Anti-Aging Skin Care Strategies: Hopes, Realities, Possibilities

1Professor · ‎12-07-2014

Our skin ages: reality. We want our skin to be the best it can be: hopes. The possibilities, considering so MANY skin care vendors (!), can be overwhelming and confusing.

Everytime I read a thread about a particular skin care line, I see the it-works!! and the it-doesn't-work!! replies.

I want the best skin I can have at every age that I am privileged to attain. As a scientist, I suspect the wide differences in experiences often have less to do with the product than (1) how it was used, (2) how long the woman gave the product to see results, or (3) what, if anything, the woman was using before.

Reality: the differences we will see in our skin (age spots, dark areas, wrinkles, firmness, glow) from a non-prescription over-the-counter item will be small. But important. If people are expecting/hoping for major visible differences, there will be some disappointment.

Strangely, the only way some will SEE the difference in these products (most of which do have some useful effects) is to use them on only one side of their face for a month. The best personalized home experiment available!

{I am currently using Dr. Perricone, happy with the results.}

Love to hear your thoughts on getting visibile results from skin care lines!

conlt · ‎03-16-2010

Sunscreen and Hydration. Use a sunscreen daily around the eyes, over the face, neck and declote and the wrinkles will stay away or be minimal for a very long time. Keep the skin moist with a nice moisturizing product. I also believe in Vitaman C and Retinol. That is it.

morganjen · ‎03-13-2010

Sunscreen and Retin-A always work for me.

Originally joined board 12-14-2004

Haircut100 · ‎04-30-2010

At 52 I consider my skin to be really good. I have no sagging skin, no crows feet, and minimal lines. However, what has seriously bothered me for about 20 years is the uneven look, brown spots, discolorations, and hyperpigmentation. I had Fraxel lasers in 2007 with excellent results, but with the passing of the years, my skin has developed pigmentation once again. I use sunscreen daily and NEVER EVER expose my face to the sun. I am very OCD about that!

That said, I sometimes find myself trying new skin care products with the (unrealistic) hope that they will have a significant effect on my pigmentation. I use Vitamin C serums at 20% strength, and other products to address pigment issues. The results are minimal and I become very frustrated.

I sit here typing this four days after having had some of my darker spots lasered with a YAG-Nd Q-Switch laser (the kind used to erase tattos) and a strong 30% TCA peel. The peel was extremely painful- I actually almost fainted, and the uncomfortable, almost borderline feeling of pain of extremely dry and tight skin (which happens for about 4-5 days prior to the start of the peeling) is almost now unbearable. But it is the only thing that will successfully give me the results I seek.

I have stopped buying into the skin care claims and have decided on some basics:

1. Sunscreen (Josie Maran SPF 47)

2. Oil cleanser (kari Gran)

3. Oil serum for hydration (Kari Gran)

4. Lip Balm (Kari Gran)

5. Dermadoctor Kakadu Vit C serum

I have never been able to use Retin-A because my skin reacts rather negativily with excessive dryness and redness regardless of all the suggestions and instructions. I am no longer searching for the "next big breakthrough in skin care"- it's all topical, minimal, and while some people may rave about the astonishing results they get with some products, I do believe there is just so much we can do to actually stop the aging process with products. Just my opinion, based on my experience.

June222 · ‎06-15-2015

The first two things I do for good skin is healthy diet and sunscreen. After that it is just icing on the cake. Good skin comes from the inside out. The sun is the most damaging on the topical skin.

Puzzle Piece · ‎06-29-2010

I have done my best (a good effort) to keep the aging stuff at bay. Sorry, no creams or tubes of anything can ever outrun aging and the things that go with it. Do the best you can and what you can afford. Time and the facts will never be outdone or outrun. It happens to everyone, no exceptions.

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust

1Professor · ‎12-07-2014

@Puzzle Piece wrote:
I have done my best (a good effort) to keep the aging stuff at bay. Sorry, no creams or tubes of anything can ever outrun aging and the things that go with it. Do the best you can and what you can afford. Time and the facts will never be outdone or outrun. It happens to everyone, no exceptions.

@Such a great outlook, @patofl!

I get a wave of sadness when I read posts in which women seem so utterly disapointed in a skin care product for not producing enough results. How lovely to get the gift of aging; so many die too young.

Celebrate the faces we have, take care of them, and help our friends enjoy the delights of aging well.

Himi lover · ‎03-10-2010

I started using RetinA again back in April. I have to say my skin is starting to look very good. Not that it's taking away any deep wrinkles, like my 11's, but my skin is looking clear and has more of a glow to it. I started using Perri acyl glutathione serum a couple of months for my eye area, and I think I'm seeing some improvement there.

Other than that, I'm using Denese as my skincare line.

Genes play a huge part in how we age.

AspenGrove · ‎08-27-2013

morganjen wrote:
Sunscreen and Retin-A always work for me.

Couldn't have said it better myself! Daily sunscreen and nighly prescription treitinoin (retin-A in a moisturziing base) are the only two products that have delivered amazing results for my skin, year after year after year after ....