Friday, November 28, 2008

Understanding Anti Wrinkle Creams

By Julie Samtsonn

Okay, so we're all getting older, right? Yes, right, but even though this is true, we can still look our best.

Gone are the days when people had to put up with dry skin. The market is full of anti-wrinkle remedies to help us keep our skin looking young and beautiful, no matter what your age might be.

Before we talk about what makes for an effective anti-wrinkle cream, let's talk for a minute about what causes those wrinkles. As we get older, many factors contribute to the sagging skin, wrinkles, age spots and uneven tone we begin to experience. Among those factors may be poor diet, cigarette smoking, years of exposure to the sun, and simple genetics. Collagen begins to break down, skin cell turnover slows, and accumulation of something called "free radicals" begins to damage even new cells as they grow, all of which contribute to signs of aging.

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.

There is a glut of anti-wrinkle creams and anti-aging potions on the market but it is good to know that the best ones will have ingredients like the following in them:

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 poly hydroxy acids come from fruits. They act as exfoliates by removing the skin's outer layer and allowing the new skin layer to emerge. It also causes some minor injury to the skin that encourages new skin growth. A side effect of these substances is the fact that you will be more sensitive to the sun and should protect your skin with sunscreen when you go out on sunny days.

Coenzyme Q 10 is another antioxidant that's many times more potent than traditional antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals. This is beneficial to skin because free radicals contribute to aging. Some studies suggest that it may also help stimulate collagen growth.

It is thought that Kinetin may help to moisturize the skin and increase collagen growth. It is relatively new and more clinical trials must be done to see the real results.

A point to remember is that price is not an indication of how well an anti-wrinkle cream performs. The best policy is to do your own research. You can do this by checking out reviews and testimonials of the product. This will help you to get a more balanced view of the anti-wrinkle cream. By this means you can save money and get a good product. - 15634

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