Anti Ageing
The use of anti-ageing skin care products has grown enormously over the last two decades; it is not unreasonable to want to continue looking youthful for as long as possible when you consider how much longer most of us are living! The skin care industry uses beauty products that increase the synthesis of the protein collagen, the main protein in skin which becomes less elastic as we age; almost 25 percent of the protein in skin is actually collagen. Collagen is related to other natural substances which help to slow down the ageing process; we call them antioxidants, they aid the repair of cell damage associated with cell damage.
Although the benefits of vitamin C (an anti-oxidant) are well documented, it is still debated as to what our daily amount should be. Vitamin C formulated skin care treatments suffer with a particular problem of oxidizing on contact with the air which causes a problem for users and manufacturers.
Other skin care treatments which mimic the effects of vitamin C are being tried all the time which are hoped to be more stable in the atmosphere and also cheaper to produce. Unfortunately the anti-oxidant products used to replace vitamin C are not as effective but as vitamin E and lipoic acid can both have the same effect; this is not too much of a problem.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant and component of human blood whose purpose is to help increase the body’s immune system; there is some evidence to show it helps prevent diseases including cancer. Another of these is lipoic acid which is found in every cell of our body to help generate energy for us to live; it can also help reduce the aging process which affects the skin.
Phytochemicals aren’t produced by the body but are extracted from a number of plants and used in many anti-ageing skin care products to combat the signs of ageing. Another benefit of phytochemicals, like those of alpha-lipoic acid, is their ability to reduce the prevalence of certain cancers; for instance Prostate Cancer in Men Cancer of the Breast Cancer of the Colon - These types of cancer are also becoming some of the most prevalent worldwide.
Some B-vitamins like B5, B6 and B12 are also in use for anti-ageing skin care products. This just goes to highlight just how complex and far reaching the whole field of anti-ageing skin care products is and why so much more research is required. Gradually, new discoveries will be made to advance our understanding of the aging process; with the number of genetic discoveries made in recent years, it is only a matter of time before conquering the effects of age is commonplace.
With the research that is now taking place, many people are confident that in time, more effective, cheaper anti-ageing skin care products will be discovered. A person should never accept that everything science devises in relation to skin care and anti-aging is always going to be the best; it is doubtful if science can replace natural skin care remedies. Drinking plenty of water, getting a good night’s sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining healthy eating habits and keeping stress at bay are an essential means of delaying the ageing process.