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I get a lot of letters from people who order anti-aging products from startup companies with impressive advertising. The claims can be so alluring. Next thing they know, they are in disputes over products that never came, overcharges on their credit cards, or inconsistent merchandise. That’s if they are even lucky enough to track the company down. You wouldn’t believe the tales readers tell about how they are treated. That’s why I prefer to stay with well-known brands. When I do try something from a newer company, I do lots of research first.Here’s my response to one reader who benefited from my warnings of “Buyer Beware” and kindly sent me a note of thanks.=============================================Hi Sabrina,I'm so glad you found my post before ordering and then did your own research. You might be interested in this article on how to Evaluate Products - especially the section on sifting the good from the bad on forums. There are risks there too!If you haven't already subscribed, Ageless-Beauty sends out a free monthly newsletter to let you know what is new on site and I am always happy to answer questions about individual products or anti-aging in general.Good for you, Sabrina, for being an educated consumer and doing your research before you ordered.You’re welcome, JeanTags: product research, skin antiaging treatment, wrinkles, product evaluation, user forums, wrinkle treatment
My approach to fighting this aging thing is balanced and safe; but pretty aggressive. I have a healthy eating plan, take supplements, work out at the gym five hours a week and try to manage my stress level. I recently turned sixty; but I don’t let that hold me back. I’m committed to maintaining the maximum quality of life no matter what my age in years.
As for anti-aging products and treatments, I am very interested in the latest developments but always do my own research. I care about ingredients and scientific evidence; not marketing hyperbole. To see my current picks of anti-aging topical treatments, see my Age Warrior Top Ten.
As for diet, I subscribe to the “everything in moderation” school of healthy eating. For me, that philosophy has been sufficient to keep me at the same weight I was in my teens for the last twenty-five years. However I should also admit that I am almost fifty pounds lighter than my highest weight. [That was the ten years of “weight creep” after having a baby, during which time I tried every diet known to woman!] I finally found an approach to eating that works for me; and have stuck with it ever since.
If you’re still looking for a healthy eating plan that works for you, read my article Eat Healthy for Life. You can be fit and enjoy life too.
A reader referred me to this really classy website: LindaLundstrom.com.
At first I thought it was a bit off-topic for Ageless-Beauty.com,
but the more I thought about it the more I realized it is right in line with the Ageless-Beauty philosophy.We strive to help you be the best you can whatever your age – to be as healthy, as active, as content, as confident as possible for the rest of your life. Linda Lundstrom’s goal is to help you look your best. Looking your best increases self-confidence and a sense of contentment.Linda Lundstrom is a designer with a wonderful philosophy about woman’s clothes. Her company logo is “For Authentic Women Everywhere …real lives … real bodies … real beauty.” You can find Linda Lundstrom retail stores across Canada and the U.S.She has the nicest welcome letter on her home page. In part it says, “As a designer I believe that a woman’s size and shape has nothing to do with her value as a human being. My inspiration comes from real women of all sizes … It’s not my designs that will make you look beautiful, it’s you that will make my designs look beautiful.”Nice, huh?Tags: Linda Lundstrom, look good – feel good, look your best
I received this e-mail quite a while ago (mea culpa!) and let it gradually fall to the bottom of my in-box. I couldn’t quite figure how to incorporate a beauty and wellness initiative for teens into a website aimed at people battling the effects of aging.===========================================I have enjoyed reading your website regarding ageless beauty – so I wondered if you might be interested in joining Dove's Campaign For Real Beauty. It would be great to have your genuine support for this positive, self-esteem message.
My name is Andrea, and we've been asked by Dove to help raise awareness for their self-esteem programs and to help find passionate and genuine real beauty advocates to be part of this online community of supporters.
If you’re interested, I would love to give you an ‘inside look’ at the Self Esteem Fund and Dove’s new initiative for girls, an online reality series designed to give teens a reality check on factors that can impact their self-esteem.
Andrea
===========================================
Then two things happened this week that nudged me to dig Andrea’s letter out of the in-box. First, I read that one out of four teenage girls has an STD. One out of four! And the most prevalent STD is the one which causes cervical cancer.
Second, I read a beautiful quote by author and columnist Geneen Roth in the January issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.
“Your body is the piece of the universe you’ve been given, the place where love, joy and grief happen, where happiness unfolds.”
The message to me is pretty clear. It’s time to look into Dove’s initiative and help share the message of Ageless Beauty to people of all ages.
After all, we start aging the day we are born!
Tags: Ageless Beauty for teens, Geneen Roth, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty
I found some articles on facial exercises and was wondering if you would comment on your opinion as to their effectiveness in both preventing and reversing signs of aging.
Jean’s ResponseHere are the pros and cons on facial exercises.Today millions of women get Botox injections to reduce facial movements that cause lines of expression. We know this is effective. Logically then, the exaggerated facial movements of facial exercise would deepen lines of expression and have an aging effect on the skin.As for the effect on facial muscles, it is true that these muscles sag with age. In fact, when a surgeon performs a full face lift, s/he cuts key facial muscles, stretches them tight and reattaches them. Theoretically, exercise should be able to keep facial muscles toned and lifted.Read more about facial exercises.
Tags: Ageless Beauty, f acial exercises, how Botox works
I am looking for advice on my skin-care regimen. A dermatologist once told me that I should try not to use too many products on my skin (especially at an early age), but there are so many on your site that interest me.
I hope that you can point me in the right direction to either modify or over-haul my skin-care regimen. I can't say money is no object, but I don't mind paying for a superior product if it will keep me looking young. Of course, I would always prefer the less expensive option if the results are the same!Here is my current skin care regimen:Cleanser (day and night) - Neutrogena Pore Refining CleanserToner (day and night) - Neutrogena Pore Refining TonerMoisturizer (day) - L'Oreal Pure Zone Oil-Free MoisturizerEye Cream (day) - Pond's Age DefeyeMoisturizer (night) - Almay Kinetin Repair & Rejuvenate Night Concentrate (now discontinued but I have a stock-pile in my refrigerator)Eye Cream (night) - Shiseido Benefiance revitalizing eye cream
Read my answer about Nicole's choices.
Tags: Ageless Beauty, Top Ten Skin Care Picks, Top Ten Affordable Skin Care Picks
Though you can’t use certain products on your breakout-prone face, you might be able to use a richer moisturizer on your cleavage, neck and other areas where you notice that creepy crepe-iness. Moisturizing is not just a temporary measure. It helps support the skin’s glycan network and keep the skin thick and supple. Read more about moisturizers.Depression definitely ages you – and in more ways than one. It is a physical stress on your body. Your immune system may be weakened and free radicals meet with less resistance. At the same time, you can’t find the energy to take proper care of yourself and you let your skin care (and overall care) routine go by the wayside.I’m glad that you are over the worst and are fighting your way back. Taking pride in your appearance is a good sign. I hope you are eating a lot of high-antioxidant foods and/or taking antioxidant supplements.Also consider that perhaps you’re being too hard on yourself. If people’s comments about how young you look are unsolicited, try to take them at face value (pun intended). We are often our own worst critics.I never thought I was pretty. In my sixties, I look back at pictures of me in my 30s, 40s and even 50s and think I looked pretty darn good. Too bad I couldn’t appreciate my looks then. These days I make an effort to like what I see in the mirror.Tags: Ageless Beauty, Top Ten Skin Care Picks, Top Ten Affordable Skin Care Picks
7. New Research on Retinoids
Until mid-2007, your dermatologist would likely have told you that only the Retin-A form of vitamin A was an effective chemical exfoliator. However a study was reported in the May 2007 issue of The Archives of Dermatology which found that a 0.4% retinol lotion applied three times a week for 24 weeks yielded a significant reduction in skin wrinkles. Even more surprising was that the average age of the participants was 87!
If you prefer a gentler approach or cannot get a prescription for Retin-A, OTC ingredients to look for are vitamin A derivatives called retinoids and including retinol, retinal and retinyl palmitate.
Recap
Last year was a big one for anti-aging developments. In summary, these are my top 7 for 2007.
1. FDA Approval of New Advanced Wrinkle Fillers – one considered permanent.
2. Home Models of Skin Anti-aging Treatment Appliances – make IPL more affordable in long run.
3. More Powerful Peptides and Mounting Proof of Their Effectiveness – look for tripeptides and be alert for new developments.
4. Lower-priced Versions of Expensive Topical Anti-aging Products – know your ingredients and save money.
5. Broad Spectrum Sun Protection – protect yourself against the Aging rays of the sun
6. Antioxidants – a new star is on the scene – the coffeeberry.
7. New Research on Retinoids – you don’t need prescription-strength Retin A to get the exfoliating benefits of vitamin A.
Tags: antiaging developments , IPL, peptides
6. Antioxidants
In February 2004, results of a clinical trial of various antioxidants were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The results rank-ordered the six topical antioxidants tested from most effective on down. Heading the list was idebenone, followed by vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, kinetin, and alpha-lipoic acid.
Topical antioxidants have been shown to disarm free radicals and prevent oxidative damage to skin cells. Since 2004, only one antioxidant has been found that may displace another from the 2004 list. Studies on the coffeeberry as a topical antioxidant were reported to the American Academy of Dermatology at its 2006 annual meeting.
However it wasn’t until June of 2007 that a skin treatment line using coffeeberry was launched. The press release from Steifel Labs stated, “Revaléskin can improve the skin's appearance so quickly because its primary ingredient, CoffeeBerry, is abundant in four powerful polyphenol antioxidants which help prevent and reduce superficial damage from sun exposure and free radicals.”
Tags: antioxidants, coffeeberry, Revaleskin
5. Broad Spectrum Sun Protection
SPF only refers to a product’s level of protection against the sun’s UVB (or Burning rays). Two recently developed ingredients, Helioplex and Mexoryl, extend protection against the sun’s UVA (or Aging) rays and do so in two ways.
They are effective after application for twice as long as any prior UVA sun screen ingredient; and they protect against a broader spectrum of the sun’s rays. UVA rays are the most dangerous because they penetrate deep into the skin’s layers and cause cancer as well as visible signs of aging.
Dr. Allan Oseroff, dermatology chair at both the Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo calls Helioplex the most important advance in sun protection in 20 years. Mexoryl "produces a product which gives us almost perfect protection against sunshine," according to Dr. Vincent DeLeo, chairman of dermatology at Columbia University.
Both Helioplex and Mexoryl are stabilized forms of Parsol 1789. Though Parsol 1789 very effectively absorbs UVA radiation, it is an unstable compound and loses 35% of its effectiveness after 15 minutes of sun exposure.
When buying topical sun protection products, be sure they contain both an SPF of 15 or more and either Mexoryl or Helioplex.
Tags: sun protection , Helioplex, Mexoryl
3. More Powerful Peptides and Mounting Proof of Their Effectiveness
The studies in support of the anti-aging effects of topical peptides are mounting. The peptides I find most exciting are the Tripeptides, especially Syn-ake.
The Dec. 2007 issue of “MebMD the Magazine” had this to say. “… Peptides have been on the cusp of antiaging skin care for a while. The excitement began several years ago with NIH-backed research on the ingredient Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-3), showing its ability to stimulate collagen production in skin. Today, further studies on additional peptides continue to generate research news.”
The article quoted Palm Beach dermatologist Ken Beer saying, “They are really getting the science down now, learning how to stabilize the peptides and at the same time inhibit collagenase [the breakdown of collagen] so we have better, more tailored peptide products.”
4. Lower-priced Versions of Expensive Topical Anti-aging Products
The products that tend to have the highest concentrations and/or combinations of the latest anti-aging ingredients also tend to be higher in price. But as economies of scale and competition kick in, these advances become less costly and find their way into more reasonably priced products.
Bargain shoppers know that discount chains and drugstores are selling knock-offs of popular skin care products, such as StriVectin-SD, at a fraction of the cost of the genuine article. Know your ingredients and, when you see one of those knock-offs in the drugstore, that insight can help you determine if it really has the "right stuff" to compete with the high priced competition.
Tags: cosmeceutical peptides, StriVectin-SD, drugstore knockoffs
Not all of the anti-aging breakthroughs of 2007 were scientific. One was regulatory and two were economic in that they are making anti-aging treatments affordable for more people. For many, those may be the most significant anti-aging developments of the year because now they too can have the benefit of advances that were formerly only available to the very affluent.
1. FDA Approval of New Advanced Wrinkle Filler
In 2007, the FDA approved four new injectable wrinkle fillers: Perlane, Juvéderm, ArteFill, and Radiesse. The newer injectables last longer. One is even considered permanent. Study results show that some types not only boost the body’s natural collagen production, but also inhibit collagen breakdown.
2. Home Models of Skin Anti-aging Treatment Appliances
Various companies now offer home versions of anti-aging appliances. Formerly, you had to go to an aesthetician for IPL or LED photofacials. Now you can buy your own Marvel-Mini, Quasar Baby or Derma Wand and treat yourself in the privacy of your own home as frequently as you like.
Further, more and experts are getting on the phototherapy bandwagon. In my Dec. 5 blog entry, I reported what Paula Begoun has to say about the effectiveness of photofacials.
Read my full Anti-Aging Developments article.
Tags: new wrinkle fillers,
photofacials, 2007 anti-aging developments
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