BlackGoddess

I am starting to see small lines in my forehead and eyes. Before I spend money on a wrinkle cream, do any products actually work or are they a waste?

JRiddle

I used strivectin for about 4 months and it did very little to reduce any wrinkles. I have been using Crem De La Mer for the past month and I am seeing a little improvement in the lines next to my eyes (crows feet).

Dianna

I dont think anything except Botox will really get rid of big wrinkles.

vtoodler

JRiddle, you must have money because Creme de La Mer is very expensive. I think that Loreal Products may work, but again I'm only 19.

Try checking out this site: Reviews from Epinions

Just type in any anti-wrinkle prdouct, and see what others have said about it.

SkinMaestro

I am using this Skin Treatment line that has helped me tons. It has made a noticeable difference, and the price is pretty compatible. I was so glad i did not have to go through botox because this stuff is awesome. Even my mom and all my aunts started using it. Email me at divinemystery23@yahoo.com if you would like details.

Naturally

You want something that really works - try looking around Skin Remodeling Products to Reverse The Effects of Skin Aging and Skin Damage - his Copper Peptides REALLY DO WORK! And they aren't terribly expensive. Another site is DianaYvonne Anti Aging Skin Care Products (she actually ships faster) and has the same products as skinbio. They seriously DO work!

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Arbonne Consultant - botanically based products that work!

skincareteacher

Hee-hee, reminds me of the little boy asking his mommy what she's putting on her face.
"Wrinkle cream," she told him.
"Well it sure works, mommy! You have a lot of 'em!"

Mel

This is a great question - one that deserves a lengthy discussion! But I'll try to be short and to the point...

First, every skin is different so what works for one person may have limited or no results on another.

Second, some products are proven to work in peer reviewed studies, while some just have anecdotal evidence or claims provided by the manufacturer without sufficient backup documentation. Retin A/Renova are proven to work, while Strivectin falls into this latter category. Note that "proven" just means that in controlled studies, a significant number of test subjects showed improvement.

Third, you'll never remove a wrinkle entirely short of cosmetic surgery. What you can do is reduce the appearance - these are two different things.

Lastly, some humble advice... I would focus your efforts on getting a very well thought out daily regimen started. One that includes cleanser, toner, moisturizer and sun protection. By itself, this will help make your skin more healthy. Then you can add an AHA to help with any sun damage. And perhaps try adding a Vitamin C serum to help rebuild damaged skin. But remember - strivectin, pentapeptide-3, retinol, idebinone and all the rest MAY help, but might not. These products do work in some people, but I cannot answer the question "What will work" with one of these products.

I would add an AHA (proven to work) or maybe a vitamin C serum (also a strong product group). I would hesitate to try a more exotic product or ingredient until you try the Cleanse, tone, moisturize, protect, add C or AHA.

Good Luck!!

M

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Melissa Brooks, LMT

Naturally

I still LOVE Dr. Pickarts site and knowledge about many things. His Copper Peptides work for reducing wrinkles w/o surgery. His studies are here.

(copied from his site)
Skin Exfoliating Methods

Hydroxy acids

Hydroxy acids are one of the best of the skin renewal approaches. They are naturally occurring, non-toxic substances found in the human body, fruits, wine, milk and sugarcane, to name a few sources. Scientifically, these chemicals are known as alpha keto/carboxylic acids or beta keto/carboxylic acids. They are more commonly known as alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs and betahydroxy acids, or BHAs. The AHAs and BHAs help retain moisture in very dry skin, as well as helping reduce fine lines and uneven color of sun-damaged skin. They often lighten "age" spots.

Part of their effect is decreasing the "glue" that holds dead cells on the surface of the skin. Hydroxy acids reduce the thickness of the hyperkeratotic stratum corneum by reducing corneocyte cohesion in lower levels of the stratum corneum. This induces epidermolysis, which triggers an increase in cell renewal. This helps the dead cells to slough off (desquamation), speeds skin turnover, and brings to the surface a layer of smoother, softer skin.

Of the AHAs, glycolic acid, which comes from sugarcane, is generally regarded as the best for skin renewal. Mixtures of several different AHAs have no advantage. Glycolic acid speeds the turnover of the skin cells resulting in a smoother texture and healthier appearance. It usually takes about eight weeks of regular use to see a significant improvement in the skin. Glycolic acid can be combined with other bleaching agents that are used in the treatment of dark spots on skin.

Effective and Ineffective AHA Creams

Research of Eugene J. Van Scott M.D. and R. J. Yu Ph.D. opened the modern era of AHA use. In 1976 they reported that glycolic acid, in specially designed formulations, helped in the treating of a scaling skin disease (ichtyosis) and in 1988 they founded NeoStrata, a company where they continue to develop novel methods for the treatment of skin problems.

Further studies by them indicated a use for hydroxy acids in skin renewal - however, their work was ignored by the skin care industry until the 1990s when alpha and beta hydroxy acids began to be incorporated into skin care products (Van Scott and Yu 1989). Later, Stiller et al conducted large-scale, placebo-controlled studies with AHAs and found they reversed premature aging caused by sun exposure. (Stiller et al 1996) Their use was soon extended to chemical peels. (Dial 1990)

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA's) are one of the safest methods of skin renewal. Their effectiveness depends on the type and concentration of the AHA, its pH (acidity), and other ingredients in the product. AHAs become effective at concentrations of about 7% to 8% with a pH of 3.5 to 4.0. Many AHA-containing cosmetic products have very little skin renewal effects because the AHA concentrations are too low and the pH is too high. There is little evidence that concentrations below 5% have beneficial actions on skin.

Skin improvements should be apparent after four weeks of AHA treatment, but AHA therapy also helps maintain skin health and is normally continued indefinitely.

Chemical peels with stronger AHA's (40-70%) speed the process, but skin rebuilding induced by a 70% AHA chemical peel (which is costly and may cause scarring) in 3 months can be duplicated by a 7% AHA cream in 9 months.

AHAs are marketed for a variety of purposes: to smooth fine lines and surface wrinkles, to improve skin texture and tone, to unblock and cleanse pores, to improve oily skin or acne, and to improve skin condition in general. In reality, they do increase the turnover of skin cells and enhance the rebuilding of collagen and elastin plus improve the internal moisture-holding properties of GAGs and proteoglycans. With long term use, AHAs alleviate fine to moderate wrinkles, and remove many skin lesions such as weathered skin, freckling, blotchy pigmentation, sun damage, age spots, mild acne scars, benign overgrowths of skin, and flat warts. They appear to work by causing an increased skin peeling of the lesion plus an irritation around the lesion. In time the lesion becomes smaller and is replaced by normal healthy skin.

Hydroxy acids are helpful in treating oily and acne-prone skin. Persons with these conditions often see dramatic results. Blackheads, white heads and acne breakouts are caused when the hair follicles clog and trap sebum in the follicle. Removing the upper layer of skin promotes natural sebum flow to the skin.

Long Term Low Dose AHAs as Good as Short Term Chemical Peels

Reports by various skin researchers strongly suggest that long term use of AHAs give results similar to chemical peels. The key to skin renewal is a process where (1) the skin is irritated or slightly damaged by exfoliating agents (alpha hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, retinoic acid, or mildly burned by by laser re-surfacing). This is followed by (2) a natural rebuilding of the skin that removes imperfections, rebuilds collagen and elastin fibers that tighten skin, and increases the amount of glycosamoinoglycans. The stronger the exfoliation or skin damage, the stronger is the skin rebuilding action. Unfortunately, strong exfoliation causes strong skin irritation with itching, burning, and pain.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid ( 7-8%, Ph=3.8 ) Effects on Skin Effects in 3 months Effects in 9 months
Softer smoother skin
Increased moisturization Softer smoother skin
Increased moisturization
Increased glycosaminoglycans
Strong rebuilding of collagen, and elastin
Pigment more uniform
Skin imperfections reduced



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Safety of Hydroxy Acids and Cautions
AHAs increase sun sensitivity by 13% on average but in some persons by as much as 50%. For a 50% increase in sun sensitivity, a hydroxy acid formulated with a sun protection factor of 2 would eliminate the added sun sensitivity. AHAs with concentrations of 20% or higher are skin peels (see below) and should be applied by a dermatologist or trained cosmetologists at salons.

AHAs also may increase the penetration of other chemicals used on the skin. These include vitamins, antibiotics, Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, and other dermatological medications. One should be aware of this possible interaction when using AHAs along with other skin treatments.

By 1997, The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had received about 100 reports of adverse effects with AHAs ranging from mild irritation and stinging to blistering and burns. The FDA advises you to test any product that contains an AHA on a small area of skin before applying it to a large area. If you you experience skin irritation or prolonged stinging, you should stop using the product and consult your physician.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association concluded in December 1996 that AHAs are "safe for use in cosmetic products at concentrations less than or equal to 10 percent, at final formulation pHs greater than or equal to 3.5, when formulated to avoid increasing the skin's sensitivity to the sun, or when directions for use include the daily use of sun protection." For salon use products, the panel said that the products are "safe for use at concentrations less than or equal to 30 percent, at final formulation pHs greater than or equal to 3.0, in products designed for brief, discontinuous use followed by thorough rinsing from the skin, when applied by trained professionals, and when application is accompanied by directions for the daily use of sun protection."

Are Beta Hydroxy Acids Better?

BHAs include salicylic and citric. Some research suggests that BHAs, especially salicylic acid, may be more effective in exfoliating the lower dermal skin layers and may be less irritating. Synthetic salicylic acid has long been in dermatology for treating adult acne and removing corns on feet. Salicylic acid is lipid soluble and hence penetrates the fatty sebum produced by sebaceous glands, eliminates acne causing bacteria, and reduces the clogging of infected pores and acne.

A leading dermatologist, Dr. Albert Kligman, believes that BHAs, in particular salicylic acid are better than AHAs for anti-aging and for skin exfoliation. Professor Kligman is well known in dermatology for his research on the anti-aging actions of retinoic acid (Retin-A). Results from Dr. Kligman's laboratory found that the outermost stratum corneum layer is renewed after applications of salicylic acid.

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Arbonne Consultant - botanically based products that work!

bobsplace

I think that Mel posted some very good advice. A daily regimen of cleaning, exfoliation and moisturizing is really a must to keep the lines to a minimum. However, we all age and fortunately, there are great new products available to help. You may not have reached the age yet where any expensive, drastic treatment is necessary. I would recommend you consult with a licensed esthetician about your concerns. Although the folks at avantgardeantiaging.com are in the business of selling product they do not recommend what isn't needed. I filled out the questionnaire I found on their website and the esthetician put me on a regimen that cleared up all of my skin problems. I'm 68 years old and have tried a lot of product that mostly didn?t work and Stem Cell Therapy I got from Avant Garde actually eliminated the age spots and sun damage I had on both my face and my neck and hands. I had a facelift in January this year and discovered that facelifts don't cure skin problems. Thank goodness that Margitta at Avant Garde came to the rescue. You can see my transformation and healing process I went through at bobsplace.us - I'm not trying to sell you anything, I just know that Avant Garde will give you an honest appraisal of what you may or may not need at this point in your life.

Best of luck to you.

Bob

Kelly

I just had to quick comment on this one.....I LOVE IT!!!! Made me laugh....gonna have to use that one. Thanks.

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34/married/SAHM of 3/blue-green eyes/NW25/hyper oily-sensitive & acne prone

Independent Executive w/Leaders Club