Most Effective Anti-aging Skin Care Wrinkle Removers

Wrinkles are a byproduct of aging: folds or creases develop on your skin. To slow the natural progression of time, you can apply topical skincare treatments that help to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Time Frame

Your skin is made up of numerous layers of cells that regularly die and slough off, making way for new skin cells. For this reason, it may take several applications of an anti-aging skincare remover in order to prove effective, according to "Human Anatomy & Physiology," a book for medical professionals that focuses on the human body. From the moment you first apply a wrinkle cream, it may take three to four months for the skin cells to completely renew themselves. For this reason, it is important to regularly apply anti-wrinkle creams for a period of several months, typically at a rate of twice per day.

Antioxidants

Antioxidant-containing creams aim to fight free radicals in the skin. Free radicals are circulating particles that can cause inflammation in the body and premature aging. By fighting free radicals, antioxidant creams help to slow the progression of aging while moisturizing the skin. Examples of effective antioxidant skincare ingredients include vitamin C, which also helps to stimulate collagen growth, according to Reader's Digest magazine. Vitamin E also may be helpful in reducing ultraviolet light damage and helps to make sunscreen more effective. Green, black and oolong tea extracts also may prove effective in fighting inflammation thanks to their antioxidant properties, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Tretinoin/Retinoic Acid/Retinol

Topical forms of vitamin A are generally considered to be one of the most effective wrinkle fighters available both by prescription and over the counter, according to the Mayo Clinic. Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative available only by prescription that helps to fight free radicals in the skin while stimulating collagen cell growth, which can help to increase the skin's elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Over-the-counter formulations of vitamin A include retinol and retinoic acid, according to U.S. News & World Report. If this ingredient is listed in the first five ingredients, it could be present in a high enough concentration to fight damage.

Skin Sloughers

Because the skin does contain numerous layers of skin cells, sloughing away dead skin cells can help to reduce the incidence of wrinkles. Effective skincare treatments to accomplish this include alpha hydroxy acids, which exfoliate the top layer of skin, revealing younger, fresher skin, according to Reader's Digest. Examples of these acids include glycolic and lactic acid.

Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not practice as thorough testing on anti-wrinkle creams as other topical medications because anti-wrinkle creams are classified as cosmetics, according to the Mayo Clinic. For this reason, you cannot always assume every topical anti-wrinkle treatment is safe to use. The Mayo Clinic recommends carefully researching side effects and a product's effectiveness. However, keep in mind that indicators like high cost do not necessarily mean a product is safe to use.