Anti Aging Face Cream – Are they the fountain of youth?
Posted by EvelinaW
If the advertisements and commercials are to be believed then yes, the effects of aging can be slowed or even reversed. Which of the myriad of anti aging face cream products on the market today will deliver as promised? As is so often the case, the answer is not a simple one.
How do Wrinkles Form?
To understand how well an anti aging product will work it is important to understand how age and damage affect the skin and cause wrinkles to form. Collagen is the protein that helps keep skin firm and smooth. In addition to the natural slow down in collagen production as we age, both sun damage and smoking break down the collagen in the skin causing premature aging. The two main things that a person can do to have younger looking skin are: wear sunscreen and avoid smoking.
Active Ingredients and Their Properties
A quick internet search will net a plethora of creams and lotions that all offer younger looking skin by reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Each of these products will have a different list of ingredients. Each of those ingredients provides different properties which in turn will have different effects on facial skin and the underlying tissues.
Here is a brief listing of some of the more prominent ingredients that you might find in anti aging face cream:
- Retinol- is a compound of vitamin A that prevents collagen from breaking down. Retinol has been shown to increase the risk of birth defects and should not be used by pregnant women.
- Hyaluronic acid- is a component of connective tissue in the body. Hyaluronic acid holds in moisture which plumps the tissue under a wrinkle creating a more smooth appearance to the skin.
- Peptides- speed the healing process by enhancing collagen production. The enhanced collagen production in turn reduces the effects of aging. Copper peptides are the most common peptide that is found in anti aging face cream.
- Antioxidants- which include vitamin E, green tea and even caffeine, help to prevent the effects of age such as under eye wrinkles. Antioxidants attack the free radicals that break down collagen.
- Hydroxy acids- are exfoliates that remove the outer layer of dead skin to promote the growth of newer, smoother skin.
- Argireline- is a peptide that s very much like Botox. Whereas Botox causes paralysis by severing the connection between the nerves and muscles, Argireline simply obstructs the connections rather than completely severing them. This means that the results with Argireline are much less dramatic than Botox.
Which Anti Aging Face Cream is the Best?
So far the best results have been achieved in anti aging face creams that contain a mixture of peptides including Argireline. Studies show that an Argireline peptide product produces the most dramatic and dependable results without Botox injections. This is true for both sun damage as well as the natural effects of aging.
On the other hand, any moisturizing anti aging face cream can be effective at reducing wrinkles to some extent. The added moisture plumps up the skin which temporarily smoothes the surface giving the appearance of younger looking skin. The true key is to keep skin well hydrated, protect it from sun damage and avoid smoking. As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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