Thursday, May 28, 2009

Wrinkle Creams: Cosmetic Or Charismatic?

By Jen Hopkins

Every woman ages. Most would prefer not to, especially when creases show up around the lips and eyes in our thirties. How many hours have been wasted scrutinizing that face in the mirror! Is there a jar or bottle which contains magic wrinkle-killing substances?

The cosmetic market is awash with so many creams that promise to aid you in your battle against wrinkles, that it can be a monstrous decision choosing one out of the multitude. Ranging in price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, one is uncertain as to where to start looking, and what to look for. Big brand companies seem to be the pioneers in this race to market their products for anti aging. Despite their expensive price tags, many gullible middle-aged women are willing to buy and try.

Reviews and beauty forums on the world wide web are populated with thousands of desperate shoppers, and most are fairly useless. If a handful of reviewers claim a specific product works for them a pile of women buy the item. Then, like clockwork, the negative reviews show up. "I have the same skin type the reviewer described, and it did NOTHING for me!" or "You may swear by it, but this stuff is junk!" It makes one wonder if any of the products really work.

The answer to that lies in the skin's structure and the reasons behind those fine lines. Wrinkles are said to be formed due to a number of factors, viz. skin's natural aging process, free radicals in the air that damage the skin's structure, UV rays from the sun, bad diet, lack of exercise, illnesses, certain prescription drugs, smoking and alcohol consumption. There are probably other reasons, but these are the main factors that are said to cause early wrinkling of the skin.

It appears that if a woman is having success with a specific product, her wrinkles aren't really going away because of it. Rather, she's taking better care of herself. I also recently learned that independant labs which test creams have not been able to prove than any of them match up to the claims made by the companies which produce them. In one case, the report said the best I could expect from a wrinkle cream is that it will take off the outer layer of my skin, which may give it a bright appearance but can be damaging if overused. Some creams also contain ingredients make the skin retain water or plump up, but I don't want to have fat cheeks just to get rid of a few lines - and how good can it be for my skin to be irritated like that?

What are the common active ingredients in a wrinkle cream? Antioxidants, such as a fruit base or vitamins A, E, C, kinetin, green tea extracts, alpha hydroxy acids, copper and coenzyme Q10 are some of the ingredients that make up most of these creams. How effective each of these are is not known, because no reliable statistics are available to understand which element works on which skin type.

Some believe antioxidants get rid of "free radicals" that cause skin damage. Maybe you've heard about using peelings from fruit to clean your face. It's the antioxidants that is supposed to cause new skin cells to grow on your skin, and the acids in the peels are acting as an abrasive. So, again - you're literally removing skin in the hopes that newer cells will generate a more attractive appearance.

There are no quick fixes. No overnight miracles. Each of the ingredients mentioned above are said to have worked for some, but not for many others. Prevention is still the best cure. Use sun protection, drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables, eliminate smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and lead a stress-free life. Above all, re-evaluate your fitness regime. There is nothing like a good workout to get the circulation going, and to bring that glow back to your face. - 16887

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