As most of us grow older, we are finding ways to stay younger. There are many ways we can approach anti-aging effects.
Using a good anti-aging product is vital. Also anti-aging and aesthetic medical treatments are widely available these days.
Many do not want to consider cosmetic surgery but feel they want to look as good as they can in middle age and beyond.
Howevere, the question will be: Where do you start? What is available out there? How do you decide on which will suit you better?
When we talk about anti-aging, we tend to think about skin care. Anti aging skin care now includes a huge range of products – mostly for the face but increasingly targeted at specific problem areas like the neck and decollete, the under eye area and even the hands.
Most anti aging skin care lines focus on the four steps to good skin care (cleanse, tone, exfoliate and moisturize) and include products that target each step. Moisturizing creams aim to hydrate skin as a first step and also include active anti aging ingredients to deal with skin wrinkling and sagging. The key actives are alpha hyaluronic acid (AHA), retinol, peptides, and antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C. Skin care products in the anti-aging market also include temporary wrinkle fillers, botox alternatives and exfoliating or microdermabrasion creams and gels.
To take it further than a topical cream or serum, one can consider anti-aging treatments either at home or in office. Most treatments target the signs of aging on the face and use low level interventions to lift and tone, relax or fill wrinkles, eradicate uneven skin pigment and restore radiance. There is a wide range of options including botox, dermal fillers, photorejuvenation, laser skin treatments, microcurrent and radiofrequency face lifts. In office, facial treatments will often be more powerful and can deliver greater improvements. Combining treatments can yield best overall results.
Anti aging cosmetics are one of the latest product developments – these aim to combine the active effects of the best skin care products with the benefits of a cosmetic. This means you can buy face makeup or concealers that make you look good whilst helping to deal with your wrinkles, puffy eyes or bags. The anti aging effect of these products is obviously lesened when combined with the cosmetic but they are worth considering.
An increasing trend recently is to seek a natural approach to anti-aging through anti-aging products that work from within. Getting the best improvements through correct nutrition, mental balance and skin care. As part of this approach there is a huge interest in anti aging supplements that help you to get the right vitamins and minerals as well as some of the less readily available amino acids that you might be lacking in your normal diet. There are supplement packs targeted at the anti-aging market as well as specific products for skin and hair health.
Green tea has come to the fore an anti aging product in recent years – either as an extract or when drunk throughout the day. Associated with weight loss green tea also adds a high level of antioxidants vital for fighting the signs of aging. Chinese teas also has gain momentum as a good slimming and anti-aging supplements.
Hair and teeth can also be affected by age and there are many products now that offer help. Hair care products like specialized shampoos, conditioners, finishing products and other treatments designed for older hair are widely available. Teeth whitening products and treatments are used by all ages but they have special importance as we get older as teeth darken with age.
Anti aging hair care is not just confined to the hair on your head – there are many products now to help hair growth for eyebrows and eye lashes. These don’t specifically target the anti aging market but thinning eyebrows and lashes get worse with age and many of these have good results.
Whatever your interest – here’s our five step guide to finding what you want from all the anti aging products avaialble:
1. Decide what area you want to improve – are you most concerned about skin aging generally on your face or is it the wrinkles under your eyes that concern you most? Do you want to get rid of age spots? Are your teeth or hair making you look older? Focus on your most important priority.
2. Set a budget – think about how much money you are prepared to spend – an off the shelf product will cost less than a series of in office treatments but may not be as powerful. High end anti aging creams will cost more than simple moisturizers.
3. Know your limits – How much discomfort and downtime are you prepared to put up with? Some in office treatments come with quite high levels of pain and days off work. You may instinctively prefer a completely non invasive approach like skin care or an at home treatment.
4. Do your product research – Do you know what the product claims to do and whether it is backed up by research and results? Don’t buy unless you’ve done some research – whatever product you are thinking of. If the product involves any kind of invasive treatment (like dermal fillers or laser skin tightening) this is even more important. Research review sites and don’t just accept at face value what you read on sales sites – remember dermatologist and cosmetic surgeons sell their procedures too.
5. Choose quality suppliers – if you want skin care go for dermatologist brands at the high end for good results. The same applies to choosing a skin clinic or cosmetic dentist for your procedure.
Choosing the right anti aging products is just like any other consumer decision you make. You need to do your research and proceed with care so you can buy with confidence. You’ll have much more chance of a successful outcome if you do.
