The Truth About Anti-Aging Ingredients

anti-agingIf there's one constant we can count on in life: it's that things will change. And of course as we get older, our skin - basically a large filtration organ - needs extra care to ensure that youthful look of vitality. But with so many products being marketed to us it's difficult to pare down what really works. As a 25 year veteran esthetician, below is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to answer that burning question of anti-aging products: do they work?! Below I've listed 5 ingredients and evidence as to whether these have any positive effect on your skin. There are more, but these are my "go to" ingredients that I find give the best results: 1) Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHa's) Glycolic acid my favorite form of exfoliation as opposed to granular scrubs or brushes of any type. Glycolic acid, lactic, salicylic and citric acids are natural ingredients that come from fruits and milk sugars (we all know this by now). I think they work great to help rid the skin of dead skin cells, allowing new cells to grow. Depending on the acid used, they all address different issues. For instance, glycolic acid helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, making it appear smoother and tighter, whereas salicylic is beneficial in treating acne and congested skin. Professional strength skin peels performed by your esthetician are often a blend of different acids and are at different strengths depending on skin type. 2) Peptides These are small proteins that help stimulate new cells to grow and help skin cells heal. Because of their larger molecular structure their is debate over their ability to penetrate the skin deeply. I find they do perform, however, as a good moisturizer and work well in hydrating the skin, thus making lines less noticeable. 3) Retinols A lot of hype around this ingredient, it is a natural form of vitamin A and help boost skin's thickness and elasticity therefore reducing the appearance of wrinkles. And the good news is that there is strong evidence to support the fact that retinols do actually work!. However, as your esthetician to recommend as most over the counter products do not have enough retinol in them to give you the benefits you need. 4) Anti- Oxidants We've all heard about this one too----these actually help fight cell damage from free radicals, which are molecules that could injure cells and increase inflammation. There are many anti-oxidants but I've found those with vitamins C and E work best if the formulation is correct, but this is key. 5) Hylauronic Acid You need this in your life! Go get it now! Ask your esthetican to recommend a profession grade product with this ingredient in it. Even if the product does not state "anti-wrinkle" on the box, if it has hylauronic acid in it, it will work as well, in my opinion, as some of the pricier anti-aging creams on the market. So, what is hylauronic acid? It is a substance that is naturally found in the human body and in highest concentrations in fluids in the eyes and joints. How does it work? By attracting water to the skin's surface, thus plumping up fine lines and wrinkles in areas where volume and elasticity is lost due to aging. I recommend our "anti-wrinkle flash" product, which has hylauronic acid in it, and can also work great around the eye area. As always, feel free to contact us by email, Facebook or simply call the office with any questions you have on this post.