If you’re using anti aging skin care products, or are thinking of starting to use them, read our non-biased information on how the products  actually work here. Click on our categories on the right for the in depth guides to some  major trends in the anti ageing skin care beauty industry, or read our sumaries below.

Anti ageing skin care is obviously a sizeable industry, with companies lining up to sell anti ageing creams, lotions, treatment devices, pills and supplements, not to mention cosmetic surgery. On the other side of the coin, some skin care experts claim no products can halt the appearance of fine lines and that some products sold actually damage the skin over time.

Women today are under more pressure than ever to stay younger looking longer, like the stars in the magazines – and lets not forget many magazines now routinely airbrush their photos.

Retinol Creams

Retinol (vitamin A) is reported to reduce wrinkle depth. The effect is due to a mild inflammatory response provoked when the vitamin is applied to skin. The skin responds by puffing up, which gives the wrinkles a shallower appearance. Whilst the creams are hugely popular, some controversy exists due to their mode of action (1).

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs or ‘fruit acids’)

These creams have skin effects documented by the American Food and Drug Administration agency (FDA). They note products containing AHAs are used in cosmetics as they cause exfoliation of surface skin. The effect depends on the concentration of AHAs in the products in combination with the effects of other ingredients (2). Again, some controversy exists (1).

‘Botox’ injections

One of the most famous ‘fixes’ for wrinkles and fine lines, this has been the subject of both controversy and praise. The generic name for the substance injected is Botulinum, and the most famous brand name within beauty treatment is “Botox Cosmetic” or “Vistabel” in the UK). It is injected into to muscles to stop the nerve impulse that tells the muscle to relax or contract, paralysing the muscle. The area around the injection is smoothed whilst the rest of the face remains the same. Botox has been declared as legal for use only by suitable qualified professionals in the USA and UK. In some places, its use is regulated by precautionary measures, which professionals must legally follow (3).

Parabens

Another huge controversy currounds the use of parabens in cosmetics – chemicals which help prolong the shelf life of the products and keep them fresh and hygienic. Cancer research scientists have raised terrifying concerns that using parabens may be linked to certain cancers and they have been held responsible for rashes and allergic reactions (4). On the other hand, there are also cancer reserach organisation that refute any link to cancer and the FDA has not ruled parabens harmful yet (5). Read the real story of how the scientiifc ommunit, the beauty industry and consumers are reacting to parabens in countless everyday skin care and beauty products.

Natural skin care treatments

Roundup of benefits of comsetic acupuncture (dubbed the ‘acupuncture face lift’), facial massage, natural products and sun advice. Natural treatments usually claim to be safer, less damaging to skin than the ‘science in a jar’ brigade.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: NONE of the above advice can be a substitute for medical or professional skin care advice – please only consult qualified general medical and/ or dermatology physicians for serious skin complaints. The information here may reflect manufacturer’s claims and this site cannot be held responsible for such claims made.

RS Brown

References:

1. Mir, G. Anti Ageing and Sun Care. [online] Hertfordshire, UK: Mir. Available at:

http://www.mirskincare.com/anti_ageing_and_sun_care.html

2.       American Food and Drug Administration. (2009). Alpha Hydroxy Acids in Cosmetics. [online] Washington: Department of Health and Human Services. Available at:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/SelectedCosmeticIngredients/ucm107940.htm

3. Singer, N. (2009). FDA Orders Warning Label for Botox. [online] New York Times.  Available at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/business/01botox.html

4. Dabre, P. (2009). Underarm Antiperspirants/Deodorants And Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Research 2009, 11(Suppl 3):S5. Available at:

http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/11/S3/S5

5. FDA. Parabens. FDA [online]. Available at:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/SelectedCosmeticIngredients/ucm128042.htm

Photo Credits

1. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Egahen

2. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/beer

3. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/petr0

It Does what It Says On The Tin. What does that do for mature skin?

AHAs work in the pores once absorbed and begin to cause the skin to shed the topmost layer of dead skin cells. This assists in accelerating cell ‘turnover’. As the dead cells at the ‘top’ of skin are removed, healthy new cells from deeper layers come to the surface. This aims to:

• Enhance the skin’s texture
• Enhance the skin’s colour (‘glow’)
• Unclog pores
• Increase penetration by moisturising products (2).

The concentration of AHAs within the products is important. Low concentrations (say 5-10%) are usually the staple of the (heavily marketed) over the counter creams and commonly contain glycolic acid, one of the 5 types of AHAs.

Professional Treatments

Higher concentrations may be used  a procedure using much higher concentrations of AHAs, dubbed ‘the chemical peel’. The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors advise this should be a strictly professionally administered treatment. It states the treatment can definitely help rejuvenate skin, but will still not give a 50 year old the skin of a 25 year old.   The treatment produces temporary redness and can have side effects such as cold-sore flare-ups (3).

Controversy

The FDA notes that there is a lack of robust research into the long-term effects of AHAs on the skin from everyday consumer products containing them (4).

Giselle Mir goes one step further with criticism of the mechanism of AHAs on the skin. Mir states she qualified as Cosmetic Scientist before founding her own cosmetic company, having become “disillusioned” with misleading cosmetic industry product claims. She has stated to the press she believes the creams actions simply irritate the skin, resulting eventually in moisture loss from the top layer and premature aging (5).

Here’s some further advice from Paula Begouin, seen earlier extoling the virtues of AHAS – this time she explains the damaging effects of irritation on any skin – clearly she isn’t lumping AHAs into this category but its makes for thought provoking material…

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: NONE of the above advice can be a substitute for medical or professional skin care advice – please only consult qualified general medical and/ or dermatology physicians for serious skin complaints. The information here may reflect manufacturer’s claims and this site cannot be held responsible for such claims made.

RS Brown

References:

1. American Food and Drug Administration. (2009). Alpha Hydroxy Acids in Cosmetics. [online] Washington: Department of Health and Human Services. Available at:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/SelectedCosmeticIngredients/ucm107940.htm

2. Begoiun, P. (2004). The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide To Smart Beauty. Rodale. P.99.

3. British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (2009). Chemical peels (Glycolic peels). [online]. BACD. Available at:

http://www.cosmeticdoctors.co.uk/chemical_peels.asp

4. American Food and Drug Administration. (2009). The Office of Women’s Health Scientific Research Program: Abstracts. [online] Washington: Department of Health and Human Services. Available at:

http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/WomensHealthResearch/ucm134677.htm

5. Mir, G. Anti Ageing and Sun Care. [online] Hertfordshire, UK: Mir. Available at:

http://www.mirskincare.com/anti_ageing_and_sun_care.html

Photo Credits

1. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Egahen

2. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/jdurham123