TREATMENT FOR WRINKLES

As one grows old one finds wrinkles developing on one’s face. So it is quite natural to see wrinkles on the face with the growing age. After all it is one of the effects as well as consequence of ageing process. However one can always check premature wrinkles by taking proper care of one’s skin.

Medical Treatments For Wrinkles

Vitamin A Topical Products (Tretinoin and Retinol)

• The topical products, which contain natural forms of vitamin A (retinol, retinaldehyde) or vitamin A derivatives, called retinoic acids (tretinoin), have proven to be beneficial for the skin that could be damaged not only by the sun but also by natural aging.
• Tretinoin, which is commercially known as Retin-A, is available only in prescription form such as Avita, Renova, Differin etc.
• It produces a rosy glow and reduces large wrinkles, brown spots and surface roughness.
• You can also apply it to the face, neck, chest, hands and forearm.
• You should apply the cream at least twice a week.
• Noticeable improvement takes from two to six months.
• Since Retin-A may increase a patient’s sensitivity to the sun, a thin coat is best administered at bedtime.
• You should wear a sunblock during the day because it helps avoid overexposure to the sun.
• Remember that a daytime moisturizer or low-dose corticosteroid cream such as 1% hydrocortisone, can help reduce the irritation of skin.
• Also note that the oral tretinoin can cause birth defects therefore the women should avoid even topical Retin-A during pregnancy or trying to conceive.
• Retinol, which is a natural form of vitamin A, could not, until recently, be used in skin products because it was unstable and easily broken down by UV radiation. But stable preparations are now sold over the counter.
• If applied with right concentrations, retinol may be as effective as tretinoin and studies indicate that it has fewer side effects.

Antioxidants

• The Antioxidants are substances that act as scavengers of oxygen-free radicals, unstable particles that can damage the body’s cells and even their genetic material.
• Some of the well-known antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and beta-carotene.
• There is some evidence that the lotions and creams that contain antioxidants may help protect the skin if applied before the sun exposure.
• The Topical vitamin E particularly alpha tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) cream helps decrease the skin roughness, length of facial lines and also the wrinkle depth.
• Both the green tea and the ginger seem to have properties that may provide some protection against cancer.
• Aloe, lemon oil, and coral extracts contain antioxidants and are promoted as being healthy for the skin, although evidence of their effects on wrinkles is weak.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Home Exfoliation

• One of the basic methods for improving skin and eliminating small wrinkles is exfoliation, which is also called resurfacing. It is the removal of the top layer of skin to allow growth of the new skin.
• Methods for doing this include from simple scrubs to special creams to intensive peeling treatments and even the laser resurfacing.
• You should scrub gently with a mildly abrasive material and a soap that contains salicylic acid in order to remove the old skin and allow the new skin to grow. The motion should be perpendicular to the wrinkles.
• People with darker skin are at particularly higher risk for scarring or discoloration with the more powerful exfoliation methods.
• You can also use the textured material or cleansing grains with microbeads.
• Remember that the organic materials, such as loofahs or sea sponges may harbor bacteria.
• You should avoid cleansing grains that contain pulverized walnut shells and apricot seeds, which can lacerate skin on a microscopic level. Cleansing grains with microbeads don’t have sharp edges and remove skin without cutting it.
• Exfoliation using scrubs, however, can worsen certain conditions, such as acne, sensitive skin, or broken blood vessels.
• Alpha hydroxy acids facilitate the shedding of dead skin cells and may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Lactic and glycolic acids are used most often in commercial products.
• The preparations containing lactic acid may be slightly more effective than those made with glycolic acid.
• Products have also been developed that are made from larger molecules called poly-alpha-hydroxy acids and others from beta-hydroxy acids or BHAs (usually containing salicylate acid, the primary ingredient in aspirin). Manufacturers claim that such products are less likely to irritate the skin.