Although some anti-aging skin care products can subtly reduce signs of wrinkled, sun-weathered skin, the American Association of Dermatology cautions that consumer products marketed as "miracle cures" or a "face lift in a jar" should be greeted with some skepticism. Contrary to consumer belief, scientific advances have not made it possible for you to get the same results with a drugstore or department store cream as you would with a prescription-strength topical cream or medical procedure. The AAD and Mayo Clinic, as well as author and cosmetics expert Paula Begoun, weigh in on which anti-aging skin products work--and which are largely hype.
About Aging Skin
Skin becomes wrinkled and thin due to the physiological aging process (intrinsic aging), as the skin's collagen production slows down and elastin is less resilient. This process usually begins to occur in your mid-20s, although signs of aging might not crop up until decades later, says the AAD. But extrinsic factors can also hasten along the aging process. Sun exposure is a dominant factor, say the AAD and Mayo Clinic. Others factors that cause wrinkles include making the facial expressions over the course of many years (squinting, smiling), sleeping with your face pressed against the pillow in the same position, and smoking. Even gravity comes into play, causing the formation of jowls, elongated ears and a drooping lower lip, says the AAD.
Aging Skin Care Basics
The foundation of your anti-aging skincare program is sun protection. Begoun echoes the advice of the AAD, indicating that sunscreen is the "first and foremost best defense against wrinkles--period!" She urges use of a product containing a sun protection factor of at least 15 on a daily basis--the AAD advocates a SPF of at least 30. If sun protection isn't included in your daily moisturizer, make sure that your foundation contains sunscreen. "Ignoring this fundamental principle and focusing instead on the myriad anti-aging claims on product labels is an open invitation for more wrinkles, skin discolorations, and potentially, skin cancer," Begoun warns.
Which Wrinkle Creams Work?
When looking for anti-aging skin products that work, it pays to be a label-reader. Some of the active ingredients in wrinkle creams the Mayo Clinic indicates may actually give you results include retinol, hydroxy acids, coenzyme Q10, kinetin, copper peptides and extracts of green and black tea. Begoun adds vitamins C, E and B3 to the list of ingredients suggested by the Mayo Clinic that are helpful in fending off signs of aging. Glycolic or lactic acids are two types of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), she states, while salicylic acid is synonymous with beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). Each of these ingredients has different properties; for example, AHAs work by exfoliating the dead cells on the skin's surface, allowing healthy, new skin cells to emerge. See Resources for more information.
Other Anti-Aging Skin Care Myths
Sorting out fact from fiction can make all the difference in selecting the appropriate anti-aging skin care, says the AAD. Products that purport to be "clinically proven" don't mean that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved it--cosmetics are not under the purview of the FDA's review and approval process. This often means that the skincare product was given to a select number of people by the manufacturer to try out for a while, says the AAD. Other myths about skin care is that more expensive products work better and that "all natural/organic" products are safer--the AAD points out that "natural" products are processed so that they undergo modification before they're added to the anti-aging skin care product, so this terminology is often misleading. If you have questions about what products work, ask a dermatologist.
Selecting Your Skin Care
Although a dermatologist is your best source of information, you can educate yourself about anti-aging skin care products by reading unbiased reports--blogs and informational websites--written by medical professionals, such as the AAD, as well as those sponsored by consumer reviewers, such as Begoun, whose background in the cosmetics industry allowed her to write numerous books on the subject, including "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me" and "The Original Beauty Bible." To save yourself time and money, the AAD advises you to select your number one aging problem--such as wrinkles, blotchy skin or age spots. Find a product with an active ingredient that addresses your main cause of concern. To make sure that your products are gentle enough for your face, the AAD advises putting a bit of the product on the inside of your wrist for a few days to make sure that you don't experience allergic or contact dermatitis.
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