Wrinkles, age spots and sagging are common signs of maturing skin, according to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. As skin ages, the collagen and elastin fibers that keep skin firm begin to wane. While the rate of the aging process can't be controlled, a number of anti-aging products may help to minimize and even reverse its unwanted effects. Among the best are retinoids, hydroxy acids, vitamin C and basic sunscreen.
Sunscreens
Wearing sunscreen every day can shield aging skin from further sun damage. The sun's ultraviolet rays can promote wrinkles, skin roughness and age spots, according to the Mayo Clinic. Using a sunscreen with an Sun Protection Factor of 30 of higher offers the best protection, says AAD, the American Academy of Dermatology.
Moisturizers
Moisturizers are a fundamental part of an anti-aging skin plan, according to the AAD. Expensive moisturizers are not necessarily any more effective than more economical brands. Moisturizers help the skin to retain water, which temporarily plumps the skin. This can help to diminish the appearance of fine lines.
Vitamin A Creams
Anti-aging creams that contain natural forms of vitamin A such as over-the-counter retinol or prescription-only retinoids, including tretinoin, may reverse some of the signs of sun damage and natural aging, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC.
Tretinoin, brand name Retin-A, can help to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, reduce age spots and smooth rough skin. Tretinoin helps to accelerate collagen production. Retinol is similar to tretinoin, but its effects are typically not as impressive.
Vitamin C Topicals
Skin creams that contain vitamin C may help to soften fine lines and wrinkles, according to the AAD. Research led by L. Zhang of Genetronics Inc. of San Diego, California concluded that anti-aging creams that contain vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, may improve the appearance of aging skin. The findings were published in May 1999 in the Swiss journal Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics.
Hydroxy Acids
Alpha and beta hydroxy acids are man-made versions of acids obtained from sugar-containing fruits. The alpha hydroxy acid known as glycolic acid is commonly contained in exfoliating products that help to clear away the upper layer of old, dead skin and promote the growth of new skin that is smooth and uniformly pigmented.
Mildly abrasive skin cleansers sometimes contain the beta hydroxy acid called salicylic acid. Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid sloughs off old skin to make way for the growth of new skin. The cleansing motion should be perpendicular to fine lines and wrinkles, notes the UMMC.
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