A Strategy for Younger Looking Skin

Let’s face it, as we enjoy the passing of the years, the steady march of time and exposure to the elements slowly take their toll on our skin. Exposure to sunlight alone accounts for 80% - 85% of the aging process of the skin. Also, as we age, the skin’s collagen becomes thinner, creating those inevitable wrinkles. The amount of elastin diminishes, causing skin to lose elasticity. There are two basic strategies for not only delaying the onset of wrinkles and fine lines in your skin, but also to reverse some of the effects of aging and exposure to the elements on your skin. The first is to use the body’s own healing power, a natural and safe method that can be accomplished quite easily with the proper products and regimen. The other strategy is to replenish your skin’s moisture with a seriously good moisturizer.

A lot of products on the market make lavish claims, and are accompanied by costly packaging and promoted with expensive advertising. Yet, if you simply read the ingredients, you’ll find long lists of strange sounding chemicals, fillers and preservatives. Some preservatives, such as parabens, are suspected of causing health hazards. The skin is the largest organ in your body; it needs the same attention to quality as the foods you eat. Many of the higher priced skin care products on the market contain drying alcohol and waxes, also known as paraffins. It is ironic that a moisturizing cream would contain alcohol that will dry out your skin. Paraffins will not only leave a greasy feeling on your skin, but will clog your pores.

Exfoliate, Rejuvenate, Moisturize

The three pillars of skin care are: 1) exfoliate; 2) rejuvenate; and 3) moisturize. We’ll discuss each of these. Exfoliation is one of the mainstays of improving your skin’s youthfulness by using the human body’s own amazing healing power. The two primary products for exfoliating are microdermabrasion creams and glycolic acid cleansers. Both serve to remove the outer layer of dull, dead cells of your skin. This process has a two-fold benefit: not only is younger, fresher skin revealed, but the exfoliation process also stimulates the production of new skin cells.

People with dry skin will want to use the microdermabrasion cream. Those with oily or combination skin do best using glycolic acid. One of several Alpha Hydroxyl Acids available, glycolic acid is the most effective due to its small molecule size, which allows it to penetrate into the skin. When you purchase your glycolic acid, be sure to buy one with a concentration no greater than 10% - anything stronger should be administered by a licensed esthetician or dermatologist. However, a 10% solution can safely be used at home on a daily basis. As for your microdermabrasion cream, you should buy one with the same mineral crystals used by the professionals – this would be aluminum oxide. Because of the abrasive nature of the microdermabrasion cream, be sure you purchase one that also contains soothing oils such as Jojoba or Shea Butter. Note that after any exfoliation procedure, it is important to use a good quality sunblock or avoid sun exposure for up to a week afterwards.

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