According to Joan Collins “The problem with beauty is that it’s like being born rich and getting poorer.”
The fact is that beauty may indeed be only skin deep, but ageing isn’t. It happens to every cell of the body. But since every cell also replaces itself regularly, why do we all still develop lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and sagging?
Ageing occurs because the cell replication process becomes slower and less perfect with time. A study at Newcastle University confirmed that, when the batteries in our cells start to run down there’s an increase in free radical activity, resulting in lines, wrinkles and sagging, but it also decreases the activity of a key metabolic enzyme in those batteries. Establishing this specific biomarker target should some day help experts devise anti-ageing products and treatments that target this bio-energy decline and also tailor it to different ages, colourings and even body areas, but that certainly isn’t around the corner. That’s why we still invest so much in anti-ageing treatments from full facelifts, sub-surgical fillers and line-freezing Botox to skincare that ranges from UV-filters and antioxidant creams to retinol complexes and collagen supplements. Since not even facelifts last forever, which treatments work best?
Sunscreens still make the single biggest difference to the ageing process. By blocking and/or absorbing the UVA-rays (which are present all year round) and UVB-radiation (which is at its most intense in summer), they can prevent the formation of hyperpigmentation and many lines and wrinkles. Although their benefits are greatest when used from a young age, it’s never too late to make a difference since regular use enables a degree of ‘repair’ and reversal to some of the damage that has already been done. This means wearing sunscreen whenever you’re outside in daylight, including SPF15 in winter and SPF25-50 in summer.
Antioxidants, usually in the form of the ‘ACE’ vitamins, but also green tea, resveratrol, Co-Q10 and Dragon’s Blood, help skin to repair some of the damage caused by free radicals, whilst also making it more resistant to further damage, rather like putting lemon juice (which is high in antioxidant vitamin C) on an avocado will help prevent discolouration. An excellent anti-ageing programme therefore involves UV-protection every morning and antioxidant cream at night.
Resurfacing treatments not only reduce lines and pigmentation but also smooth pitting, enlarged pores and poor texture, but their sheer variety means they work at different depths. Dermatologists and therapists can perform chemical peels and/or laser treatments that work deep-down to provide the smoothest plumpest, freshest, youngest-looking skin. Depending on the exact treatment and its depth, the injury it induces in the skin can involve down-time that ranges from couple of weeks for deeper peels to just a few days or even hours for more superficial therapies. Home peels, which exfoliate by using skin-friendly acids, and micro-exfoliation kits are obviously even milder but still help smooth, refresh and rejuvenate dull, dry, tired-looking complexions.
Cell production boosters speed up the cell replacement process to help skin work more like it did when it was younger. The best known, most successful ingredient for this is retinol, a derivative of vitamin A. Although the most potent version, tretinoin, is available only on prescription, milder cosmetic creams containing retinol and retinaldehyde (such as La Roche-Posay) have still been proven effective.
Collagen is the protein that provides skin with much of its plumpness and springiness. Although it declines naturally with age, free radical activity will erode it faster. Collagen-boosting or ‘pro-collagen’ creams claim to rev up natural collagen in your skin, as do collagen supplements such as Imedeen or Nourella, which of course benefit the skin of the whole body, too. Areas of deep wrinkles, such as deep nose-to-mouth lines, can also be filled with Restylane injections, ‘fillers’ that literally pad out sunken areas (or perhaps plump thinning lips) although they usually only last for up to six months at a time.
Plant stem cells, like human stem cells, are basically mother cells, blank slates that can morph into any fresh, healthy cell in the body in order to help with repair and regeneration. However, human cells obviously aren’t used in cosmetic creams, and plant stem cells cannot become human cells. Nevertheless, these ingredients can still be helpful, usually as a result of potent antioxidant activity – just keep your expectations realistic.
We’d love to hear about your favourite anti-ageing product or technique? Please share with us below…
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