Ending the stereotype that hinders men to properly take good care of their skin and body, Sam Milby proves that cosmetic dermatology is for everyone.
There’s this unfair and untrue belief that men don’t need to go to their derma for their exterior aesthetics. We always heard countless older men saying that only women seek dermatologists and go under the knife. But this toxic masculinity needs to stop because in the long run, what’s truly important is how that guy feels about himself.
Recently, we got to sit down with Sam Milby, the main ambassador of one of the fastest-growing cosmetic dermatology clinics in the Philippines, Avignon Clinic. According to the actor, “I think it’s very wrong because we all get older and we all wanna look our best.”
But he admits that back then, he also had the same outlook about men not taking care of their skin at a young age. “It’s funny because when I was in my 20s—especially as a guy—you’re like ‘oh I’m never gonna age, and I’m always gonna look young and look the same.’”
Little did he know, that what he thought a couple of years ago was not how it will turn out to be, but rather it’s the total opposite. “When I arrived at my thirties I was like ‘oh shoot there are lines,'” he recalls. “Because at my 20s I would not wear sunscreen because I wanna be darker. And I grew up in the States so I would even do the tanning bed which is very bad for your skin and there are negative long-term effects on that.”
Now that he’s turning 37 this year, Sam admits that he just wanna look his best again like his youth. Hence, as his job requires him to look his best, he truly believes that as long as you’re confident with who you are and what you look like that radiates in your persona, just do it. “There’s different confidence when you feel good [about yourself],” he adds.
Second Youth
The moment we reach our 30s, our skin starts to change. It’s not the way we used to know how to take care of it like our teenage years. And at this point, some of us even approach it with a bit of wariness and, in some cases, downright panic.
Sam Milby honestly shares that he also struggling as his skin starts to transition in his 30s. “The effects of being in the sun too much is finally showing—that has been the biggest struggle for me,” he reiterates. “But also in terms of weight-wise, I struggle more on working out or staying shape because of the pandemic where I was stuck at home.”
Fortunately, Avignon stepped in to be his fountain of youth. “They have actually been taking care of me and helping me with my skin problems and getting back in shape,” Sam says. However, while he has been getting all the treatments he needs, he also knows that he needs to do his part, too.
“Sometimes if wala akong masyadong ginagawa and I’m just at home, it’s hard to get that motivation. But let’s say I have a project that I know I have to be in shape for, I feel motivated because I’m going to have this scene where I’m gonna be showing my body or maybe I’m going to the beach,” the actor adds. “So I think my main motivation is I don’t like the feeling of not feeling good about my body.”
In the long run, Sam Milby points out that seeking treatments in taking good care of your skin and body should never be stereotyped for women only. It’s high time that society has to admit that men need cosmetic dermatology, too. Because regardless of gender, what matters at the end of the day is how you feel about yourself. If you wanna look good and get treatment or even go under the knife, then go for it. Don’t let anyone stop you from getting that confidence boost.
