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Anti-Wrinkle CreamsHow to Select the Product That Will Work Best For You
Billions of dollars are spent each year on skin care, and over one third of that is for anti-aging products. Look for a few key ingredients before you buy.
First, before you try to fight the skin-care enemy, you need to know a little bit about it. What exactly causes wrinkles anyway? Unfortunately, as we age our body produces less collagen, a protein in that connects body tissues together and gives them shape. Collagen works hand-in-hand with another protein called elastin, which does exactly what its name sounds like it should do: it is responsible for the skin's elasticity and the degree to which it maintains its firmness. Aging also brings with it reduced elastin production. As early as puberty our bodies stop producing elastin. So, when looking for an anti-wrinkle cream, would it stand to reason that we look for one with collagen and elastin? Not necessarily. Despite many anti-wrinkle products claiming otherwise, elastin has not been proven to permeate the skin, so applying it on the outside may not help. But there are products available that have been scientifically proven to stimulate our bodies production of collagen and elastin, so when choosing an anti-wrinkle cream, scout for one or all of the following ingredients. Retinol: Also known as Vitamin A and a powerful anti-oxidant, retinol also penetrates the outer layers of skin and goes deep to repair the layers where collagen and elastin form, and it stimulates the production of collagen. Hydroxy acids: Derived from fruit acids, hydroxy acids act primarily as exfoliate the skin and produce rapid turnover of new skin cells. They perform better in creams opposed to facial washes, as they need to be on the skin long enough to absorb to the lower layers. If your anti-wrinkle cream contains a hydroxy acid, sunscreen will not be part of the formula so you MUST supplement with at least an SPF 15. According to clinical studies, using a skin product that contains a hydroxyl acid will allow the penetration of UVB rays at a 20% higher rate into your skin. Coenzyme Q10: Coenzyme Q10 is found in every body cell, but the problem is we don’t produce enough of it. A topical cream with CoQ10 absorbs through the skin, and leads to an increase in our production of collagen and elastin. CoQ10 is also considered an anti-oxidant which fights against the free radicals that can lead to skin damage. Sunscreen: An anti-wrinkle cream should have a minimal SPF Factor of 15. Ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun form free radicals (unstable molecules in our system) that damage skin and break down elasticity. Stopping damage before it starts is the best weapon in anti-aging, as not everyone wants to grow old gracefully. Some of us want to fight it every step of the way!
The copyright of the article Anti-Wrinkle Creams in Skin Creams & Cleansers is owned by Traci Vandermark. Permission to republish Anti-Wrinkle Creams in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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