Who can scroll down without opening the advertisements flashing at the top of any webpage for the multitude of skincare products? Nowadays how we look, matters more than anything else! And when it comes to wrinkles, dark spots and aging of the skin; we suddenly start giving a lot of attention to commercials that advertise beauty and skincare products. Our belief in the fact that they will enhance our appearance, especially anti-aging products is irrefutable! Beauty may lie in the eyes of the beholder, but every one of us needs the perfect skincare regime to radiate beautiful and youthful skin.
If you are among the people who want to appear younger than real age then anti-aging products are like blessings in disguise for you. Age is just a number and our aim is only to reduce the signs of premature aging. Indian cosmetics markets are flooded with anti-aging products from which choosing the right ones is itself a highly tedious task. Choosing the right product from ever-expanding options and deciding what will prove to be the best for you keeping aside the myths floating around every other cosmetic product be can surely drive you nuts. Don’t worry, we are here to discuss various myths revolving around aging and the actual truth beyond them.
Let’s first start by acknowledging that why aging takes place over the years–
Aging and the reason behind
Aging is a disgusting but inevitable part of everyone’s life. No one likes to see himself or herself aging- full of lines, marks and loose wrinkled skin.
Ever thought about why it happens? There are majorly two main reasons behind it-
- Intrinsic/cellular aging – Cells are the basic units of life that behave as the building blocks for tissues and organs in our body. As we grow in years, our cells continue to age. Along with the age factor- malnutrition, external or internal cell damage also leads to premature aging. Cellular aging is unavoidable but proper nourishing of the body tissues will definitely delay the process of aging.
- Extrinsic/Environmental aging– In the modern 20th century – an overload of work, rush to meet deadlines, stress, pollutants and other detrimental constituents of our environment are contributing to premature aging in abundance.
Factors
- Air pollution
- Ultraviolet light (UV) exposure
- Malnutrition
- Mental stress
- Tobacco and alcohol
Steering clear from the above-mentioned factors as far as possible and nourishing the deficiencies of your skin will help you build a strong grip on skin-related problems and aging issues. Proper cleaning, moisturizing, protection of skin by sunscreens and using anti-aging products will help to avoid premature aging. Look out for these signs of aging when searching for a solution or tonic that best suits you and always purchase according to your skin requirements-
Signs of Aging
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Visible open pores
- Rough skin texture
- Uneven skin tone
- Dry and dull skin
- Age spots
- Thin and loosened skin
Fact over Myths
Myth 1: Irritation is always felt after using anti-aging products on the skin.
Fact– Some ingredients of anti-aging products may irritate your skin while initializing treatment. If you are allergic to any ingredient of the anti-aging product, you must stop using these products at once. In the market, you will find products giving effective results made from suitable non-irritating ingredients for sensitive skin. Products with ingredients like glycolic acid will maximize the desired effect (anti-aging) and minimalize the side effects. Any product that gives an “Itching or burning sensation”, its further application on the face should be strictly avoided to prevent damage and preserve the skin’s natural protective oils.
Myth 2: More expensive the product – Better the effect.
Fact– Usually when it comes to buying a product, we first consider the price and the quantity that we will acquire at the market rate. The concept, concerning anti-aging products, we have misunderstood is that- ‘the costlier the product, the better quality and superior will be the effects it will display’. In some instances, this fact may turn out to be true, as a costlier product uses modern technologies and branded ingredients. But both branded and generic product contains the same ingredients. So, just cost should not be a criterion for purchasing any product. Quality, safety, suitability, effectiveness, the number of ingredients and technology engaged in should be checked while choosing the anti-aging product. Having accurate knowledge about the ingredients and other parameters regarding every product is not possible for common consumers like us. In such cases, we should check if the products were tested and approved by Regulatory Authorities like FDA, ISO, etc so that the quality and safety of the packaged product remain rest assured.
Myth 3: Once you get desired effect, you can stop using an anti-aging product.
Fact– At the initial stages when you begin using these products, superficial effects, like the removal of small lines, dark spots will be observed at the earnest. We are in search of a solution that works on the root cause incessantly to alleviate it from within. The factual therapeutic effects will be observed with continuous use in the long run. So, not using products regularly or discontinuing after a short span of time after observing the initial desired effect is not affected. Nourishing and revitalizing cells deeply is necessary. Don’t stop using the product until dermatologists recommend doing so. Along with anti-aging products, focus on consuming supplements rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, antioxidants, and so on. Try staying stress-free and taking sufficient sleep regularly. This will help to enhance the effect of the anti-aging treatment.
Myth 4: Sunscreen products are not necessarily to be used during the rainy and winter season.
Fact– Many of us still think that sunscreens are necessary only during hot sunny days or while we are outdoors during the daytime. As we very well know about sun’s harmful rays are responsible for the aging and tanning of the skin, sunscreen is a must when you step out of our homes in the summertime. Lest it also becomes important to bring to your notice that clouds cannot block harmful UV radiations from penetrating the skin. Also, UVB rays can penetrate water while UVA rays can pass across the glass. Keeping in mind precaution is better than cure, do not forget to use sunscreen on regular basis.
Myth 5: Anti-aging product for one, is a product for everyone/all.
Fact– If any one member in our family gets body aches, fever – for immediate relief they consume any otc painkillers (with or without a doctor’s prescription). Suppose, another member of our family suffers from the same problem then what according to you will be your course of action? Usually, most of us will give the same medicine to the other suffering member in the house that was prescribed only for the specific one. This may not show any observable side effects in the case of normal pain. But these things should not be practiced without proper diagnosis and physician consultation. You have to be a little more cautious in the case of skin-related products as every person’s skin type, problems faced and sensitivity is different from the other. Thus, practicing one product for all skin types might be too dangerous and lead to irreversible consequences!
Myth 6: When getting out of the aging problem, you need not to more careful about your diet.
Fact– What you eat, ultimately affects your skin. Anti-aging products work superficially by removing dead skin cells. Supplementing these with proper nutritional requirements and providing special care to skin cells becomes vital. For naturally glowing wrinkle-free skin in the long term, you must stay careful with what you eat. A healthy and balanced diet enriched with vitamins, minerals, antioxidant supplements (which may be from diet or marketed preparation) will nourish all cells internally as well as deeply. Proper diet and exercise are two key entities for healthy-looking radiant skin. So never be lazier about your diet, even if you got the desired effect from man-made anti-aging products.
Myth 7: Anti-ageing products work the Best Overnight.
Fact- Both Day and Night creams are essential to maintain the proper skincare routine. Day creams contain sun protection factors and antioxidants which guard the skin from photo-oxidative damage. Oxidative stress causes the skin to wrinkle and add to the process of aging. The night cream contains ingredients like retinol and peptides which will nourish skin and recover skin damage at the cellular level. So the optimum combination of both day and night creams will produce the required synergistic effect.
Myth 8: Ageing problem is inherited.
Fact- Yup, this is real for sure but to an extent! Blaming only inheritance for aging will be doing injustice to principles of heredity. Though we inherit many anatomical and behavioural patterns from our parents, genetics plays a very negligible role in aging and wrinkles. Environmental factors have greater impacts on the skin than genetics. So we recommend focusing more on the daily skincare regime and taking advanced protection from sun damage for beautifully nourished skin.
Myth 9: Facial Exercises Help in preventing aging and can turn back time.
Fact- Exercising all day long won’t rebuild the collagen and elastin in your skin. Of course, firming and toning of skin might take place if but if carried out repeatedly and too frequently, these exercises will definitely result in wrinkled and sagging skin.
Myth 10: For best results, one should use all products of the skincare line.
Fact– In the case of anti-aging products, less is always more. If one uses too many products such as various creams, moisturizers, serums, spas at the same time innumerable adverse effects like irritation, redness of the skin will increase. At the initial stage of treatment, we should use all products in minimal quantity so that skin will get a chance to adapt new regimen.
“Focus on Quality NOT Quantity”
The quality of products is determined by the effective ingredients of products, their safety and their efficiency. In the case of anti-aging products, we must see the following ingredients-.
- Retinol- It is a natural form of vitamin A. It reduces wrinkles by boosting the elasticity and thickness of the skin.
- Antioxidants- These ingredients will help to recover cell damage.
Following molecules possess antioxidant properties-
- Beta carotene -helps in collagen production and speeds up cell turnover.
- Vitamin C-Recovers skin damage and masks the dark spots.
- Vitamin E- Rejuvenate skin
- Selenium- It is a mineral that helps to maintain skin elasticity
- Coenzyme Q 10- Strong antioxidant which protects elastic tissue and collagen.
3. Peptides- Peptides are small chain amino acids. They can penetrate the superficial layer of skin generating signals that activate cells of the skin to produce collagen. Collagen helps in repairing skin cells for a smoother and youthful look.
The Final Piece of Advice
Wrinkles are not that much frustrating and embarrassing as we think. It is a positive sign of our growth and experience. We must think realistically. Proper nourishment and protection from sun damage and other environmental factors will help to reduce premature aging. Always ask your dermatologist for suitable, safe and effective anti-aging products.