper diet, exercise and skincare, Dr. Alvarado asserted the value of avoiding the triggers of premature aging and collagen loss.

“You want to protect your skin from the external environment,” she advised. “Always use sunscreen even indoors… Keep as much distance as you can from all the other things that can damage your skin and your health – including smoking, alcohol and sugar!”