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options for reducing the appearance of wrinkles
There are an increasing amount of treatments available from antioxidant creams to chemical peels that can be a viable option in helping reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles. Learning about these alternatives may help you determine the right one for you.
Antioxidant Creams, Lotions, and Ointments
Antioxidant ointments, creams, and lotions ("topical products") may help reduce the risk of wrinkles and protect against sun damage. Selenium, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and alpha-lipoic acid are types of antioxidants that come in topical form. Many are proving to be very beneficial for the skin.
- Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for skin health. Topical products containing natural forms of vitamin A (retinol, retinaldehyde) or vitamin A-related products called retinoids (tretinoin, tazarotene) may help repair skin damage due to sunburn and natural aging.
- Vitamin C. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a very potent antioxidant. Most studies on the effects of antioxidants on the skin have used this vitamin. In laboratory studies, large amounts of vitamin C reduced skin swelling and protected immune factors from sunlight. It may even promote collagen production. Vitamin C by itself is unstable, but products that solve the delivery problem are now available:
- Cellex-C,
- Avon's Anew Formula C Treatment Capsules,
- Physician Elite, and others.
Studies using these formations in 2002 (one using Cellex-C) reported reduction in wrinkles and apparent improvement in skin thickness.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Home Exfoliation
One of the basic methods for improving skin and eliminating small wrinkles is exfoliation (also called resurfacing), which is the removal of the top layer of skin to allow regrowth of new skin. Alpha hydroxy acids facilitate the shedding of dead skin cells and may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Most alpha hydroxy acid products contain glycolic acid. Acid concentrations in over-the-counter AHA preparations are 2 - 10%. One clinical study suggested that 8% concentrations showed modest improvement. Some examples include:
Avon's Anew Intensive Treatment (8% glycolic),
Pond's Age Defying Complex (8%),
Elizabeth Arden's Alpha-Ceramid Intensive Skin Treatment (3 - 7.5%),
BioMedic's home product (10%).
Prescription strength creams contain at least 12% glycolic acid, and glycolic acid peels of 30 - 70% concentration may be administered in a doctor's office at weekly or monthly intervals.
Other Skin Treatments
Copper Peptides.
Certain copper-containing compounds may protect skin and help repair it. Note: copper itself is a toxic metal. It should be used only in products that contain peptides (small protein fragments) that bind to copper. Most studies have been conducted on the copper peptide glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine:copper (II) or GHK-Cu. It is currently used in a number of products including:
CP Serum,
Neutrogena's Visibly Firm
ProCyte's Neova.
Resurfacing Treatments
There are many choices for skin resurfacing (also called exfoliation), and the patient must consider several different factors that affect the choice. A person's age also helps determine the procedure:
For people in their thirties, a simple chemical peel is sufficient.
After age 40, people may benefit from collagen or fat implants.
At age 50 and over, plastic surgeons recommend laser resurfacing and customized treatments for individual needs.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels, help restore wrinkled, lightly scarred, or blemished facial skin. Much like chemical paint strippers, chemical peels strip off the top layers of skin, and new, younger-looking skin grows back.
Dermabrasion
Standard dermabrasion uses a rotating brush that removes the top layers of a person's skin. As with chemical peels, dermabrasion selectively strips away the upper layers of skin, leaving the underlying skin layers exposed. Similar to chemical peels, after the procedure, the treated skin oozes and forms a scab, a reaction that looks and feels uncomfortable, but only temporary.
Microdermabrasion. A gentler variation called microdermabrasion uses very tiny crystals to polish the skin and a vacuum technique to remove them. It has largely replaced the older dermabrasion, and, in fact, was the fourth most common non-surgical cosmetic procedure performed in 2005, with over a million done. Results are similar to light chemical peels. Patients can have this procedure done on their lunch hour and return to work. Only mild redness occurs after treatment, although for best results five or six repetitive treatments are needed every 1 - 2 weeks. To date, overall patient satisfaction has been very high.
Laser Resurfacing
Lasers are currently the most effective exfoliation tools for eliminating wrinkles. Their unique advantages over other resurfacing methods are their ability to tighten the skin. A successful procedure can make patients look 10 - 20 years younger, and the results can last up to 10 years.
Implant Procedures
Implants, also called injectable fillers, are becoming a common means of erasing wrinkles and folds. Several materials are being used for deep wrinkles, depression under the eyes, lip enhancements, and acne scars. In 2005, more than 3 million Botox injections and more than 1 million hyaluronic acid injections were given.
Most implants to date, however, are not completely satisfactory. Collagen implants and biologic fillers from animal, bacterial, or human sources do not provide long-lasting benefits. Synthetic fillers are permanent but may cause an allergic reaction, which can lead to chronic problems. Such reactions are rare, but they can be painful and unattractive.
Botulinum (Botox)
The popularity of Botox injections has skyrocketed in the United States. Between 2004 and 2005, the number of procedures performed jumped 16 percent. Botox injection was the number one non-surgical cosmetic procedure in 2005, with more than 3.2 million injections. The injections need to be repeated every few months, since the effects wear off. The treatment decreases the ability to frown or squint and may cause the corners of the mouth to turn down. When used for areas around eyes, it produces a rounder appearance afterward, which patients should be aware of before they undertake the procedure.
Plastic Surgery
In 2005, there were over 2.1 million cosmetic surgeries, up 1% from the year before. Most of these surgeries were liposuction and breast surgeries. However, over 200,000 each of eyelid and nose surgeries were performed. Facial plastic surgeries range from being fairly minimal, such as a brow lift, to a full face-lift.
Face-lifts
Several face-lift procedures (called rhytidectomies) are available. Face-lifts can provide individuals with a more youthful look. The degree of improvement, however, depends on many factors, including age, bone structure, skin type, and personal habits, such as smoking and sunbathing.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons facelift procedures have decreased by 19% from the year 2000. In the year 2000 133,856 facelifts were done. This number dropped to 108,955 in 2005. One factor for this drop maybe the increased popularity of BOTOX treatments. This cosmetic minimally invasive procedure increased by 388% from 2000-2005.
Read our complete in-depth report on skin wrinkles.
Another helpful resource in deciding your best approach to reducing wrinkles is to find out what products and treatments have worked for others. Read the product reviews for more information.
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