Anti-wrinkle creams: fairy tale or reality

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

It doesn't matter how many years we have lived, how many advertisements we reviewed, and how much money we spend in pursuit of perfect skin. Anyway, having learned about the appearance of a new cream, we, as children, are happy to believe that this one will rejuvenate, tighten, strengthen, refresh, smooth and turn back time.

Is there any point in hoping for a magical effect of anti-aging cosmetics or is it time to stop believing the ads about "results in 2 weeks"? Does Azazello cream exist in nature or is it a cruel invention of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov, who doomed all followers of Margarita to empty cosmetic counters and their wallets in the hope of a miracle?

Let's start from the fact that there are no miracles.

Cream is not a medicine

If creams had the same effect as cosmetic surgery (the same botox), they would be considered drugs, not cosmetics. This is something to keep in mind when making a purchase decision, advises Marsha Gordon, Mountain Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Medicines are those drugs that "treat, alleviate and prevent disease, or affect the structure or function of the human body." Anti-wrinkle creams are much milder. Therefore, the manufacturing company is not subject to such strict regulation as pharmaceutical companies, and even the most ordinary-looking tube can be proudly called "anti-wrinkle serum".

True, the latest generation of anti-aging creams has come very close to the status of medicines. Tretinoin is one of the few active ingredients that has actually been shown in research to help correct the effects of sun exposure, reduce wrinkles and smooth wrinkles. Such creams (Retin-A and Renova) can only be purchased with a prescription because they actually change the structure of the skin and therefore qualify as drugs rather than cosmetics. They should not be used around the eyes.

Problems

Scientists, in turn, are concerned that in the pursuit of beauty, customers will harm themselves more.

The Scientific Committee of Cosmetic Products at the Council of Europe has expressed serious concerns about the use of alpha hydroxy acids in mass cosmetics. These substances have been found to increase the number of damaged cells, cause skin redness and increase the risk of sunburn and UV damage. Dermatologist Dr. Nick Lowe believes that the problem is related to the overuse of AHA creams, as well as their application to sensitive skin. All together leads to the opposite effect - the skin ages faster.

The US Food and Drug Administration regulates unfair advertising. In 2004, the Agency forced a certain manufacturing company to stop advertising an anti-wrinkle cream that unreasonably promised "a proven effect of reducing wrinkles by up to 70%."

Many scientists share the opinion that anti-wrinkle creams are dangerous because they are addictive to the skin. Therefore, they have to be used continuously, otherwise the skin will return to its original state. "The effects of anti-wrinkle creams are noticeable after 30 days, but once you stop using them, the wrinkles are visible again," says Dr. Dave, UK.

In addition, many of the advanced elements used in anti-aging products are not yet fully understood, so their effect on the skin and the entire body in 20 years can only be predicted.

In short, do you remember how the old tsar from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" ended when he wanted to be 40 years younger? That's the same.

Don't look for easy ways

What to do? The good news is that most scientists still believe that anti-wrinkle creams do reduce some wrinkles, make skin firmer, and act as a barrier to environmental pollution and sunlight. Bad news: Don't expect radical differences between "before" and "after".

Choose a cream responsibly. And, sadly, but a healthy lifestyle (the components are known: from 2 liters of water per day to 5 times 30 minutes of sports per week and, of course, no cigarettes) is directly related to the tone and hydration of the skin, which means the ability to resist the formation of wrinkles.

As for the choice of commercially available creams, beauticians and dermatologists adhere to several rules. For you, they must become iron, since they are guarding your beauty.

Iron rule 1: Look for creams (as well as foundation, foundation and powder) with SPF. And in summer and winter, and in the rain and in the wind. In the cream, it should be at least 15, ideally 30, this is an indicator of high-quality cosmetics. SPF is equally effective in a cream for 50 rubles and for 500; it actually prevents the formation of wrinkles. Some studies, including the American Academy of Dermatology, call the sun the number 1 enemy of the skin and attribute it to up to 90% (!) Of wrinkles in our lives. Look for active ingredients on the package: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or avobenzone. They protect against UVA and UVB radiation. “There is no point in buying an expensive cream and at the same time not protecting the skin from the sun - this negates the whole effect,” says Dr. Mark Pomranski.

It is estimated that nearly half of all sunlight in life occurs in the first 18 years. Using sunscreen lotion in childhood and adolescence will reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation by 80%.

Iron Rule 2: Moisturize your skin well. The moisturizing fluid can be applied alone or under day and night creams. If your skin is oily, choose anti-acne or anti-acne lotions (noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic) instead of non-fatty lotions. Conventional oil-free lotions often contain oil imitators that clog the pores.

Iron Rule 3: Ignore the promotional promises and examine the packaging for ingredients. The effectiveness of many "rejuvenating" substances has been studied and clinically proven, so they should be effective. Creams purchased from a professional salon or pharmacy often include a note on the amount of active ingredient. Those that are sold in the store usually do not have it. In any case, remember that the ingredients of the cream are listed in the order in which they are contained in the cream. If aloe vera or vitamin C comes in at fifteenth, there is little benefit from them. That is, whatever the label says, these creams are just moisturizers.

Use the cream regularly. Since anti-wrinkle creams contain active ingredients, keep them away from sunlight and use for several months, otherwise all anti-aging properties will be lost.

Brands that keep their promises

Hot five anti-wrinkle creams:

Prescriptives Intensive Rebuilding Moisturizer, $ 95 for 50 ml. Featured on Oprah, America's most watched talk show. According to Dr. Karin Grossman, the product uses an advanced technology that works inside the skin, strengthening and lifting it, while reducing the appearance of wrinkles on the surface.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream, $ 10 for 30 ml. ConsumerSearch.com, an international consumer research site, has recommended this retinol product as the best anti-wrinkle cream.

Resolution D-Contraxol by Lancome, $ 45 for 50 ml. (a more expensive variation of a similar composition - Bioque Serum XL, more affordable - Dermo-Expertise Wrinkle De-Crease Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream with Boswelox, from L'Oreal Paris). Principle of action: reduces the depth of wrinkles by acting on neurotransmitters that are responsible for the contraction of the facial muscles.

The fans of this approach to getting rid of wrinkles include Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrall and Halle Berry, as well as the female population of Australia, where L'Oreal's cream is firmly established as the most popular anti-wrinkle cream.

Regenerist by Olay, $ 25 for 50 ml. A line from a series of new generation cosmetics that uses components called pentapeptides - long-chain amino acids. In the 1970s, they were known to promote wound healing because collagen production increased through their penetration into the skin. This effect is now being used to combat wrinkles. Olay's Regenerist products are also enriched with vitamins B3, B5 and E and green tea extract, which enhance the action of pentapeptides.

Estee Lauder Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Cream SPF 15, $ 50 for 50 ml. Selected by the Readers' Council and the Expert Council of Eve Magazine, the fastest growing women's magazine in the UK.

Output

No matter how far science has advanced, rejuvenating apples still exist only in a fairy tale. As dermatologists cautiously comment, the effect of even the highest quality creams on existing wrinkles will be from minor to moderate. From this follows the iron rule 4: it is easier to prevent than to cure. And for this purpose, anti-aging creams cope successfully. So do not skimp on good cosmetics, even if there are no skin problems yet.

And if you have time for regular visits to a beautician - for a mask, peeling, massage and other procedures suitable for age, then they will be even better prevention of wrinkles than the most expensive cream.