Friday, November 28, 2008

Discovering Anti-Wrinkle Creams

By Julie Samtsonn

There is no doubt about it we are not getting any younger. However despite this fact there is no reason that we cannot still look good.

These days, we don't have to suffer from the dry skin our grandmothers had to put up with. Instead, the market contains many anti-wrinkle creams that can help us have smooth, supple skin well into what used to be called "old age."

Let us think about the reasons your skin starts to age before reflecting on the factors that make anti-wrinkle cream work. As we advance in years our skin begins to reflect our age. We begin to experience wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots. Of course there can be many reasons for this. Prolonged exposure to the sun, smoking, heavy drinking, and even genetics can play their part in skin aging. Your skin gradually undergoes changes as you age. You will find that collagen will decrease and there is often an increase in "free radicals" which will deteriorate your skin.

Although skin on the face will without question wrinkle to some extent as we get older, we can help reverse some of those effects of aging with a good antiwrinkle cream. Of course, we also have to make good choices with diet, exercise, and proper hydration, as well as avoiding smoking and getting enough sleep if we want to look younger.

The market is full of anti-wrinkle creams and anti-aging remedies but the really good ones will have a few of the following ingredients:

One of the best ingredients you can find in an anti-wrinkle cream is something called retinol. Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. it's an antioxidant, so it helps neutralize free radicals. It also increases skin cell turnover. This is beneficial because when we are in our 20s, our outer layer of skin is replaced roughly every 28 days. By the time we're in our 40s, that may have increased to 42 or even more days. To help retain fresh, young skin even into our 40s, we need to speed up this replacement. Retinol does this by dissolving the outer layer of skin and revealing fresh, new skin underneath.

Alpha hydroxy acids and the newer beta and poly hydroxy acids are acids derived from fruit. These acids are exfoliants, which means it removes the outer layer of skin and encourages fresh new skin to appear from beneath. This is similar to one of retinol's functions, but hydroxy acids produce a minor "injury" to the skin that also encourages new collagen growth to occur in the skin layers themselves. One drawback to hydroxy acids is that they do make you much more photosensitive, so always wear sunscreen when you're out in the sun.

Coenzyme Q 10 is a powerful antioxidant; in fact it is one of the strongest out there. Its purpose is to neutralize free radicals. These free radicals are toxins that damage new skin cells and make your skin age faster. It is also thought that this substance will stimulate the growth of collagen.

Kinetin is another new ingredient that is still being studied. It seems to help skin retain moisture and encourages collagen growth.

It is good to remember that the price of anti-wrinkle cream does not necessary indicate the effectiveness of it. A better idea is to check out the product carefully yourself. You can see reviews and testimonials of the product and make your own judgment. You can save a ton of money and really get your money's worth. - 16928

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