Consumers searching for effective ways to reduce signs of aging and sun exposure purchased $7 billion worth of anti-aging products in 2008, according to the American Academy of Dermatology on their website AgingSkinNet. Manufacturers offer a wide variety of creams, ointments and facial masks that promise everything from reducing the appearance of wrinkles to wiping 10 years off the calendar. An ointment might not erase a decade of experience from your face, but some of these products may actually help decrease signs of aging.
Causes of Aging Skin
The genes you inherit cause intrinsic or internal aging, which is simply the natural aging process that begins in your mid-20s. Collagen production declines, skin elasticity decreases and your skin sheds old and creates new cells more slowly. As you age, this process eventually causes wrinkles, dry and sagging skin, and graying hair. Extrinsic or external aging, on the other hand, arises from environmental factors, including sun exposure. The cellular effects of external aging are similar to that of natural aging, but wrinkles, sagging and leathery skin often appear at a much younger age in sun-damaged skin.
Function
The ingredients in products for aging and sun-damaged skin address different issues. For instance, topical ointments and creams that contain antioxidants like retinol or vitamin C work at the cellular level to help reduce the risk of wrinkles and protect against sun damage, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Those that contain alpha hydroxy acids reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles through exfoliation, which removes the top layer of skin to promote new cell growth. Moisturizers alone combat dryness but have no effect on wrinkles or other symptoms of aging or sun damaged skin.
Types
Many over-the-counter products contain active ingredients, such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids, shown to help reduce the appearance of aging and sun damage. Prescription products typically contain a stronger dose of the active ingredient. For example, over-the-counter preparations contain 8 to 10 percent alpha hydroxy acids, while prescription-strength topicals contain at least 12 percent, and peels applied at a dermatologist's office may contain 30 to 70 percent, according to UMMC. Additionally, some topical treatments that effectively reduce fine and large wrinkles, liver or age spots, and surface roughness, such as tretinoin or Retin-A, come only in prescription form.
Considerations
Dermatologists continue to recommend limiting sun exposure as the most important step to prevent premature aging and sun damage to the skin. Wearing protective clothing, avoiding the sun at peak hours during the day and using sunscreen all help. Skin care professionals associated with AgingSkinNet note that even a few minutes of unprotected exposure for a few years can cause skin changes. They generally suggest a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB exposure with an SPF of 30 or higher. They also advise consumers to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before exposure and to use the product year-round, even on cloudy days.
Expert Insight
Interestingly, if you perform facial exercises to reduce wrinkles and sagging skin, AgingSkinNet advises you to stop. They note that repetitive facial movements can actually cause wrinkles. Apparently, use of facial muscles causes grooves to form beneath the skin. As skin loses its elasticity during aging, these grooves remain on the surface as fine lines and wrinkles.
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