Less is more: dermatologist urges simpler skincare routine for parents of children amid dry season flare-ups

As the dry season intensifies across the country, parents are being urged to simplify skincare routines for children with sensitive skin to help prevent irritation and recurring flare-ups, a pediatric dermatologist said.

Dr. Wilsie Salas-Walinsundin, a pediatric dermatologist, said children with sensitive skin often have an “impaired or problematic skin barrier.”

During the dry season, when weather conditions are hot and humid, she said sun exposure can activate skin receptors, triggering chemical reactions that lead to itchiness.

“And when it keeps on scratching, now there’s the problem, the problem will now come out,” Ms. Walinsundin said during the DMark Beauty and ISISPHARMA Dermatologie summer collaboration event on Thursday.

“There are excoriations on the skin, there are fissures on the skin, and the cycle just goes on and on,” she added.

With inflamed skin and heightened sensitivity among infants, she stressed the importance of using skincare products such as moisturizers with fewer ingredients to avoid worsening the condition.

“‘Less’ means only a small number of preservatives were used. It is not double or excessive excipients,” she said.

She also dispelled the myth that products with more ingredients are more effective, noting that some formulations simply add components such as fragrance and coloring for cosmetic appeal.

She added that for babies, it is better to use fewer products overall, recommending a cleanser that can also be used as shampoo, along with emollients and sunscreen for infants aged six months and above.

To find suitable products for babies, she said it is important to conduct research on the product and the specific needs of infant skin.

Ingredients may be checked through the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI), and she also recommended choosing products that are sustainable within a household budget to avoid frequently switching formulations that may further irritate the skin.

During the event, ISISPHARMA Dermatologie featured several of its products, including Secalia ATO Balm, which contains only around 16 ingredients compared with counterparts that may have up to 50 ingredients, and is suited for dry and atopy-prone skin.

“So the idea is really to minimize the number of ingredients because when it comes to atopy, the more ingredients you put on the skin, the more ingredients you might have,” said Grégoire Dewavrin, chief executive officer of ISISPHARMA, in an interview with BusinessWorld.

Other products featured include Neotone for hyperpigmented skin, Ruboril for sensitive and redness-prone skin, Teen Derm for oily skin, Vitiskin, and Uveblock for sun care.

ISISPHARMA Dermatologie products are distributed nationwide by DMark Beauty. — Edg Adrian A. Eva