Anti Wrinkle Creams
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Monday, July 12th, 2010
Over the counter wrinkle remedies may contain a number of ingredients or only one. Hyaluronic acid has become a popular choice for creams and lotions, but doctors say that it does nothing when applied topically. The reason for its inclusion in cosmetics has nothing to do with its effectiveness.
Hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin and an assortment of synthetic fillers will stretch out wrinkles when they are injected into the deepest of the skin’s layers. The injections are widely advertised. They have different brand names. You have probably heard some of them.
They are available at day spas, dermatologist’s offices and from cosmetic surgeons. They range in price from $400 to $1000 per shot. The immediate effects may wear off in as little as three months. The effects provided by the so-called “collagen boosters” will not appear for several months.
So, if your goal is to look great for your daughter’s wedding, then a hyaluronic acid injection might be a good choice. It is less likely to form hardened nodules under the skin’s surface. It can easily be dissolved with another injection if you don’t like the results. But, if you are looking for effective rub-on wrinkle remedies, it won’t do a thing.
You might say that cosmetic manufacturers are riding the coattails of the injection’s popularity. The companies did the same thing when collagen injections were the “in” thing. They use advertising claims like “safe Botox alternative” or “no needle cure for wrinkles”. The truth is that none of these solutions are cures.
Some creams and lotions are beneficial as long as you use them on a regular basis. Using the term “cure” leads people to believe that you can use it once and never have to bother with it again.
There are effective topical wrinkle remedies, but they must be used on a daily basis for three weeks to three months before you see optimum results. Optimum in this sense means that you might notice some improvement early on, but you will see even more as time goes by.
If you stop using the cream, lotion or gel, the benefits will fade away. It’s kind of like staying out of the sun.
Dermatologists say that if you protect your face from the sun consistently for six months, you will look five years younger. Your skin will look smoother and more even-toned. But, a day at the beach will redo the damage.
Topically applied wrinkle remedies containing collagen or hyaluronic acid are a waste of money, because the molecules are too large to penetrate the skin’s surface. It is true that the skin’s collagen and hyaluronic acid content decreases with age, but that issue cannot be addressed by using a cream or lotion containing them. The key is to protect what is present or stimulate the production of more.
Wakame kelp extract is an ingredient known to prevent the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels from becoming depleted. Functional Keratin is known to stimulate collagen production. Some of the more advanced over-the-counter wrinkle remedies contain both of those ingredients. That’s the kind of remedy to look for.
The Best Wrinkle Creams Contain No Petrochemicals or Synthetic Ingredients
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Identifying the best wrinkle creams is not that difficult, once you know which ingredients to look for. Obviously, you want a cream that contains proven effective ingredients, not one that has proven to cause allergic or adverse reactions.
All trans-retinoic acid or Retin-A has long been viewed as the most effective anti-wrinkle cream by dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons. But, there are warning labels all over the bottle. It is known to cause adverse reactions that include redness, itching and irritation. There is concern that it may cause cellular mutations. There’s also no reason to take the risk.
All trans-retinoic acid is a synthetic acidic form of natural vitamin A. It is created in the laboratory using petrochemicals. This may be the reason for the adverse reactions. It could be the acidic nature of the compound that causes redness, itching and irritation. In its natural vegetable form, vitamin A is non-acidic.
Researchers have shown that plant extracts containing the naturally occurring form of vitamin A are just as effective as Retin-A. But, there is no risk of side effects.
The best wrinkle creams contain avocado oil because it is rich in vitamin A and other nutrients. It is particularly beneficial when used at night and has been scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production. Researchers have been able to measure an increase in the skin’s collagen content after just a few weeks of use.
A synthetic form of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 has been developed and may soon be released. You might wonder why companies choose to use synthetics when naturally occurring compounds are available. The answer is simple. Synthetics are cheaper.
Petrochemicals are byproducts created when petroleum is distilled and converted to gasoline. They are very cheap and readily available. Since they contain carbon, all kinds of molecules can be created from them.
The best wrinkle creams do not contain any petrochemicals. They do contain the naturally occurring version of coenzyme Q10, because it has been shown to reverse wrinkles and sun damage when applied topically on a daily basis for three months.
Research and development teams believe they can speed the results by combining coenzyme Q10 with other active ingredients, including natural vitamin E. The R&D teams like vitamin E for another reason. It effectively preserves natural oils like avocado. So, there is no need to use artificial preservatives.
Artificial preservatives are among the most common causes of allergic reactions. Dermatologists have known that for years. It should be obvious that the best wrinkle creams do not contain artificial preservatives. In fact, they contain nothing artificial. Every ingredient included in the cream is safe enough to eat.
Although the big companies will say otherwise, there is really no reason to use synthetic ingredients, allergens, toxins or irritants. It is true that natural ingredients are only available in limited quantities. They also cost more.
You can expect to pay more for the best wrinkle creams, but they don’t cost as much as you would pay for something with a designer label. And unlike paying for a designer name, paying for good nourishing skincare products is a worthwhile investment.
On Anti Wrinkle Creams with Celebrity Endorsements
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Expensive celebrity-endorsed anti wrinkle creams are being advertised on television and in glossy magazine ads. The question in most people’s minds is whether or not they really work.
The skeptic will assume that they don’t, while the hopeful person will give them a try. No matter who you are, you will be pleased to know that some of the compounds included in these products are effective.
You just won’t find the effective ingredients at the right concentration in all of the heavily advertised products. Those companies are counting on you to buy because you admire the celebrity spokesperson. They have no evidence to support their claims.
What you want to look for is a company that publishes the results of clinical studies on their websites. Those are indisputable facts.
While the compounds used in those studies might not work for every single person, they work for most people. One requirement is that you continue to use them on a regular basis.
People often give up if they don’t see immediate results. What you have to remember is that the best anti wrinkle creams provide few immediate results. They work on the long-term to improve the skin’s health, which as times goes by improves its appearance.
What’s wrong with your skin’s health? Toxins, damage from sunlight, low levels of important compounds like hyaluronic acid, decreased production of elastic fibers, lack of new skin cell growth…those are some of the things that are wrong with your skin’s health.
Some of them are natural parts of the aging process. But, that does not mean they are unavoidable. Judging from the latest research, avoiding them simply requires giving your skin more nourishment.
The skin’s outer layers get a great deal of damage and have very little protection. One of the things that protect the skin is sebum and we wash that away every time that we shower. So, the first thing that anti wrinkle creams should do is perform the same function performed by sebum. They should protect and moisturize.
The second thing that they should do is improve the skin’s antioxidant content. Antioxidants protect against damaging free radicals. The antioxidant coenzyme Q10 has been shown to reverse sun damage and wrinkles.
It took three months of daily use to see a 30% reduction in wrinkles. If you stop using the effective anti wrinkle creams containing coenzyme Q10, you will stop seeing benefits and the damage can be redone.
The third thing that the creams should do is improve the skin’s elasticity. It is lost elasticity that causes sagging and contributes to the depth of wrinkles. The best ingredient for improving the skin’s elasticity is called Functional Keratin. It has been shown to provide a 40% improvement in elasticity after only 18 days of use.
When it comes to fast-working, there is nothing that works faster than Functional Keratin. But, the best anti wrinkle creams combine it with coenzyme Q10 in order to provide even more results. You won’t see celebrities endorsing products containing those ingredients. But, that doesn’t mean they’re not available.