The Different Antioxidants for Wrinkle Treatment

When you hear about wrinkle treatment, what comes first to your mind? If it is surgery, do not be drastic about it especially if it can still be diminished through the commercially available products for such cause.

The Antioxidants
Ever heard of the antioxidants? For sure, you have. It is all over the advertisements. Every product nowadays seems to be claiming antioxidants as their unique selling proposition or their USP. What is so special about this feature? Why is it that all of a sudden there is a swarm of products claiming that they have such?

To give you an idea, antioxidants are the substances which act as scavengers of the radicals in our bodies that are oxygen-free. These radicals are the particles which are unstable and can do damage to your cells to the extent of sun damage and even skin cancers. The more often your skin gets exposed to the sun, your antioxidants are reduced and therefore must be replaced.

Where can you get these antioxidants? Here's a list that you can go over to note the products wherein you can get these important substances.

1. Vitamins and Supplements. There are actually antioxidant supplements that you can take orally that will help prevent or diminish your unwanted lines. Some researchers found out that taking in a combination of Vitamins C and E will help lessen the sunburn reactions. But you still must use sunscreens for more protection.

2. Antioxidant topical products. These include creams, ointments and lotions that help protect the skin from the sun's damage. The more common antioxidants you can avail commercially include CoQ10 or the coenzyme Q10, Alpha lipoic acid, selenium and vitamins A, C and E.

3. Vitamin A. This has proven to be effective in ailing the skin damage caused by the sun and aging. The more commonly used for this type include retinol, retinaldehyde and other derivatives like retinoids.

4. Retin-A. This is also known as the Tretinoin. This is a topical product that has been approved to treat photoaging. You can only buy this if you have prescription form. The known brands are Avita, Differin and Renova. Such substance will create a rosy glow on your face and slowly reduce fine lines, liver spots and roughness of your skin.

5. Retinol. This is a natural form of Vitamin A. This was not made popularly available until recently. The reason for this is that it used to be easily seeped through by the UV radiation. But now the formulation is much stable and can create positive effects to your skin.

There are other medicines and products that will be available in the market to counter the developing lines which many people do not like to have. Wrinkles are normal occurrences to people as we age. But if it can still be countered, then who wouldn't want to take the measures.

Just a caution for pregnant women, it is advisable that you stop the use of any Vitamin A derivative until you have given birth. Some substances may cause birth defects, a sample of this would be the oral tretinoin. Stay out of such products if you are pregnant or even when you are only trying to conceive.

You can continue with your preferred wrinkle treatment after you have given birth. This way, you will not risk the life on your womb while you can still look younger after a period of time and you are already given a signal that you can proceed using the products.

Anti Aging Solutions in Short Time

Wrinkles occur as we age. If you can not manage surgical treatment, there are short term wrinkle alternatives you can use. The best aspect is that there are very few threats so you just have to seek advice with your skin specialist. We will discuss each one from A to Z.


First is Botox which has been around for over 10 years. This is a protein toxin produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria that is injected in small amounts into the body helping the muscles relax and make the lines disappear. It is effective in treating crow’s feet, forehead wrinkles, frown lines and laugh lines despite the fact that some studies show it causes new wrinkles to appear. It is good for 3 to 6 months and can be repeated.

Similar to Botox is collagen which has been used for over 25 years. It is used primarily as a tissue filler to soften lines around the mouth, to help augment lips, correct early degrees of muscle loss and erase acne scars. The injection is good for only 3 to 4 months. Before you can be injected with this protein, doctors will have to do some skin tests first to make sure you are not allergic.

There is a treatment called autologous fat transfer. Here, fat is removed from one part of the body and then it is used to fill the gaps caused by the wrinkles. Usually, fat is extracted from the buttocks, stomach or thighs. Since the patient’s fat is being used, there is no chance of allergic reactions taking place.

Another soft tissue filler is Restylane that is considered to be an injectable cosmetic treatment. This comes from hyaluronic acid which has proven to be very successful in Canada and Europe. Basically, this is a gel that is a basic component of the human skin. Unlike other procedures that fill in the gaps caused by wrinkles, this lets the skin cells “float” making it very suitable for large folds of skin often seen in the mouth and cheeks. This is effective for about 6 to 9 months with low incidence of allergic reactions.

Then there is also Hylaform which is an alternative to collagen and those who want to use it do not have to undergo an allergy test. Just like the rest, this has to be injected into the skin at regular intervals in order to treat wrinkles.

The procedures mentioned are not covered by insurance and do not have any health benefits. The only thing it can do is hide away those wrinkles for a few months and when they start to appear again, you have to go back to your dermatologist for the next treatment.

Apart from the short term wrinkle solutions, there are also home made treatments which you can use to treat and prevent pimples. Most of these use simple things you can buy at the grocery and you may have to mix some of them. You should clean your face first so the pores will open and it can be absorbed by the skin, left to dry before it is rinsed.

So are short term wrinkle solutions the way to go? If you want to avoid the pain that is often endured with other costly treatments and the long recovery time, then the answer is yes.

Natural Ways to Go about Wrinkle Reduction and Prevention

With the development of science and medicines, there are many ways that are claiming to cause wrinkle reduction as well as its prevention. But not everybody will have same reaction towards what the technology is presenting to them. There are effective ways to counter the problem without having to spend too much.

Signs of Aging

There are many signs of aging. And everybody will go to such process because this is natural. As you grow old, you will no longer have the capacity to carry out certain tasks. If you excel in sports while you were at your prime, your skills will disintegrate as your age zooms up. This is because of the bodily changes that is happening and will be happening to all people who will experience aging.

But this is not a bad thing. If you have lived your life to its fullest, you will no longer have anything to worry about once you feel the changes. But if it's just wrinkles that you are concerned about, more than the rheumatism, body pains, arthritis and all those pains that come with age, here are some of the natural ways to slow the process.

Reducing the Lines

If you see the lines on your face getting deeper and more pronounced, the first thing you have to do is look at your lifestyle. Yes, that simple. There is no need to head on to your trusted cosmetic surgeon. But there is also nothing wrong with that as long as you consult the right professional who has all the accreditations, education and practice.

But for those of you who want to do this the natural way, here are some tricks and tips that have worked wonders for many people. You never know, these may also work for you in reducing those unwanted lines.

1. Healthy diet

Eat right and your skin will benefit in the process. Include in your diet fresh fruits, vegetables as well as whole grains. Cook your food using healthy oils like olive oil that can also be used in salads and the likes. This will protect your skin against what you call oxidative stress. Following this step will allow you to live up to your 70s with only few lines. The reason for this is the high levels of compounds that are anti oxidants which can be found on most of these foods.

2.  Exercise

This will not only make your muscles stronger, this will also help you maintain a glowing skin. Doing your daily exercises will keep your blood flowing. It will then bring oxygen to your skin.

3. Avoid the vices

Having the vices like smoking and drinking can be bad for the skin. These will increase the lines and creases on your face as you age. Add the fact that these are also not good for your health.

4. Avoid stressing yourself out

When you are young, you always want to prove your self worth. But as you age and when you've already proven what you meant, stay out of the stressful life's route. That will not only cause you hypertension but it will also cause your skin to wrinkle easily.

5. Stay happy

Happy people look younger than those who are always gloomy. They are pleasant to look at. Their skin is as vibrant as their personality. So look for ways to find your happiness and stay in that zone as long as it takes. That will surely make your goal of wrinkle reduction an achievable feat.

Home Remedies for Wrinkles

Having wrinkles on your face or on your body is a normal fact of life. You can accept it for what it is or do something about it. Instead of buying expensive creams and moisturizers, perhaps you can try some home remedies that have proven to be effective against wrinkles.

You can apply egg whites under the eyes.  For those that want to prevent wrinkles, you may also use odor free castor oil and put this to the skin, under the eyes or the throat.

Those who want to make their own cleansers can do so by emptying the contents of 3 Vitamin E capsules into a small bowl and then mixing this with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, half a tablespoon of honey as well as half a tablespoon of lemon juice. When this is mixed together, you get a cotton ball and rub this on your face and leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse.

Another mixture may come from a quarter cup of comfrey infusion, a quarter cup of witch hazel and 10 drops of patchouli essential oil. What is nice about it is that you can store the excess in a clean bottle so you can use it again later on.

You may also mix 1 teaspoon of raspberry juice with one teaspoon of orange juice, a teaspoon of olive oil, whipped egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of grind oatmeal. After mixing everything, you wait 20 minutes and smear this on the face. Once it dries, you wash this off with warm water.

If you happen to have coconut oil around, apply this in skin pore areas nightly before going to bed. For those that pineapple at home, you can cut this open and then rub the core of the fruit on your face for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

You can also use green Thompson seedless grapes. Once you cut this in half, you gently crush this on your face so the juice will be absorbed by the skin. Make sure to leave it there for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and then let it dry with natural air.

A paste of turmeric made with sugarcane juice can also be used as it has proven to be effective in getting rid of wrinkles and slow skin aging.

No matter what you use, be sure to have regular facials as this is very effective in controlling wrinkles. You should also give yourself a facial massage as this helps increase blood circulation which results in the tightening of the muscles which reduces the fleshiness of the skin and restores your youthful look.

When you do this, make sure you always start from the neck upwards and then end at the forehead. A faster way of doing this will require using all your fingers and massaging rapidly in a circular motion. If there are wrinkles on the jaw, pinch the skin between your thumb and fingers.

Before you apply any of the home remedies for wrinkles on the face, make sure you clean the area first with wet cotton so you are able to remove make up and be able to open the pores on the skin. If you need to go outdoors, the only thing you can do to protect yourself from the sun is to use a pair of sunglasses and wear a hat which helps delay the onset of wrinkles on the sides of the eyes strangely referred to as crow’s feet.

Chemical Peels Can Remove Wrinkles

Chemical peels can remove wrinkles. They are also effective in removing the outer layers of sun damaged, blemished, unevenly pigmented, blotchy skin and pre-cancerous growth.

There are currently three strengths that are all designed to remove the outer layer of skin so there is fresh new skin growth with the absence of blemishes, blotches and wrinkles. Despite that, people should remember that chemical peels do not stop or retard the normal effects of aging. Let’s talk about the three types.

The first is known as a light peel. Here, Alphahydroxy acids (AHA) and Betahydroxy acids (BHA) are used to treat wrinkles. The AHA solution can be mixed with a bleaching agent and at times can be used as a pre-treatment for those who play to undergo TCA peeling or resurfacing.

The light peel is done without the need of anesthesia or sedation so the person will feel a slight sting. Treatment at the clinic could last from 10 to 15 minutes. During that time, it is normal to experience dryness, flaking, mild irritation or redness. You will be able to resume your daily routine within one to two days.

Medium peels on the other hand use a solution known as Tricholoroacetic acid (TCA). Just like the light peel, this is only applied when you face has been thoroughly cleansed. You have the option to use a light sedative but this may already be unnecessary when the solution itself gives you a numbing effect.

Despite that, some people will still feel a warm or burning sensation. This can also be used on other parts of the body and you may need to have more than 2 treatments between one to two month intervals to achieve its full effect.

Deep peels: Phenol acid is the strongest chemical peel solution and accomplishes the deepest peel and most dramatic results. It smoothes coarse wrinkles and is often used to remove pre-cancerous growths. Blotchiness is also treated with Phenol peel.

The third is called deep “phenol” peel. Treatment usually takes one to two hours but if the area to be treated is small, then it can be done in 15 minutes. This is used on the face only and the patient will have to be sedated.

This treatment can only be done on patients that are fair and thin skinned with superficial wrinkles. Your eyes will swell afterwards and you will  have to wear a dressing after the peel is completed. There will also be crusts or scabs afterwards that will last from 7 to 10 days and only then will you be able to go back to your daily routine.

Chances are, you will also have a hard time talking so it is best to go on a liquid diet. Since you can’t do anything for the next week or so, make sure you have someone drive you around to your doctor’s appointment or stay with you during recovery. You are also encouraged to stay indoors the whole time. If you have to go out, make sure you apply sun block first.

Chemical peels can remove wrinkles. You don’t even have to go to a hospital since many of these specialists have their own private clinics. You just need to be examined first have to assess the condition of your skin so the right type of peel can be recommended.

The relationship between the sun and wrinkles

Many may not be aware, but the sun and wrinkles are closely related with each other and reading further will help you piece together the relationship between the sun and wrinkles.

It is a fact that exposure to ultraviolet light, whether UVA or UVB, that is derived from sunlight, accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging.

Since most of the photoaging effects occur by the age of 20, the amount of damage to the skin caused by the sun is determined by the total lifetime amount of radiation exposure and the pigment protection.

Among the changes in the epidermis caused by continued exposure to the sun include, many harmful, thinning of the epidermis and the growth of skin lesions such as actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas,

Prolonged exposure to the sun cause collagen in the dermis to break down at a higher rate than just chronologic aging.

Collagen fibers get damaged by sunlight and causes the accumulation of abnormal elastin and when this sun-induced elastin accumulates, enzymes called metalloproteinases are produced in large quantities.

Under normal conditions, metalloproteinases are responsible for fixing sun-injured skin by manufacturing and reforming collagen.

However, this process does not always work well and some of the metalloproteinases actually break down collagen, resulting to the formation of disorganized collagen fibers known as solar scars.

And when the skin repeats this flawed rebuilding process, wrinkles develop.

As the sun continues to be the principal suspect in causing wrinkles, the most important skin-care product available to prevent wrinkles is sunscreen, but most people do not use sunscreen correctly.

It would be best to consider the important factors with sunscreen use, especially with the spectrum of UV radiation absorbed, the amount of sunscreen applied, and the frequency of application.

As mentioned earlier, the sun gives off ultraviolet (UV) rays  that can be divided into categories based on the wavelength.

UVC radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and does not cause skin damage, while UVB radiation affects the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, and is the primary agent responsible for sunburns.

UVB does not penetrate glass and the intensity of UVB radiation depends on the time of day and season.

UVA radiation, on the other hand, penetrates deep into the skin and works more efficiently and cannot also be filtered by glass, but overexposure to UVA can also be dangerous.

The intensity of UVA radiation is more constant than UVB without the variations during the day and throughout the year.

Regardless of their wavelengths, both UVA and UVB radiation can cause wrinkles as it breaks down collagen, creating free radicals, and inhibiting natural repair mechanisms of the skin.

A classification system of sun-sensitivity is the Skin Phototype (SPT) classification, which is being used to determine the potency and spectrum of protection that sunscreen formulations help protect from these radiation, as well as inhibit, if not minimize, wrinkles.

People with skin types I and II are at the highest risk for photoaging effects including wrinkles and skin cancer, thus the proper use of sunscreen to block both UVA and UVB radiation is an important in the battle against wrinkles.

As promised, the relationship between the sun and wrinkles has been established and the age old agae still holds true that says, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Know-How about Botox Injections for Wrinkles

How far are you willing to go to be beautiful? As years go by, developments even in the beauty department never seem to cease. You will see a product available commercially based on your need, may it be immediate or long term. There are creams that could easily wipe out your pimples, Botox injections for wrinkles, whitening lotions and creams for your skin and a lot more.

To Be or Not to Be

The important thing that you have to ask yourself is do you really need to go the drastic route in order to retain your younger looking skin. Everybody will eventually look old no matter how helpful science had been to you. In the manner of using beauty products and undergoing surgeries and injections, you are merely slowing the process.

If you are already considering your options about the said topic, you have to be ready for the results and the consequences. To lessen your worries, do a thorough research about what you want to be done. Ask around and ask for referrals for professionals whom you will trust to handle your skin, that is if you are going the scientific path to a more beautiful you.

Botox, Anyone?

Who haven’t heard of Botox? Many popular people like celebrities have gone through this procedure just so to remove the unwanted lines on their faces. This is especially useful if your appearance is your bread and butter. So what do you know about this? This list will remind you of things that you already know and may want to know about this procedure.

1. Botox is known for removing wrinkles. But it will not help diminish other common akin problems caused by aging such as the age spots, sun damage and problems with pigmentation. This will also not soften your skin if your main concern is about its roughness.

2. This is a costly procedure. If you really want to undergo such, you have to save up for it. And do save up for it a lot because you will not undergo through this only once. You have to undergo the procedure after a few months depending on what your doctor asks you to do according to your skin’s reaction to it.

3. This is very risky especially if you will not go to the right doctor. The procedure entails injecting of toxins to your skin. Not everybody has the same reaction on those toxins.

4. You have to tell your doctor the vitamins and medicines that you are taking before undergoing through this. They have to be informed about your body and your system so that they would know better if you are ready for it or you are not really fit.

5. If not done properly, instead of removing the unwanted lines, you may end up having more than what you had before going through it.

6. This is not for sensitive type of skin and veins. Botox includes injections. The one who will be getting the shots must first make sure that they are ready emotionally, physically and mentally.

Botox injections for wrinkles must be thought very hard before committing to the procedure. Once you’ve done it, there is no turning back and you have to abide according to what your doctor tells you to do. If you are still at a lost if you will do this or not, research about this more and after gaining more knowledge, you will sure be able to decide for the best.

(Image Source - pathologyatlas.net)