Since the beginnings of recorded time, and likely before that, people have searched for the key to staying young. Cleopatra soaked in milk to keep her skin fresh-looking, while Ponce de Leon searched for the proverbial "fountain of youth." In modern times, the beauty industry touts the latest, greatest rejuvenation creams, potions and lotions on a seemingly daily basis.
Rejuvenation
Skin, actually, rejuvenates on a fairly regular basis. Within the basal layer of the epidermis, skin cells divide and begin a journey to the visible layer of skin where they are eventually sloughed off. In healthy, young adults, this process takes, on average, 28 days. As people age, the process slows down and the cells remain for upwards of 50 days. Unfortunately, by the time the cells reach the surface of skin, they are dead, dried-out and dull-looking.
A variety of rejuvenating treatments exist, including those that simply improve the appearance, and those that make skin "act" younger.
Surgical Procedures
Surgical procedures, such as face lifts and fat transfers, can improve your appearance but do not cause skin to act any younger. Unfortunately, though you may look younger, unless you couple these procedures with treatments that cause your skin to act younger, skin will continue to sag.
Injections and Fillers
Botox paralyzes muscles so that expression furrows (wrinkles) do not appear. Soft-tissue fillers, such as collagen injections, plump up furrowed skin. The American Academy of Dermatology states that these procedures "give skin a smoother and more youthful appearance." As with facelifts, these temporary treatments do not cause skin to act younger.
Peels
With a pH of 4.5 to 6, skin is naturally slightly acidic. Acid peels are formulated to be slightly more acidic than skin so that they can loosen the "cellular cement" that binds dead cells to the skin's surface. Younger, fresher cells not only look better, but they are more effective. Regularly applying acid peels, then, truly rejuvenates skin, though Cleveland Clinic points out that peels will not benefit major wrinkles or sagging.
Acid peels include those made from alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Cleopatra, by the way, benefitted from the lactic acid in the sour goat milk baths she took. Some peels work by binding to the dead cells and, when the peel is removed, so go the dead skin cells. Other peels include abrasive substances that scratch and scrape at the dead skin cells. Unfortunately, abrasive peels can cause micro-tears in skin.
Resurfacing Techniques
Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion, usually performed by a skin care specialist because of the risk of long-term injury to skin, gently abrade skin in a method similar to sand blasting. Because microdermabrasion removes the outer, dead layer of skin, its effect is similar to that of peels. Skin not only looks better, but it performs better as well. The American Academy of Dermatology points out that these resurfacing techniques stimulate new skin growth.
Laser Treatments
Laser resurfacing removes the upper layers of wrinkles, which reduces their depth and removes aged and sun-damaged skin. According to Mayo Clinic, this not only improves the appearance of skin, but it allows younger-looking skin to grow in its place. Some lasers can actually treat skin below the surface level. These stimulate the production of collagen, an important protein that keeps skin firm and helps skin not only to look younger, but to act younger as well.
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