Anti-Aging

The process of restoring one's skin to that of a teenager has long been sought. It is the essence of all the current media hype over skin care products and has resulted in a multi billion dollar cosmetic and cosmeceutical industry.

Cosmetics are products, which merely hide, or create an illusion of beauty by accenting certain features like high cheekbones, lips or eyes while de-emphasizing other features such as uneven skin texture, lines or rhytides.

Cosmeceuticals, on the other hand, are products, which effect a change in the skin toward healthier, thicker skin. The process of aging causes a gradual loss and disorganization of elastin and collagen fibers, the supportive matrix of the skin, as well as dehydration. The result is lack of "bounce" or rebound to the skin matrix. The physical appearance is of droopy, thin, wrinkled skin.

The main cause of premature aging of the skin is excess sun exposure to rays UVA and UVB. These rays result is excessive oxidation of the collagen and elastin fibers, which results in a process called "crosslinking." Normally, collagen and elastin fibers are found in nice thick even rows spread parallel to the skin surface in the basal layer of the skin. With cross linking, the fibers become disorganized and entangled into many disorganized bundles which cause the skin to dimple, sag and become susceptible to the force of gravity. Muscles of expression further result in deep lines caused by repeated use.

What are the current technologies available for skin rejuvenation?
Cosmeceuticals are products, with ingredients, which theoretically stimulate collagen and elastin renewal. Many of these products are available and generally have ascorbic acid, pycnogenol and proanthocyanidins. All of these are potent antioxidants, thus free radical scavengers. Free radicals are damaging molecules created by oxidative chemical reactions, which attack cellular DNA resulting in cellular mutation and malformation of collagen synthesis. Theoretically the application of free radicals to the skin can diminish this problem, but only if the substance can penetrate deep into the actively dividing cellular layer of the dermis. With the protective epidermal barrier this becomes difficult. Chemical and mechanical peeling can result in exfoliation of the epidermis.

Why would one want to remove the skin's protective epidermal barrier?

First, removal of this barrier does make one more susceptible to photodamage and further collagen crosslinking. However, when the skin notices the loss of the epidermal barrier, it reacts by thickening the dermal layer, the living tissue layer. The result is thicker, plumper, pinker, healthier looking skin. Thus, a series of chemical or mechanical (dermabrasion or microdermabrasion) peels can be helpful, but only if strong photoprotection is used.

Laser resurfacing actually strips the epidermis and the upper dermis resulting in a second-degree burn which must heal. In that healing process the body is stimulated to lay down nice thick layers of new collagen. The result is "growing away the wrinkles. "

Laser resurfacing and chemical and mechanical peels can be followed by Epidermal Growth Factor, a human polypeptide which actually stimulates new cellular proliferation. For patients desiring a more conservative approach to skin rejuvenation, a home care program targeting both internal and external treatment is very effective.

What are some internally and externally applied antiaging products that help retard skin aging?

Internally, antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, CoQ-10, pycnogenol and grape seed extract are very powerful. Externally, Topical Vitamin applications in bioactive forms such as Vitamin C Serum, Obagi Cffectives & LaRoche Posay C can be very helpful, as they are antioxidants, but also prevent UVA and UVB penetration.

Glycolic antiaging products promote superficial exfoliation and promote dermal thickening, as do the tretinoin (vitamin A acids) derivatives (Retin A) and the retinol (vitamin A alcohols) derivatives and retinol creams. Many physicians will combine many of the ingredients and products into customized skin care programs designed specifically to address the skin needs of individual clients.

Agents such as hydroquinone, cojic acid and bilberry can fade dermal pigmentation by shutting off the enzyme tyrosinase, which results in melanin production. Through turning off melanin production in the skin and slowly exfoliating the skin, one can achieve beautiful even skin tone at any age.

Antiaging products containing MSM can feed sulphur-containing moieties to the collagen matrix of the skin. MSM can be taken internally in capsule form and applied externally to the skin.

Liposomes are tiny little balls of fat which deliver pharmacologically active ingredients to the dermis such as ascorbic acid, other antioxidants, tretinoins, oxygen containing molecules and moisturizing substances. Vitamin C and some of the components of Beef colostrum (Transfer Factor) can stimulate the skin's ability to withstand infection (immune system). Sunblocks are perhaps the best products to retard premature solar aging. A good, thick makeup base with a sunblock within is a woman's best friend!