Anti Aging Skin Care Products
Skin care products line the shelves of pharmacies and discount stores. The packaging on most of these products cite a laundry list of benefits such as wrinkle reduction, skin smoothing, and vitamin enhancement.
Americans spend billions of dollars each year on skin care products searching for ways to erase wrinkles, lighten age spots, reduce itching, and eliminate blemishes. But how do you know if a product really delivers what it promises? Here's what you need to know about protecting your skin from the effects of aging, and the skin care products that can help you do it.
Skin and the Aging Process
Your skin will change with the aging process. Your sweat glands decrease their oil production causing your skin to become drier and duller. And through the years, your skin becomes thinner and loses fat, so it looks less plump and smooth, and the veins and bones appear more prominent. Older skin also takes longer to heal when injured.Skin Care Enemy #1: The Sun
The ultraviolet rays of the sun are incredibly damaging to the skin during mid-day. Sunlight is the leading cause of the most troublesome skin changes including wrinkles, dryness, and age spots. The easiest and least expensive thing you can do to protect your skin is avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest times of the day. Staying out of the sun can help delay these naturally occurring changes. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to expose skin to the beneficial rays of the sun.Skin Care Dilemma: Wrinkles
Wrinkles are the bane of many people's existence. They occur naturally in skin that has lost its elasticity. The breakdown of fibers in the skin called elastin prevents skin from snapping back after stretching. Thus, wrinkles will form. Gravity also plays a role in the development of wrinkles. It pulls at the skin causing sagging, especially on the face, neck, and upper arms. Wrinkles are further aggravated by the damaging rays of the sun, and by pollutants, smoking, and other airborne debris. Cigarette smoking affects the complexion and wrinkles develop of those exposed to it. Cigarette smoke damages elastin and increases the development of facial wrinkles.
Parfait Visage™ is one of the most popular "wrinkle reduction" creams on the market. It’s available online and works wonders in reducing the appearance of fine wrinkles and other blemishes. Of course, the amount of wrinkle reduction experienced varies depending on the age and diet of the user.
The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating the effects and safety of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs.) This product is also used in Parfait Visage™ and is widely promoted to reduce wrinkles, spots, and other signs of aging and sun-damaged skin. The jury is still out on whether or not AHA's are effective. Many studies, however, suggest that they may be effective at reducing wrinkles and improving the condition of skin.
Skin Care Dilemma: Dry Skin and Itching
Skin becomes drier with age as the skin's sweat glands decrease their production of oils. Many older people suffer from dry skin, especially in areas that are regularly exposed to environmental conditions. Dry skin feels rough, scaly and itchy.
Extreme cold temperatures and wind in the winter and hot, dry sunny days of summer are equally damaging to the skin. Harsh soaps, hot water, and cosmetics with perfumes can further aggravate dry skin. Dry skin can also develop as a side effect of a serious medical condition such as diabetes or kidney disease.
Moisturizers are the most common and reliable treatment for dry skin. They come in several forms such as ointments, creams and lotions. Moisturizers are inexpensive and easy to apply. But for severe cases of dry skin, you may need to reapply them several times throughout the day. Moisturizers are not a cure for dry skin, and you should continue to use them indefinitely in order to keep your skin nourished and moisturized. Again, I recommend the product Parfait Visage™.
Skin Care Dilemma: Age Spots
Age spots, or solar lentigo, are another common and aggravating skin condition. Also known as liver spots, these blemishes can actually be a sign of liver toxicity. These flat, brown spots can also be caused by exposure to the sun. They are similar to freckles, but somewhat bigger, and they are common on sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands, arms, back, and feet. You should always carefully check your skin for any new marks or blemishes. And have any suspicious blemishes evaluated by a dermatologist.
Skin lightening creams are the most common treatment methods for reducing the appearance of darkened spots. In addition, sunscreen or sun block can be used to protect the skin from the sun's rays, and thereby prevent sun damage from occurring in the first place.
About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop and sell exclusively high-end natural and organic skin care lines to support a wide range of skin conditions. The products he promotes are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives. For more information on skin care please visit Skin-care-support.org.
