Beauty

[cheshirecat2]

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here but I just have a question about skin care. I'm turning 50 and my skin isn't too bad but there are some things that drive me nuts. I have slightly sagging skin around my chin, labial folds and some wrinkles. Can you recommend any products that have been great for you? I've been using Philosophy since my 30s but I seem to have "plateaued" for lack of a better term. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

[JeanLouiseFinch]

Prescription Retin-A (Tretinoin is the generic) a few nights a week and Alpha Hydrox Souffle every morning for the wrinkles, followed by a good moisturizer (I use Mad Hippie Antioxidant Facial Oil at night and Mad Hippie Face Cream in the morning).

A good vitamin C serum will help with tightening (I highly recommend Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum). A healthy lifestyle will help with your skin and sagging, too. Limiting alcohol consumption, eating the right kinds of foods, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, etc.

[suzyQ3]

Sagging is a tough problem. I don't think any topical product will do very much. But the general advice of exfoliation (I use BHA; others prefer AHAs), moisturization, and a Vitamin C serum is a good, basic way to help your skin. I've recently added Matrixyl to that regimen, but it is a bit too soon for me to review its effects.

[Bella Carro]

Don't forget SPF!

[MarenSeattle]

I echo the advice of the above experts. I'm currently using NuFace in an attempt to hoist up the droop. I've been hit or miss but have recently (two days ago!) recommitted. If I ever see actual improvement, you can be sure I'll report it here!

[claros]

Unfortunately, there are 2 kinds of skin aging. Those who tend to wrinkle and those that tend to sag. I have almost no wrinkles, but there is no lotion or potion that can eliminate sagging. Taking good care of your skin and micro current will help to minimize the effect. And if you decide on plastic surgery later, having healthy, wrinkle free skin will give an excellent result.

[UMDTerpFan]

Personally, I disagree with some of the advice here that nothing can help sagging. Sagging is caused by loss of collagen so anything that helps your body produce more collagen should also help with sagging. Vitamin C and Retinol or Retin A are known enhancers for collagen production. So those two are a must according to practically every dermatologist around. I had some sagging or jowls on my chin that are now almost gone so I'm not certain if it is a combination of having lost weight and products I am using or what, but an improvement. I also have those darned marionette lines that pull the mouth down that I'm not so happy about. I have been using Suzanne Somers Facemaster and it has helped some. It is a reasonably priced gadget sold on ShopHQ and if you can get it on easypay-even less painful to the pocket. Also, a lot of people on Essential Day Spa swear by facial exercise. You might want to do a search on their forum to see all the reviews, comments and links to exercises people felt were effective for them.

[suzyQ3]

On 3/3/2014 UMTerpFan said:

Personally, I disagree with some of the advice here that nothing can help sagging. Sagging is caused by loss of collagen so anything that helps your body produce more collagen should also help with sagging. Vitamin C and Retinol or Retin A are known enhancers for collagen production. So those two are a must according to practically every dermatologist around. I had some sagging or jowls on my chin that are now almost gone so I'm not certain if it is a combination of having lost weight and products I am using or what, but an improvement. I also have those darned marionette lines that pull the mouth down that I'm not so happy about. I have been using Suzanne Somers Facemaster and it has helped some. It is a reasonably priced gadget sold on ShopHQ and if you can get it on easypay-even less painful to the pocket. Also, a lot of people on Essential Day Spa swear by facial exercise. You might want to do a search on their forum to see all the reviews, comments and links to exercises people felt were effective for them.

This may sound like a weird question, so bear with me: Once skin sags, what topical would actually lift it? In other words, I understand about the the benefits of collagen in general and can maybe see it plumping up the skin, but once there is a sag, I don't see how collagen production would bring that area up again.

I hope my thought makes some sense. I really don't know.