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...