Chemical Peel, Part 2

In the previous post, I explained what chemical peels are, the types of chemical peel and how chemical peels are applied. Here are a few more aspects to consider;

Which One Is Right For Me?

Chemical peels can remove just a few or many layers of skin. The key factors to consider in determining which chemical peel is correct for you include; the amount of skin problem/aging/sun damage, the skin colour or type, the amount of skin rejuvenation you would like to accomplish, and the amount of recovery time that is acceptable to you.

As a general rule, the deeper the peel, the more side effects and potential complications will be encountered. Usually the recovery period will also be longer. Also, the darker the skin type, the greater the number of problems may be encountered after the procedure. This applies especially to pigmentation problems such as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This occurs when the treated skin becomes darker than the untreated skin. Therefore, care should be taken when applying deeper peels in darker skin types. Consideration should be given towards performing several more shallow peels rather than one deep peel.

The extent of skin aging will also determine which peel to use. For patients with less skin damage, pigmentation and wrinkles, only superficial peels will be required. The opposite also holds true.

Different skin ailments respond differently to particular chemical peels. As an example, acne responds well to Jessner's peel and salicylic (beta hydroxy acid) peels. These chemical peels are very oil soluble, are able to penetrate deeper into pores to remove oil and sebum, and are anti-inflammatory. Both alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid help exfoliate the skin. TCA peels, alpha hydroxy acid peels and Jessner's peels are best suited to pigmentation issues and sun damage.

Wrinkles can be best treated using any medium to deep chemical peel, such as TCA peels. These peels can be a cost effective alternative to laser skin treatment.

How To Prepare For A Chemical Peel

Skin preparation can be done by applying skin care products containing retinoic acid such as Retin-A/Stieve-A, which are available by prescription only. Topical lightening agents, which are creams or serums used to help lighten skin and skin pigmentation problems, can also be used. These include hydroquinone, kojic acid or arbutin. This should be started at least two weeks before peeling to help with even penetration of the chemical peel, decreasing the healing period and to reduce complications like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Use of alpha hydroxy acid cleansers/exfoliants in the two weeks prior to chemical peeling can also help the peeling agent. These, however, do not reduce the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Medical Issues That Your Doctor Should Know About Before A Chemical Peel

Patients with cold sores (herpes simplex virus) should advise their doctor before chemical peeling. If the cold sore is active, they may need to wait until it has passed before having a chemical peel. Or if the person has a history of cold sores, the doctor may recommend a course of anti-viral medication as a prophylaxis to any re-occurence during the treatment.

A presence of keloid (thick, pigmented scarring) may exclude a person from all but the most superficial of chemical peels.

Patients with HIV/AIDS or immunosuppression should stay away from chemical peels as it may increase the possibility of infection and scarring.

Also those who have recently had a course of isotretinoin (or Roaccutane) for the treatment of acne should avoid chemical peels for six months before undertaking medium or deep chemical peels. Likewise, people who have recently had a facelift should not undergo chemical peels for at least six months.

Chemical Peel, Part 1

What Is A Chemical Peel?

A chemical peel is an anti aging treatment used to improve skin using a chemical solution. The solution brings on a controlled injury to the skin that causes the dead skin to peel off. By removing the top layers of skin, collagen production is induced thereby improving sun damaged skin and skin pigmentation problems, reducing wrinkles, and improves skin texture and overall appearance of the skin. The younger looking skin has fewer wrinkles than the old skin.

Some types of chemical peels can be purchased and applied without a medical license; however people are advised to seek professional advice on a specific type of chemical peel beforehand. The strength of the chemical solution will determine the depth of the peel. Deeper peels may have a greater number of complications and require a longer recovery period, but will also result in a greater improvement to the skin.

Chemical peels can be applied to several different parts of the body other than the face. For example, the procedure can be done on the chest and back for acne, or on the neck or decolletage to treat sun damage.

Types Of Chemical Peels

Chemical peels fall into several categories. Each type is suited to treat different skin ailments. Chemical peels also vary in solution strength and are classified as either 'superficial', 'medium' or 'deep', according to the level of skin to be treated.

Supercial chemical peels include;

• Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels - these contain glycolic and lactic acid.
• Beta hydroxy acid (BHA) peels - salicylic acid is the main ingredient in these peels.
• Retinoic acid peels - retinoic acid is the ingredient found in Retin-A and Stieva-A (tretinoin) skin care products, but in much less concentrations than the retinoic peels.
• Jessner's Peel - contains a combination of salicylic acid, resorcinol and lactic acid.
• Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel - typically contains 10 - 20% TCA.
• Deep sea peel - this is a natural organic, herb/plant-based peel.

Medium depth chemical peels include;

• Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel - typically containing 35% TCA.

Deep chemical peels include;

• Baker-Gordon phenol peel.

Applying A Chemical Peel

It is recommended that the application of a chemical peel be performed by an experienced doctor or nurse.

The skin should be thoroughly cleansed. For facial peels, vaseline can be used to prevent the peel from entering the eyes. Your eyes should be closed during the procedure. As your skin is likely to get hot during the procedure, keep a fan handy to cool the area.

The chemical peel solution is applied to the skin for a set time before neutralizing the solution. However, if there is any unexpected skin reaction before the end of the allotted time, or if the pain is excessive, neutralization can be done early. Sodium bicarbonate is used for the neutralization stage.

At the end of the procedure, the peel is completed by placing sunscreen and a soothing balm on the skin.

Anti Aging Using A Dermal Roller

It's safe to use anywhere on the body, on all skin types and all skin colors. The results and healing are quick, and there's no requirement for time off work. It can treat sensitive skin that other procedures must avoid, such as under eye wrinkles, the neck and the back of the hands. And dramatic results can be seen within one week.

What is it?

It's known as "skin needling", where surgical stainless steel needles are gently rolled over the skin puncturing the dermis. This induces the release of growth factors that stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.

The procedure is a relatively new practice in cosmetic medicine. The skin micro needling is the modern equivalent to traditional Chinese acupuncture and is designed for home or clinic use. It is very cost effective as the skin or derma roller can be used dozens of times.

The roller tool goes by such names as derma roller, Dermal Roller, Dr Roller, Skin Roller and Skin Needling Roller.

Dermal rolling has been an area of discussion and rigorous research in Europe and the USA. The technique has proven beneficial in enhancing anti aging of the skin. Some of the main benefits include;

• wrinkle reduction - induces collagen, increasing production by up to 10 times in a single treatment.
• absorption of anti wrinkle products - it increases the absorption of anti wrinkle products by up to 10,000 times in a single use. This is called Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT).

Unlike other methods such as acids or laser, it does not damage or peel the epidermis. It works beneath the surface to stimulate collagen growth, thus tightening and producing younger looking skin.

Dermal rolling can be used for treatment and reduction of sagging skin, loss of hair, reduction of stretch marks, acne scarring and the management of cellulite. When used for hyperpigmentation, these spots will often return to normal within a few treatments.

There are several different needle length available, depending on the specific results you may want;

0.2 mm - These are good for increasing microcirculation and helping with the absorption of skin products. The needles are not long enough, however, to induce collagen production.

0.5 mm - This needle size is highly recommended and is the best all round roller. It also helps absorption of skin products and is the smallest of the roller that induce collagen production. This is recommended for the face.

1.0 mm - This is the most useful for restoring hair loss. The longer needles are necessary to pass through the hair in the area. These needles are not recommended for the face.

1.5 mm - This is recommended only for scars, and on stretch marks and cellulite. Be sure to take care as the needles can cause localized pain.

Laser Eye Wrinkle Reduction

Here's a bit more on laser wrinkle removal. Specifically, laser skin treatment can be used effectively for lines around eyes and dark circles under the eyes.

Lines Around The Eyes

The "crow's feet" around the eyes are wrinkles caused by muscle contractions during facial expressions such as squinting or frowning, as well as slack, poor quality skin around the eyes. The excessive muscle tone can be smoothed out by Botox. However, if there is too much excess skin, Botox treatment is not the best solution. Laser skin treatment, by way of microscopic accurate incisions of the skin under the eyes, is the better option in this instance to tighten and rejuvenate the skin.

Not only will it provide laser skin tightening, it is likely to act like a mini upper eye lift.

Usually only one laser skin rejuvenation treatment is needed and the recovery period is short. There will be some swelling the next day however this will be gone within a week.

Dark Circles Under The Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes may be racial in origin, and is a common complaint particularly from people with olive or dark skin. Dark circles may also be associated with drug use or insufficient sleep.

The cause of dark circles is due to either pigmentation or amassed bluish blood vessels. Creams and lotions cannot remove dark circles alone. Surgical laser treatment remains the most effective solution. Laser skin treatment is used to remove the pigmentation and blood vessels, followed by the use of anti-pigmentation cream. It is a delicate operation requiring microscopic surgery and a lot of care. However, this laser skin rejuvenation procedure is a proven successful anti aging treatment.

The procedure should take less than 2 hours and some swelling can be expected. Pigmentation may initially get darker and will then flake off. Recovery usually takes 3 to 7 days.

Eye Wrinkle Reduction

One of the first signs of aging are "crows feet" that occur around the eyes. The area around the eyes has very thin skin and needs proper care. Unfortunately, some of the ingredients that are used in face and body creams are designed to go deep into the skin. These are not desirable for under eye wrinkles as the eyes may become irritated. Therefore, it is better to use a dedicated eye serum or gel so you can maximise benefits without any risk to your eyes.

I would recommend that you use natural anti wrinkle products, and use them every morning and night for optimum reduction of under eye wrinkles. The serum or gel should be free of chemicals, fragrances and mineral oils and contain lots of active and proven anti aging products. There are many natural ingredients that have been shown to be beneficial to wrinkle reduction around the eyes. Check out products and ingredients like Eyeliss, Haloxyl, Homeo Age, Cynergy TK, Nanobelle Coenzyme Q10, Babassu, Crodomol CAP, Phytessence Wakame, Retin A plus natural vitamin E and active manuka honey.

But don't just rely on anti wrinkle products to reduce under eye wrinkles. Maintain healthy lifestyle habits and your skin will benefit long term. Here are some tips to help with wrinkle reduction around the eyes:

• Wear sunglasses when outside in the sun. This will help protect the area around the eyes and stop you squinting.
• Put on sunscreen before you go out in the sun, paying special attention not to miss the skin around the eyes.
• Cleansers and toners can make your skin dry, so don't forget to moisturize afterwards.
• Get lots of anti oxidants in your diet.
• Drinks lots of water.
• Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, stress and over-eating.
• Get enough sleep and take time out to smell the roses.

I like that last point.

Laser Wrinkle Removal

As a part of the multibillion dollar skin care industry, technology is advancing to assist in the combat against the signs of aging.

One such area of technology is laser skin treatment, or laser resurfacing. Lasers are being used to remove wrinkles, lines and unsightly scars from people's skin. Laser wrinkle removal rejuvenates by removal of the old skin, stimulation of collagen regeneration to support the skin, thus minimising wrinkles and by tightening of old loose skin.

Originally, laser resurfacing worked by using the high-intensity light pulses to remove the entire layer of the top skin. Unfortunately, recover time for this procedure was long, frequently painful and sometimes required the treated area to be bandaged. Swelling and redness could remain for weeks.

The latest laser technology, however, reduces the recovery time by half. And the end result is arguably the same, if not better. Laser resurfacing can treat acne scars, chicken pox scars, surgical scars, pigmentation, freckles, birthmarks, reduction of fine wrinkles, damaged capillaries and refinement of pores.

This latest laser skin treatment technique works by making thousands of tiny holes, each smaller than the thickness of a hair. In so doing, the skin heals in 1 to 2 days, rather than weeks. There will still be swelling and redness, just like the early procedure. However, patients can wear covering make-up as soon as peeling is completed in 3 to 7 days. While this is a much shorter recovery period than before, the length of time is related to the skin ailment that is being treated. For example, a straight forward skin rejuvenation procedure may take only 3 to 4 days to recover, while laser skin treatment of acne scars may take 5 to 7 days.

The revitalized skin will continue to improve for 6 to 12 months.

Skin Care Tips For Men

Yeah! Men have skin, too. So why shouldn't they get a few tips...

Compared to ten years ago, I'd have to say that men are becoming more aware of their skin and the need to look after it. Shaving is tough on the face, so a bit of care can go a long way towards skin rejuvenation. And with the campaigns making people aware of the damage that can be done to skin by over-exposure to the sun's UV rays, the idea of applying a sunblock and moisturizer no longer makes macho males go into a state of panic.

For many men, however, skin care is still little more than an afterthought. Skin care is important since our skin is our defense against the outside world. And no-one wants to develop wrinkles before their time.

For those men who are open to suggestions, here are a few simple, inexpensive tips to retaining that younger looking skin.

Shaving

Before shaving, make sure you wet your face with warm water before applying shaving cream. This will allow the razor to glide better across your skin. Take your time while shaving, to reduce the chances of nicking your skin. Rinse with cold water, not hot. And applying after-shave cream or a facial moisturizer is a good idea.

If you use an electric razor, apply lotion before shaving. This will get your whiskers to stand up and allows the shaver to glider over the skin more easily. It will also decrease irritation that can come with electric shaving.

Protection From The Elements

The wind and sun can dry and damage your skin. As part of your morning routine, apply a moisturizer that contains sunscreen. This should be used on all exposed skin such as arms, the backs of your hands as well as your face and neck. This is important if you intend to be outside for an extended period of time. A cream with a minimum SPF factor of 15 should be used. After being in the sun for a long time, use a moisurizer that contains vitamin E.

Diet And Exercise

A balanced diet and staying active are essential. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, as these will provide you with anti-oxidants that can slow down skin damage. Although natural is best, alternatively, you may consider taking multi vitamins that contain anti-oxidants and vitamin E. Limit your intake of greasy, fried food.

Exercise will help clear your pores and increase your metabolism.

Drink Enough Water

Make sure that you drink lots of water each day. Our body's cells have a high water content, so it makes sense to keep yourself hydrated. Limit your consumption of coffee, tea and alcohol as these tend to dehydrate you.


Men should realize that proper skin care need not take a lot of time. A few minutes a day is all that is required. With just a bit of extra attention, your skin will look healthier and younger.

The Importance Of Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential for our body to function correctly. As our skin is an integral part of our body, healthy eating will assist with skin rejuvenation. In fact, an absence of some vitamins and minerals are damaging to the skin and possibly result in skin disease and a premature increase in aging.

The following are various vitamins and minerals important for healthy skin;

Vitamin B-Complex

B-complex normally refers to the group of vitamins that include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenate), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyancobalamine) and folate.

Vitamins B1 and B2 are important for energy production in the cells. Lack of these vitamins may occur in people who base their diet mainly on processed grains and potatoes.

Vitamin B12 is essential for a range of processes in the cells. A lack of this vitamin is very detrimental to neurons and rapidly dividing cells, including skin cells. B12 is found almost exclusively in meat, poultry, fish, eggs and diary products. It has been shown that no active B12 is found in algae (such as spirulina) or fermented soy products. Therefore, vegetarians are at risk of this vitamin deficiency.

Just like B12, folate is also important to rapidly dividing cells, including skin cells. Green leafy vegetables and beans are the most abundant sources of folate. Liver is the only food from an animal source that is rich in folate. Folate can break down during cooking. So the best way to get enough folate in your diet is to eat liberal amounts of fresh or slightly cooked vegetables.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential to the normal life cycle of skin cells. A lack of vitamin A causes the skin to become dry and prone to wrinkles. No skin treatment will work effectively if a person is vitamin A deficient.

Vitamin A can be found in foods such as eggs, organ meats and diary products. Several plants, like carrots and broccoli, can provide carotenoids that the body can convert into vitamin A.

Vitamin C, Iron & Copper

These three are important for the production of collagen. A lack of these nutrients decreases the skins elasticity and healing ability. Vitamin C can be found in fruit and vegetables, iron is found in whole grains and meat products and copper is found in trace amounts in a diverse assortment of foods.


Just about all vitamins and minerals are required for healthy skin, but some are particulary important. To maximize the benefits of any anti aging treatment, you need to eat plenty of healthy foods to get the necessary vitamins and minerals. But, all in moderation, of course. Too high dosage of some vitamins and minerals may be detrimental to the body.

Resources For Wrinkle Reduction Advice

So you've noticed a few (more) wrinkles appearing on your face and neck. What resources are available for obtaining wrinkle reduction advice or information regarding anti wrinkle products? There are several places where you can find the type of information you need to achieve younger looking skin.

Your local dermatologist is a good source for advice. A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin conditions and disorders.

There are also many online resources for wrinkle reduction guidance. Online forums can provide you with advice from people who have found solutions to wrinkle problems, who have tried anti wrinkle products or an anti aging treatment. Alternatively, websites can provide you with a wealth of information ranging from laser wrinkle removal to wrinkle cream reviews to treatment for under eye wrinkles, and any other skin and wrinkle problem that you may have. These sites will have recommendations for products and treatments that can get you on your way to having younger looking skin.

You can quiz your friends and colleagues as to what anti wrinkle products they have tried and would recommend. You may quickly discover an excellent product by just asking!

There are a lot of natural products that benefit your skin. So you could scour the bookshelves for homemade skin rejuvenation treatments. Some home-based treatments have been around for decades - these might be a great anti aging treatment for your skin.

When searching for advice, you need to be mindful that everybody's skin is different. Some people's skin is more sensitive than others. Therefore, some treatments and anti wrinkle products will work better for some than for others. You should be aware of the ingredients and products that might react badly with your skin.

Whatever you discover, make sure you take care of your skin every day. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, eat healthy food and don't get too much sun. It's the best thing you can do for keeping wrinkles at bay.

Marketing - Don't Get Suckered In!

The skin care market is a mega-billion dollar industry. There is so much demand for effective anti wrinkle products, cosmetic companies are continually introducing new anti wrinkle creams to take advantage of this fact.

People are hungry for products that promise skin rejuvenation, and will pay a lot of money in the belief that it will give them younger looking skin.

More often than not, however, it is the pricier skin care products that are ineffective. And it really annoys me when the products don't even come close to achieving the promises that the advertising leads you to believe.

Many of these products are generated and pushed onto the market without testing or proof that they will do anything beneficial for your skin. Instead of spending time and investing money to produce superior, proven anti wrinkle products, most manufacturers will spend their money on marketing and product staging.

And if you haven't realised it yet, marketing is very expensive! But even so, a good marketing campaign can turn a not-so-spectacular small bottle of goo into a huge earner for a cosmetics company.

But don't get me wrong. There are some excellent products that will give you younger looking skin. The complication is in knowing which skin care ingredients and products actually work. Without good information, it can be very hard to find a product that works for you.

Unfortunately, there will never be a lack of people willing to spend good money for the latest anti wrinkle creams, irrespective of whether they help or not. The reality is that most people will not make the effort to investigate cosmetic products and ingredients.

So do yourself a favour, start reading a few wrinkle cream reviews and GET INFORMED before you commit to purchasing that next product. As an informed buyer, you won't fall for the marketing hype. Find out which ingredients are effective and those that can actually damage your skin.

Bad Ingredients - Part 2

Along the same theme as "Bad Ingredients - Part 1", here are a few more components that you may find in anti wrinkle products and various skin care creams. You should be aware of these ingredients and avoid them (especially those associated with being potentially carcinogenic).

Dioxane

Dioxane was originally produced from coconut. Like many other ingredients, it is now created artificially and used in a number of anti wrinkle creams. Unfortunately, the synthetic product now used often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which quickly penetrates the skin and blood stream.

It is unregulated in most states and countries, but the state of California lists it as a known carcinogen.

Fragrance

Everyone likes nice smelling creams. However, of the hundreds of different chemicals that fall into the category of "fragrance", many of them contain poisons or known cancer-producing agents.

In reality, there is no reason to include perfumes in skin rejuvenation products. If you want to smell nice, stick with a daub of perfume or body spray. I believe that it's better to use a small amount of fragrance here and there than to apply it onto a large area of skin while applying anti wrinkle products.

Parabens

These may be either propyl, butyl, methyl or ethyl paraben. In many countries they are banned, but many skin products and moisturizers still contain them.

Parabens are preservatives that extend the active life of creams and products. They have been linked to a variety of cancer. They are shown to interfere with the endocrine system (ie the body's gland system), causing allergies, irritation and rashes. One study reported that parabens were discovered in human breast tumors.

If you see parabens listed when you read the product label, don't buy it!

Alcohols

Alcohols can come as either ethyl alcohol (ethanol), methyl alcohol (methanol), SD alcohol, benzyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. Each type of alcohol has slightly different properties, but an alcohol used in anti wrinkle products will cause dryness and irritation since it removes the skin's protective oils.


So are the cosmetics manufacturers going to alert the public about these deleterious products? Not likely! These companies are too driven with making money, and any admission - especially any association with cancer - would cost them dearly. It's frightening to know that people spend a lot of money to unwittingly apply these poisons to their skin!

Bad Ingredients - Part 1

It's unfortunate that so many skin care and anti wrinkle products on the market contain a range of constituents that can potentially harm you over a period of time, some being carcinogenic. The following are ingredients to be aware of:

Mineral Oil

The moisturizing effects of anti wrinkle creams are commonly achieved by the mineral oils in them. Companies use mineral oil because it cheap. Call it what you will (mineral oil, petrolatum, liquid paraffin, paraffin wax), they are all bad for your skin.

After a single application of an anti wrinkle cream containing mineral oil, your pores will become blocked and your skin won't be able to breathe. Consequently, your skin may form pimples and rashes. And after continued use, your skin will stop producing it's own oils. When this happens, it will become dry and scaly.

This common ingredient in creams can actually do the opposite of giving you younger looking skin.

And what's worse is the result from a recent study on mice that found the application of commercial anti wrinkle creams containing mineral oil and sodium lauryl sulphate significantly increased the frequency of skin cancer.

That brings me onto the next ingredient to avoid...

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)

This inexpensive detergent is commonly used in cosmetic cleansers, shampoos and bath/shower gels to enhance penetration and absorption of other active ingredients. It is arguably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin care products. SLS is used for industrial cleaning of workshop floors, engine degreasers and car wash detergents. It is highly corrosive and attacks oils and greases.

Sodium lauryl sulphate is harmful to skin as it cleans by corrosion. It dries skin by stripping the external protective lipids, which help control skin moisture.

Another serious dilemma is the association of SLS with nitrate contamination. SLS reacts with many ingredients used in skin products to form nitrosomines. These nitrates are potentially carcinogenic.


There are several more bad ingredients discussed in Part 2 of this post.

Ineffective Ingredients

Have you ever wondered why anti wrinkle products don't work when they are meant to be chock full of active ingredients, each with a "proven track record" of providing wonderous benefits to your skin?

Well, one reason is that the ingredients just can't penetrate the epidermis. Creams containing collagen and elastin are good examples. They never reach the dermis layer of the skin because their molecules are too large to be absorded into the skin. Therefore, no matter what the advertisements say, these anti wrinkle creams will do little for skin rejuvenation.

The cosmetic manufactures know about this - they're not fools. They also know that if they use words like 'collagen' and 'elastin', then people will be very tempted to purchase their product.

Another reason as to why creams are ineffective is that most of them have a large water component and only minimal active ingredient. So when you apply the products to your skin, your body heat drives off the moisture. It appears that the creams are penetrating the skin, but this is not the case.

And yet another reason for creams not working as you would expect is due to them not containing natural ingredients. Nature ingredients are more active, but also more expensive, to include in anti wrinkle products than their artificial equivalents. The downside to this, however, is that the synthetic constituents do very little to help you get younger looking skin.

Peptides - The Good, The Bad And The Disappointing

Well actually, it's mainly disappointing!

Peptides That Inhibit Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are things that make your muscles work when your brain tells them to. We're familiar with Botox and it's properties - Botox injections block the release of neurotransmitters to, in effect, paralyze the muscles. Thus, after Botox injections between your eyebrows, when your brain tells your eyebrows to squint, nothing happens.

There are anti wrinkle products being marketed to take advantage of the fact that everyone knows and accepts that Botox works. These anti wrinkle creams contain peptides, but do they really work like Botox?

Peptides are proteins consisting of small chain amino acids. Argireline is the name given to a certain peptide (a lot easier to say than acetyl-hexapeptide-3) that slows down the release of neurotransmitters. In wrinkle cream containing up to 10% Argireline, laboratory tests show that it provides some benefit towards the appearance of having younger looking skin. However, the jury is out about whether the peptides can actually go into the skin and through to the muscle level, which they would need to do to replicate Botox. Some have suggested that it's the product's accompanying moisturizing ingredients that reduce wrinkles by hydrating the skin. Also, if the product worked like it claimed, any muscles that came in contact with the cream (face, neck, finger tips) should cease working - but they don't.

Peptides That Stimulate Collagen

Another peptide (palmitoyl-pentapeptide-3, also called Pal-KTTKS or Matrixyl) is reported to encourage the manufacture of collagen and other proteins that are found in the skin's dermal layer. Sounds promising, but how does it compare with Botox?

Well, tests have been conducted. Unfortunately, it didn't do any better than the plain moisturizer it was being compared against.

Peptides For Stabilizing Copper

Copper plays a vital role in living organisms. For us, collagen and elastin creation rely on the presence of copper. In theory, peptides can be used to stabilize copper, transporting the element to locations in the skin to improve the appearance of wrinkles. In practice, trial tests on people have shown only minimal benefits.

The New Buzzword - Cosmeceuticals

Derived from a cross between cosmetics anf pharmeceuticals, the term "cosmeceuticals" implies that these anti aging creams are better than ever. Unfortunately, these anti wrinkle products aren't the wonder creams that the cosmetic companies would like you to believe.

In a recent test (2009), French and US organisations jointly tested popular anti wrinkle creams and lotions. On average, each cream was tested on 20 women, aged between 30 and 70 years old, for 3 months.

The results showed that all creams had some benefits on all women, but none of the creams had an effect on all participants. And there seemed to be no correlation between the type of active ingredient and performance, nor did cost relate to performance.

Are We Surprised?

If you've already spent a pile of money on anti wrinkle creams that haven't come up to your expectations, this conclusion won't come as any surprise. But there are several reasons why you may also find cosmeceutical creams don't work for your wrinkles...

Firstly, the science of skin aging isn't simple. There are numerous aspects involved, including varied cell regeneration rates, loss of subcutaneous fat, attack from free radicals, varying hormonal levels and breakdown of skin cell components. Therefore, trying an anti wrinkle cream that targets just one or two of these factors won't benefit other skin ailments that you may have.

Secondly, everybody has different skin types. So, it's logical that different anti wrinkle products will generate different results for different people.

Thirdly, while the results from "scientific studies" may indicate that specific components will work in a laboratory situation, it doesn't guarantee that the product will work when you use it on your skin. More often than not, the active ingredients can't even penetrate your skin. Or the active ingredient may be unstable and deteriorate, thereby not having sufficient concentration to affect your skin. Additionally, other ingredients may hinder the activity and benefits of the prime ingredient.

There are a lot of expensive products on the market that don't do a lot in the way of skin rejuvenation. But, coming out of the wrinkle cream reviews, here are three anti wrinkle products that hold some promise:

• tretinoin (also known as retinoic acid), found in perscription-only creams.
• AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), but only in concentrations of greater that 10%.
• sunscreen. Try wearing sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat to minimize the amount of skin damage from the sun's UV rays (and it's likely to be the least expensive, too!).

Forms Of Aging And Possible Treatments

There are three main types of skin aging. And each one needs to be treated in a different way from the others.

Firstly, we have the effects from gravity. With any loss of skin elastin or collagen or disappearance of subcutaneous fat, gravity sees an opportunity to step in and take away our younger looking skin. This results in droopy wrinkles and skin folds about the eyes and neck. Surgical procedures for facelifts (essentially, skin tightening) and cosmetic fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid are used to undo the effects and provide some degree of skin rejuvenation.

Secondly, with time, facial expressions from frowning, squinting and smiling leave everlasting wrinkles and furrows. Cosmetic fillers such as botox and collagen can be injected to help decrease these type of wrinkles.

Finally, there is damage caused by UV rays, or photoaging. Gradually, this affects the skin, causing fine lines and wrinkles and skin roughness. We also experience pigment changes resulting in age spots and freckles. Some anti wrinkle products can help, and include creams that contain tretinoin, AHA (alpha hydroxy acids), antioxidants and peptides.

Alternatively, skin resurfacing by using acid or laser wrinkle removal techniques are available.

Botox - Neurotoxin And Anti Wrinkle Product

Botox is just one of the many cosmetic fillers available. It is popular for the temporary reduction of frown lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows. It is a biological toxin modified to be used to treat lines and wrinkles created by muscles during facial expressions, such as squinting or frowning. Botox is injected beneath the skin and restricts muscle contraction to give the impression of being relaxed.

Botox doesn't go anyway towards correcting sun damage, rough skin, age spots or scars. It's use is approved for a very limited area of the face only, essential the furrow between your eyebrows.

Are There Any Downsides To Using Botox?

Botox is a bacterial neurotoxin called botulinum. It can be deadly poisonous in sufficiently large quantities - and that's why it is heavy diluted before being injected. The use of Botox is forbidden for pregnant or lactating women, or if neurological problems exist.

Botox injections are only temporary. The benefits from this anti aging treatment will disappear between 3 to 6 months. A set of injections will cost about $800.

Regular injections will expose you to risk of skin and nerve damage, and may aggravate some skin problems.

Side effects to Botox are possible, although not everyone will get them. If side effects do occur, they are usually slight and easily treated. Botox patients may experience headaches, facial pain or difficulty swallowing. The patient may have a droopy eyelid if the muscle used to raise the eyelid is affected. Occasionally, but very infrequently, sight disorders can occur.

Given in large quantities, Botox can cause botulism. However, this type of poisoning would arise only if the injection is many hundreds of times stronger than that normally used for the cosmetic procedure.

Tretinoin - A Skin Rejuvenation Product

There are hundreds of anti wrinkle products on the market, from facial wrinkle cream to gels that fix under eye wrinkles. But, alas, not many of them work. If they did, we would all have younger looking skin and a lot of extra money in our pockets.

Retin A and Renova are the best known brands of tretinoin. It is derived from vitamin A and is only available by perscription. Tretinoin is one of the few anti wrinkle products whose skin rejuvenation effects have been tested and proven in skin studies. It is found to reduce fine wrinkles and roughness of skin, increase thickness of the epidermis and promote growth of collagen.

Tretinoin works by setting off processes in the skin that includes cell growth, production of collagen, elastin and sebum. It also slows down certain enzymes that damage collagen and elastin. These enzymes become increasingly active as we get older.

But Beware!

Side effects can be common and include irritation of the skin, dryness, peeling and sensitivity to the sun. It is recommended that tretinoin is used sparingly. If the side effects don't go away with continued use, it may lead to skin damage - certainly NOT the aim of the treatment!!

Cosmetic Fillers

Sometimes, in the process of getting younger looking skin, you may consider cosmetic fillers (also known as wrinkle fillers). Cosmetic fillers are used to correct minor facial imperfections, such as lines, skin folds, pitted scarring, skin depressions or to correct hollowness beneath the eyes.

Most cosmetic fillers involve an injection, although some may be administered by incision. Cosmetic fillers can be used to return fullness that is naturally lost as subcutaneous fat is lost. The simplest and least costly process is by injecting temporary filler. Collagen may be used for this, however some products are made from hyaluronic acid. This temporary cosmetic filler can last from 2 to 12 months. Eventually, the filler is absorbed by your body.

Another category of cosmetic fillers involves injection of a permanent material, such as silicone. But as these fillers are non biodegradable, they will stay in your body forever. This is not a recommended route as the long term effects on your body are unknown. Some of these products may ultimately turn out to be toxic.

Personally, I don't like the thought of getting stick by any more needles that I need too. I would therefore recommend, especially for fine lines and moderate wrinkles, you try anti wrinkle products and creams before signing up for cosmetic fillers.

Smoking Causes Wrinkles

Smoking certainly won't give you younger looking skin. This is because smoking causes wrinkles.

Have you ever noticed that people who smoke are likely to have more wrinkles than non-smokers of the same skin type, age and exposure to UV rays? The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you've been smoking, the more wrinkles you will get. Early skin damage may be difficult to see, but be rest assured, it is happening. Skin changes are more prominent in smokers after about the 10 year mark.

How Does Smoking Cause Wrinkles?

Smoking speeds the aging process of your skin due to the nicotine in cigarettes. The nicotine causes the skin's blood vessels to narrow. This reduces the amount of blood getting to the skin. Less blood flow, less essential oxygen and vital nutrients. And then there are also the hundreds of chemicals in the cigarettes that are detrimental to collagen and elastin. So, consequently, wrinkles begin to form.

And it's not only facial wrinkles. Smoking is also the cause of wrinkles to other areas of your body, such as the arms and neckline. While the skin wrinkles may not be reversible (at least, not without anti wrinkle products), giving up smoking is likely to prevent the them from prematurely getting worse.

So if you are searching for a reason to stop smoking, add the untimely appearance of wrinkles to your motivation list.

Eating Sea Weed Helps Wrinkle Reduction?!?

Aha! But not just any sea weed!

There is a kelp that has been used for eons in Japan, primarily as a food but having a great side effect of encouraging younger looking skin. It's name is phytessence wakame.

The reason that it is so healthy is because it's full of vitamins and minerals. Phytessence wakame contains B group vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12. And it has lots of iron, sodium, calcium and potassium. This all means that it's really good for your skin.

This special sea kelp blocks a harmful enzyme called hyaluronidase from reducing the quantities of hyaluronic acid in your skin. In other words, it assists collagen and elastin fibers in making the skin firmer.

And you know the best thing? You can find phytessence wakame in many anti wrinkle products. Arigatou gozaimasu!

Tip 1 - Minimize Sun Exposure (Especially Sunburn)

Do you know the cause of difference in skin "quality" between your face or hands to that of, say, your thigh or butt? Well, the answer is the amount of sun exposure. Yep, that's right. Theoretically, your face/hands/arms/neck could be as smooth as a babies bum if it hadn't been for the many years of damage from the sun!

In the Western countries, suntans are viewed by many as being fashionable and desirable. Unfortunately, this has led to an increase in ultraviolet radiation exposure, both from the sun and from sunbeds.

How does it damage our skin?

Besides the increased risk to skin cancer, over-exposure to UV rays damages the elastin fibers found in the dermis layer of our skin. This causes our skin to lose its flexibility and resilience. As a consequence, wrinkles begin to form.

Sunburn is caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This radiation can come from natural sources (such as the sun) or artificial sources (such as welding or UV lamps used in solariums). The melanin in our skin converts the UV rays into heat. The redness from the heat is what we call sun burn.

When our skin senses high levels of UV radiation, our cells produce more melanin to minimize further damage. And, hence, our skin becomes tanned the more time we spend in the sun. But we still need to help the melanin by protecting ourselves from the sun. That's why we should wear sunblock and sunsmart clothes, such as a long sleeve shirt and hat, to stop us from getting excessive sun burn. Numerous episodes of bad sunburn can elevate our likelihood of getting skin cancer, especially when we get older.

The bottom line is that to maintain younger looking skin, you need to minimize your exposure to the sun.

The Basics Of Skin

Alrighty then! Out with the high school biology books. Well, maybe not quite. But I promised you a rundown of the basics of skin. So here it is. No apologies if I miss out some stuff as I'm not getting into the micro-cellular level of detail. My aim is to be just informative enough for you to grasp the fundamentals but not put you to sleep.

We usually don't think of our skin as an organ, but it is. And it's the largest organ of our body. It makes up about 15% of our body weight.

Our skin is made up of three layers, each playing it's own important part. The layer on the outside is called the epidermis. Underneath this is the dermis. And below this lies the third layer, the subcutaneous fat.

The World Sees Your Epidermis

The epidermis is usually about 0.5 to 1mm thick. At the bottom and lower sections of the epidermis, new skin cells are growing. These cells begin moving toward the top of your epidermis. The skin completely renews itself every 2 to 5 weeks. As the new cells move up to the surface of your skin, the old cells at the top die and flake off. It's estimated that every minute we lose about 35,000 dead cells (give or take a few hundred).

So when you look adoringly at your partner's face, you're really looking at dead skin. (Hmm, I'd better not ponder on this thought too long - I could come up with some very good wise cracks!... So, moving right along...)

While your skin is continually busy making new skin cells to replace the old ones, it is also making melanin. This gives your skin its color. I won't go into too much detail here as I'll be covering this in another post. However, when you go outside into the sun, additional melanin is made to protect you from getting sun burn by ultraviolet rays.

The Dermis Lies Below The Epidermis

The dermis consists of a taut lattice of collagen and elastin fibers. These are important skin proteins. Collagen is responsible for structural support and elastin gives flexibility and resilience to our skin.

It is the thickest of the skin layers and also contains nerve endings, blood vessels, oil glands and sweat glands. The tiny blood vessels keep your skin cells healthy by supplying nutrients and removing waste. The oil glands, or sebaceous glands, produce sebum. This is the skin's natural oil and helps keep the surface of the epidermis protected.

The dermis is in charge of the skin's structural integrity. Wrinkles develop in the dermis. Thus, any anti aging treatment only has a chance of being successful if it can reach down to the dermis.

The Subcutaneous Layer

The third and base layer of the skin is called the subcutaneous layer. It consists mostly of fat and assists your body to stay warm. The subcutaneous layer also helps hold your skin to tissues beneath it.

The loss of subcutaneous tissue, primary due to age, leads to sagging skin and heightened wrinkles.


So there you have it. Now that we know the fundamentals of skin, we can move on towards a better understanding of what to look for in anti wrinkle creams and covering a few tips for achieving and maintaining younger looking skin.

It’s So Versatile!

Skin is so multi-talented! I think that it's just fascinating stuff. It is our natural protective body covering. It keeps our muscles, bones and other organs inside our body while keeping infections out. Skin helps maintain our bodies at just the right temperature and it provides us with our sense of touch.

So when we take care of our skin, we're assisting it to do all the work that it's designed to do. And taking care of our skin NOW will help prevent problems in the future, such as (more!) wrinkles and age spots.

A sound understanding of the various parts that make up our skin and their role can be valuable in understanding the aging process. And once the basics are known, it can help us work out which anti aging treatment and skin rejuvenation products make good sense and which are just a waste of time and money.

In the next post, I'll provide a very quick overview of "The Basics of Skin" so that we can understand the basics behind what causes wrinkles and how to achieve wrinkle reduction - sort of like Skin Biology 101.

Instant Wrinkle Reduction - Is There Such A Thing?

By the time you realise that you have wrinkles that weren't there last year (OMG!), it's probably too late to achieve "instant wrinkle reduction" using any number of the techniques, lotions, anti wrinkle creams or potions around. But fear not! Over the next days, weeks and months to come, there is going to be a wealth of terrific information available here. So stay tuned to this blog. It's going to be HUGE!

We're going to discuss topics like what makes up our skin, how to look after it, defending our skin against the elements, what's good and bad for skin rejuvenation and lots of wrinkle reduction advice. And we may even be bold enough to review some products and wrinkle reduction techniques currently on the market.

Before you know it, you'll have younger looking skin and be on the receiving end of more than a few compliments! Catch ya in the next post...