The Aging Process And How To Slow It Down

When a person pictures an example of aging skin, what does one usually think of? The most common skin conditions associated with aging skin are things like wrinkles, age spots, and leathery skin. However, these symptoms are not the symptoms of aging, but rather the consequence of sun exposure. Changes that are attributable to aging include increased dryness, decreased sweating, and changes in hair growth and facial contours.
Moisturizers and Myths
Despite popular belief, dry skin does not cause wrinkles, though it can make them appear worse. Most moisturizers simply make existing wrinkles look better temporarily; because lubricating the skin plumps it up and makes light bounce off it better, creating the optical illusion of smoother skin.
One common mistake of users is the assumption that if moisturizers can "fix" wrinkles temporarily, they can also prevent tham. Unfortunately this has not been proved. Moisturizers only plump up the outer layer of skin. You can moisturize your skin until it glows, but gravity, aging, and sun exposure will do their work anyway.
However, that does not mean that there is no hope for your skin. the first thing that one can do is to start using sunscreen all the time. This is the best defense against time. But what if time has already taken its toll? There are a few therapeutic subatnces that act on wrinkles and agespots, actually improving the skin condition and appearance. These work by affecting you skin's physical structures so the changes caused by normal aging and sun damage will be somewhat reversed, leading to fewer wrinkles.
Hope for Aging Skin Retin-A and alpha hydroxy acids are the two best known topical substances studied for their effect on wrinkles. One thing that should be carefully looked at before a particular substance is used, is the possible side effects. Retin-A can cause skin to become red and irritated, as well as extremely sensitive to the sun. Most alpha hydroxy acids can be irritating to sensitive skin, and if the acid percentage is too high, they can cause burns or hyperpigmentation. There are ways to avoid these problems, though. Do not buy an AHA product with an acid percentage over 10%, unless it is recomended to you by a doctor. The pH level should also remain above a 3, to help counteract the acidity. As for sensitive skins, there is an alpha hydroxy acid that does not irritate, and is actually stronger than most AHA's at lower percentage levels. This AHA is known as Mandelic Acid. Mandelic Acid can also help with adult-onset acne, rosecea, melasma, and liver or age spots. For more information on Mandelic Acid, please visit the website at SkinCareRx's Retail Store.
Also, new research has shown that vitamin C may be beneficial in restoring skin's vitality. Vitamin C serums have shown to improve the overall tone and texture of aging skin. Citrix C has effective vitamin C formulas, available in a serum or cream.