Skin care manufacturers are always on the lookout for new ingredients promising to be the latest breakthrough in delivering youthful skin.
That’s why you’ll be interested to learn about a recent review of anti-aging treatments that appeared in The Archives of Dermatology. The review concludes that three anti-aging treatments are proven clinically effective: the topical application of retinol; carbon dioxide laser resurfacing; and injection of hyaluronic acid, a moisture-retaining acid that occurs naturally in the skin. All work via the same mechanism: the interaction of skin cells called fibroblasts with the collagen they produce.
Fibroblasts are connective tissue cells that secrete a complex group of polysaccharides and proteins which creates collagen, the substance that gives skin shape and elasticity and supports the blood vessels that permeate it. While collagen fibers are capable of lasting as long as 30 years, age and ultraviolet exposure cause their deterioration and fragmentation. This process impairs the ability of fibroblasts to create new collagen and wrinkles start to appear.
Effective Skin Care Treatments
Topical application of retinol (as found in Green Cream), was the first treatment that proved to be proved useful. Retinol is thought to cause new collagen to form in aged or sun damaged skin. Concentrations of 0.2 to 0.6 percent are thought to be enough.
Carbon dioxide laser resurfacing is another well-tested treatment for wrinkles. And, injecting a form of hyaluronic acid, similar to a substance the skin normally produces has been shown to increase collagen production within a month after the injection.
