anti aging

Do you have a problem area on your face that you would like to change? Double chin, droopy eyes, jowls, pouches, crows feet or marionette lines? Aging is as sneaky as sun damage and it seems that in a twinkling of an eye, your face can look so different that you might wonder just who is that person staring back at you in the mirror?

Could facial exercise be the answer to the age old question –“Can I maintain a youthful appearance?” Must I spend my children’s inheritance to stave off Mother Nature’s footprints across my face?

You can certainly turn back the clock with facial exercise that employs resistance and isometric contractions of the muscles using the thumbs and fingers. This doesn’t mean that you will look sixteen or even twenty again but shaving off ten or fifteen years from your appearance with exercise rivals the results of most plastic surgery procedures.

Plastic surgery techniques do not stop the aging process; muscles in the face continue to make their downward slide dragging the skin unnaturally, creating the need for more and more surgical procedures. With exercise, the muscles become stronger, the skin looks revitalized and lifted. Most importantly, facial exercises can be performed inexpensively at home.

The muscles of the face elongate just like the muscles in your arms, thighs and buttocks; in fact, the muscles in the face will have elongated about one-half inch by the time most people have reached the age of 55. The elongation is the result of atrophy of the muscles and gravity. Even though we talk, sing or laugh, the muscles continue to soften and become lax; it’s only when the facial muscles are specifically exercised do they begin to plump up and support your skin better.

The elongation of facial muscles affects every area of your face. For instance, the “apples” in your upper cheeks may not be positioned prominently, in fact, when a smile is made, rather than seeing fullness high on the cheeks, the muscles may appear flat and midway between the nose and mouth.

If you add one-half inch to the length of your forehead, your eye area suffers because the downward motion compresses into the brows. What happens if you add one-half inch or more to the area under the chin? The dreaded wattle is developing. One-half inch added to the jaw line means jowls are forming.

Beginning a facial exercise program to sculpt and contour the face may seem daunting at first because the movements and positioning feel somewhat awkward. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? It was so scary! But after a few days of lumps and bumps, you were pedaling like you were a pro. It’s the same with facial exercise, once you become familiar with the movements, you will marvel that these simple steps can easily produce a younger looking face.

You will want to take beginning photos before you start a facial exercise regimen so that you can track your progress and you will want to update your photos at the end of every third week. In about three weeks friends and colleagues will begin noticing that something is definitely different about you. They may think you have changed your hair in some way or that you are sleeping better but you will know what they’re seeing is your pretty face returning.

In hardly any time at all, you will notice how smooth and refreshed your skin looks; your face glows with radiance from increased oxygenation to the muscles and those sagging, droopy muscles are now portraying a more youthful looking you. Without surgery, drugs or anything harmful you can turn back the clock and look at least 10-15 years younger.

Why is it that practically everyone in the middle class to the upper levels of demographics in any country are worried about getting wrinkles? Maybe it’s the fear of getting old or looking old, or the wanting to look socially acceptable, or just plain vanity. We all have our own reasons. But whatever it is, everyone is united in wanting to solve this age old problem. However, in the first place, do we even have any idea about what actually causes these dreaded wrinkles? It’s highly probable that we don’t. The most important factor in finding a solution to any problem is finding out the root cause of it.

As we age, our body undergoes various changes, and so does our skin. In our skin, we have tissues known as collagen and elastin. These tissues are mainly responsible for making our skin firm and stretchable. As we grow older, the amount of collagen and elastin in our skin naturally diminishes. As a result, our skin becomes less elastic and weaker, thus creating “wrinkles”. Experts say that the amount of wrinkles that a person will develop through the years also depends on the genetic make up of this individual. However, smoking, sun exposure, dry skin, and repetitive facial expressions and mannerisms such as frowning, can all enhance the creation of wrinkles that may or may not be permanently present.

Over the years, beauty experts and skin doctors have come up with a vast array products to treat and minimize wrinkles. Anti-wrinkle creams and ointments help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming. These wrinkle ointments and anti-aging creams help a lot in restoring the skin's firmness and elasticity. In addition, these products contain anti-oxidants and retinol that not only aids in reducing wrinkles and fine lines on the skin, but also stimulates collagen production.

For people seeking solutions to severe damage that has already been done to the skin, there are a number of treatments available ranging from chemical peels and dermabrasion to the latest and technologically advanced, computerized laser resurfacing. However, many people looking for skin repair are hesitant to try chemical or laser peels due to the painful procedure and long recuperation period they have to undergo. The results of these procedures however, are fantastic.

One less painful procedure is the particle skin resurfacing procedure. Dr. John Studd MD, plastic surgeon at the Hale clinic explains ” The process is removes the outer layer of skin in a highly controlled manner. Because of its preciseness, it is practically painless. By repeating this procedure a number of times, the younger skin moves to the surface, thus promoting visible changes in the skin’s texture, color and appearance. The benefits of this skin resurfacing procedure are that it causes very little pain or discomfort, no recuperative period is needed, there is minimal risk, it can be used for all skin types, and no anesthesia is required. “

The important thing to remember when seeking out treatment for your wrinkles is to know first how your body can possibly react to the treatment. Get in touch with a skin doctor for things that you are not sure of, but are contemplating on trying out.

Laser treatments have come a long way since they first appeared in the mid nineties. IPL - also called Flashlamp, MultiLight or Photo Laser - can perform minor miracles on sun damaged skin (photoaging) anywhere on the body, but most significantly on the face and hands.

IPL is a safer option than tradition laser resurfacing and is commonly used for facial hair removal, removal of birth marks and even tattoo removal. What we are mainly concerned with here, however, is skin resurfacing. Skin resurfacing can eliminate fine lines, spider veins and pigmentation and significantly reduce deep lines and acne scarring.

Broad spectrum light is a lot more gentle on the skin and the risk of burning or blistering is significantly reduced. So much so that IPL can even be used for the treatment of redness and rosacea. Many patients have also noticed a reduction in pore size and a smoother skin.

The benefits are ongoing too. IPL stimulates the skin to produce more collagen, plumping out the skin and making it appear younger.

IPL usually needs more that a single treatment and may need four and as many as six treatments for the full effect to be realized. Because of this, there are no “dramatic” effects after one treatment which makes it a great alternative for those who don’t want to be conspicuous.

For this reason it’s very popular with males who would rather die than admit to any form of facial rejuvenation!

Because the treatments are gentle, there is also minimal, if any, down time. Wonderful for those busy people on the go.

IPL is also much safer for dark skinned people than traditional laser treatments as it doesn’t cause as much loss of pigment, although this is still a risk.

The deeper the treatment, the more the benefits are increased, but this has to be balanced against the increased risk of burning. Always select an experienced practitioner and ask to see photos.

Side effects? A pink face for a while and possible loss of pigment in the deeper IPL treatments. You will need to treat your skin gently and use a high UV sunscreen (15+ or more)

IPL will not work on natural aging such as sagging skin. Only a face lift or neck lift can improve this. There is a non surgical procedure called “thermage” which may help and of course the “thread lift” which is gaining in popularity and which will give some "lifting" effect.

If you think that cutting off all the fat from your diet is going to make you look better, think again. A move like that could age you faster instead.

Your skin and hair needs fat in order to stay healthy. Radiant skin, healthy skin that glows from within is impossible if you do not eat enough fat in your diet. Strong, beautiful, healthy hair is impossible if you totally eliminate fat from your diet.

The crux of the matter is this. You need to eat fat in order to have healthy skin and hair. Healthy skin and Healthy hair is beautiful.

The fat I'm talking about isn't the unhealthy, cholesterol-ridden fats you find around your steak or your bacon or the butter you might spread on your bread. I'm talking about healthy fats. The sort you would find in nuts and seeds, in cold pressed vegetable oils like olive oil and in olive fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines.

Hard to believe?

Not if you look at the nutrients found in foods containing the good fats. Take cod liver OIL for example. That is taken as a supplement because of its vitamin D content. How about evening primrose OIL taken for its GLA or gamma-linolenic acid. A fatty acid that is used to build cell membranes. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats work together to keep your skin soft and velvety. They help your skin stay hydrated.

Your body needs essential fatty acids. EFAs help your body process the food to release the energy needed for your life processes. They are important in the transfer of oxygen in your body as well as the regulation of nutrients in and out of the cells among other things.

Your body in particular needs Omega-3 fats. Yes, you also need the omega-6 fats which are plentiful in your regular diet. Omega-6 fats are found in corn oil, safflower oil and canola oil. Omega-3 fats aren't that common in most diets. You can get the necessary omega-3 fats by eating walnuts and eating oily fish. Fish oils are rich in omega-3 fats too.

You should take olive oil. Use that in your salads. It is rich in monosaturated fatty acids. It is rich in antioxidants like vitamin E. In fact, most vegetable oils contain vitamin E. Almond oil and wheatgerm oil are also rich sources of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants neutralize the free radicals that would otherwise damage your skin cells, aging you more quickly. Consuming nuts, seeds and oils that are rich in vitamin E protects you from the aging effect of these free radicals by neutralizing the free radicals before they can cause damage.

We’ve all seen the pictures of elderly men and women whose skin shows the wear and tear of aging. While wrinkles may be considered a sign of wisdom and experience, most of us would rather not have them. Wrinkles may look cute and cuddly on a Sharpei but they aren’t so appealing for those of us who have to look at ourselves in the mirror on a daily basis.

Wrinkles and other signs of aging can appear just about anywhere on the human body however; they tend to be more prevalent in areas that have had extensive exposure to the sun. The most common breading grounds for wrinkles tend to be the face, hands, forearms, and neck. There are several categories of skin wrinkles including fine lines, surface lines, and deep furrows. Anti wrinkle treatments are generally most effective on fine lines. Deep creases typically require more drastic measures to correct.

So what causes wrinkles anyway? Wrinkles tend to develop with age as skin looses Elastin or the fibers that give skin its elastic quality and help to hold in moisture. The loss of Elastin along with a protein called Collagen in the middle layer of human skin (Dermis) allows the skin to gradually become thinner and begin to sag. There are a variety of contributing factors including exposure to the sun, smoking, heredity, and skin type. Some of these factors such as heredity and skin type are currently beyond our control forcing us to focus on those areas where we can make an impact. First and foremost; do not smoke. Smoking has been proven to increase wear and tear on the skin and lead to premature signs of aging. If you are currently a smoker; quit. It’s never too late to start making the right decisions and to begin promoting healthy skin. Second, avoid excessive exposure to the sun. Ultraviolet light is known to be damaging to the skin and can speed the aging process. This includes self tanning parlors where users are exposed to concentrated UV light for even short to moderate periods of time. When you are going to be outdoors, be sure to protect your skin with a sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least a 15. Be sure to reapply often if your plans include swimming or exercise.

OK, that’s all fine and dandy you say but “What can I do about the wrinkles I already have?” There are several potential solutions available ranging from painful injections and complicated cosmetic surgeries to topical creams and moisturizers that can help reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles. Anyone considering cosmetic treatments for existing wrinkles should consult a medical professional so that they may be informed about the risks and expenses involved with cosmetic surgery. For those of you who may be looking for less painful and less expensive alternatives, there are still many viable options. Keeping your skin clean and moist is perhaps one of the easiest and least expensive actions you can take to reduce the appearance of fine lines. Staying properly hydrated is another important aspect of proper skin care. Following these simple steps can help keep the signs of aging in check. If you would like to go a step beyond basic skin care to go on the offensive against wrinkles, you may want to look into some of the newer topical facial creams that have come on the market. Some of the very best ones are listed in medical publications such as the Physicians Desk Reference and have clinical trial data to back up their results. Many products on the market will claim to reduce wrinkles but you must seek out products that can support their claims.