Five Top Ways to Age Gracefully

The biological make-up of our skin begins to show signs of aging as early as our 20s. Age shows not only on our face, neck and chest but all over. There are many ways to care for your skin and prevent premature aging. Following are five ways that you can age gracefully. These are things you can do in your daily life that will dramatically reduce signs of aging.

• Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit. We all know that smoking is bad for us and affects our body negatively. Smoking
  

  smoking causes wrinkles

  contributes to premature aging and many other health problems. The many chemicals in cigarettes influence the skin’s structure and dehydrate the cells, resulting in increased aging.

• Get some sleep. Research has shown that people who sleep regularly seven to eight hours a night are healthier than those who lack sleep or over sleep. Sleeping allows the body to repair cellular damage and recharge. To prevent signs of aging on the face, try sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your stomach or side can damage skin by slowing down circulation and weakening the skin’s elasticity, resulting in wrinkles.

• Sunscreen, use it, wear it, and love it. Wear sunscreen everyday-even on cloudy or rainy days, and even if you are just going to be outside a short time. We all know that the sun has harmful affects to the skin. Sun tanning and burning damage the skin, leading to premature aging. Sun exposure over time leads to wrinkles and ugly pigmentation spots. There is no excuse to not wear sunscreen, it comes in all forms and is formulated now to be lightweight and beneficial to the skin as well as giving sun protection.

• Hydrate and Moisturize the skin from the inside and outside. Hydrated skin is healthy and plump, looks moist and shows few wrinkles and lines. As we age our skin loses elasticity; using moisturizers with ingredients such as vitamins and minerals that help repair the skin is the best way to restore elasticity and prevent its break down. Drink lots of water to hydrate the skin internally and use a good moisturizer. Try intense facial moisturizer or zinc repair by Vivoderm.
• A healthy lifestyle and healthy diet can dramatically strengthen the skin and prevent premature aging. Fruits, vegetables,
  

  healthy diet and skin

  nuts and other nutrient- rich produce give the body strength to fight and repair damage. If you are good to your body from the inside out, you will have less external maintenance. Part of a healthy life style is getting exercise, so get up and get moving. Fit people also tend have less heath problems. Health problems can lead to premature aging of the skin by showing wrinkles and damage earlier than those people who choose to be healthy.

There is no way to prevent aging - it is inevitable, however there are ways to slow it down. Today there is plastic surgery and amazing skin care products to improve the look and feel of skin. But it’s never too late to prevent further damage so you don’t have to take the drastic measures of plastic surgery or spend tons of money on skin care later in life.

By Tiffany Oney

Tiffany Oney is a licensed esthetician, professional makeup artist and natural skincare authority.  She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies California State University, Long Beach and interning with Vivoderm Natural Skincare in Los Angeles, California.

Anti Aging Skin Care Tips For Dry Skin

A contributing factor to dry, flaky, skin in winter is a drop in temperature. Although winter sometimes feels damp, there is usually less water in the air than on your skin and that creates a moisture vapour loss from the skin. As skin becomes drier, its surface layer stops producing the natural lipids which prevent moisture loss, and water cannot be retained so easily. Dry skin will also show wrinkles more easlit and contribute to an aging appearance.

As a result of all these factors, sometimes skin on the face and body tends to be in worse condition in the winter months than at other times of the year. In extreme cases, a constant drying effect can even lead to cracking, flaking and redness.

These four tips for helping to keep dry skin at bay during the colder months come from Dr. Kucy Pon, Olay dermatologist.

1. A moisturizer is essential - A moisturizer performs several important functions, including replacing lost water. Water-binding ingredients, such as glycerin, help keep it in the skin.

2. Create an oasis - Put some moisture back into the air by using a humidifier in your home or office. It will counteract the drying effects of indoor heat.

3. Drink lots of water - Increase your body’s natural moisture level by staying hydrated throughout the day.

4. Keep wrapped up - Dress for the season and try to limit your skin’s exposure to harsh temperatures and damaging winds.

If you have dry skin, then you probably already know it can be really difficult to care for. When you don’t look after it properly, it can become flaky, and if it gets really bad, may even become irritated and red. Although it’s possible to find plenty of products that claim to be able to solve dry skin problems, unfortunately most of their claims are sales hype.

Although most over the counter products don’t do much to combat dry skin, there are a number of things you can do to improve the condition of your skin. It’s mostly a question of making some basic changes to your daily skincare routine. It won’t take long for your skin to appear more healthy and vibrant.

With dry skin, you have completely the opposite problem to someone with oily skin. Basically, your skin is suffering from a lack of sebum, the oil that helps to keep the skin moist and supple. People with oily skin produce far too much sebum. Sebum is actually made from skin cells, and is an essential ingredient in healthy, supple skin. Because dry skin has insufficient oil, you need to replace it from both inside and outside.

One of the best things you can do for your skin is to use a good quality moisturizer. Choose a cream that is rich, but not heavy. Consider choosing a natural cream with aloe vera and chamomile. Both these ingredients are very soothing, as well as helping to reduce dryness and improve the skin’s healing abilities.

You also need to look at the type of foods you eat. It’s important to choose healthy foods, because the healthier your body, the healthier your skin will be. You may not realize this, but your skin is actually the largest organ of your body. So it needs to be nourished just like all the other organs in your body. Depending on the types of food you already eat, you might need to consider taking a supplement, such as Vitamin E, Omega-3 oils and B-Complex vitamins. Making sure you get enough of these important nutrients is a great way to improve the condition of your skin.

By nourishing your skin in both these ways, you should soon a marked reduction in the level of dryness. Helping your skin to be more supple and moist also helps to slow down the process of aging, so you’re the winner in two ways.

By Tom Turner

Regular Exercize Key Factor in Anti-Aging

According to Natural News Sources, Telomeres, regions of DNA which protect the ends of chromosomes from destruction, have made big news in 2009.

In fact, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded this year to researchers who investigated the nature of telomeres. Why all the interest? It appears telomeres hold the key to why we age because when a cell becomes old and dies, it’s due to the shortening of chromosomal telomeres. So, if you could keep the length of telomeres from changing, that might literally halt aging. And now comes research showing there is a natural way to impact telomeres and produce an anti-aging effect — long-term physical activity.

According to research just reported in the journal Circulation, intensive exercise can prevent a shortening of telomeres. That, the scientists found, results in a protective effect against aging on a cellular level and could be especially important in keeping the cardiovascular system healthy. So, while you can slather on expensive creams and opt for plastic surgery, if you want to actually slow down aging, your best bet is to get moving and exercise regularly.

A research team from Saarland University in Homburg, Germany, measured the length of telomeres in blood samples from a group of 32 professional runners with an average age of 20 who were on the German National Team of Track and Field. The young men regularly trained by running about 73 kilometers (km) — a little over 45 miles — each week. The scientists also measured the length of telomeres from the blood of middle-aged athletes (average age 51) who had participated in continuous endurance exercise since their youth and who ran about 80 km, or almost 50 miles, per week. These findings were then compared to the telomere lengths found in a group of healthy non-smokers, matched for age with the athletes, who didn’t exercise regularly.

The results? The scientists discovered that long-term exercise training activated an enzyme known as telomerase which reduces telomere shortening in human leukocytes (white blood cells). Telomere loss was found to be far lower in the older, master athletes who had been exercising for decades. Bottom line: the rate of telomere loss that is assumed to be normal as we grow older and that leads to the physical signs of aging can, in fact, be dramatically slowed through long term, vigorous exercise.

“This is direct evidence of an anti-aging effect of physical exercise. Physical exercise could prevent the aging of the cardiovascular system, reflecting this molecular principle,” Ulrich Laufs, M.D., the study’s lead author and professor of clinical and experimental medicine in the department of internal medicine at Saarland University, said in a statement to the media. “The most significant finding of this study is that physical exercise of the professional athletes leads to activation of the important enzyme telomerase and stabilizes the telomere.”

What’s more, previous animal studies by Dr. Laufs and colleagues have shown that exercise exerts effects on proteins that not only stabilize telomeres but also protect cells from deterioration and programmed cell death. “Our data improves the molecular understanding of the protective effects of exercise on the vessel wall and underlines the potency of physical training in reducing the impact of age-related disease,” Dr. Laufs concluded.

Five Places You Age and Ways to Prevent It

If there is one skin condition we would all like to avoid, it’s the appearance of aging before its time. The signs of aging can appear as early as our 20s. While there is truly nothing we can do to slow the passage of time, there are measures we can take to minimize the appearance that time has passed. Here are the five places aging shows up first and what you can do to keep time from catching up with you.

Crow’s Feet

Nothing says “mature” like those telltale lines radiating out from the eye. The biggest cause of crow’s feet is sun exposure. The thin skin around the eyes has very little collagen and elastin to begin with. Every time you skip the sunscreen and run outside for “just a minute,” you put yourself at risk for these crinkly cretins. Protect yourself with an eye cream that contains retinoids, peptides or antioxidants and, of course, sunscreen. Newer Sunscreen products with Zinc provide the unsurpassed UVA protection of zinc oxide without the opaque “”white-out”" that has reduced zinc oxide’s appeal in the past.

Mouth Lines

Your mouth is one of the highlights of your face, so don’t let those fine lines get a foothold. Believe it or not, there was some truth when your mother warned you that your face could stick like that – puckering your lips, pursing them, smoking or even talking animatedly all take a toll on the sensitive skin around your mouth. Of course, sun exposure plays a big role here as well. The best preventative measures you can take are sunscreen and moisturizer. Like the skin around your eyes, the skin around your mouth can hold onto youth with the help of retinoids and peptides – and avoiding continued repetitive mouth movements.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is a long word for a variety of skin color issues including brown spots, freckles and uneven dark patches. A recent study in The American Journal of Dermatology found that hyperpigmentation is the most recognized sign of age – above even fine lines and wrinkles themselves. There are a variety of causes of hyperpigmentation and not all of them can be avoided but, once again, sun exposure is the chief culprit. The sun can accentuate existing freckles and cause dark patches to emerge. Other causes include rising estrogen levels brought on by some birth control medications. To protect yourself, once again, it’s sunscreen to the rescue. For dark patches that have already shown up, hydroquinone has been shown to be an effective bleaching agent.

Dark Circles

Recent research has pointed to allergies as having more to do with dark circles than lack of sleep. Allergies can cause inflammation and dilated blood vessels under the eyes. If dark circles have reared their ugly head, try an over the counter allergy medication with an antihistamine. There are other causes of these dark circles as well – some of which you cannot control. There is a web of fine veins under your eyes that can add unwanted color in that area and iron oxide can also leak from the capillaries under the eyes – apparently from sinus inflammation. There is little you can do about the presence of these blood vessels, but you can keep them from getting worse. The skin is thin and the light trauma of even rubbing your eyes can cause damage and darken these circles.

Rejuvenating Face Lifts for Aging Skin

A Face Lift is a procedure that most people can benefit from. This may sound too radical but most people feel a need and desire to look their best. When skin creams and lotions, Botox, lasers, chemical peels and fillers fail - face lift may offer the solution that is difficult to resist. Of course, many people are afraid of having surgery and having a “surgical look” but fortunately face lifting techniques have evolved considerably to offer patients less invasive methods that even the most sophisticated patient can find attractive.

How The Technique Is Performed:

Face lift remains one of the most effective rejuvenating methods for the aging face. Its technique varies from simple skin excision to complex procedure including the repositioning of muscles, fat and skin. Recent trends in patients desires of having effective facial improvement while minimizing down-time have led to the development of newer, less traumatic, short scar, less recovery methods. Full understanding of the face and neck anatomy as well as the changes associated with aging process is required by the physician prior to undertaking any face lift procedure.

Two key subcutaneous structures are at the core of face-lift surgery - superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) and platysma. SMAS is a fibrous interlocking, sometimes ill-defined, structure/sheath deep to the skin fat. It extends from platysma muscle (a thin, fan-like muscle that extends from both collar bones to the jaw line) and reaches cheekbones as well as temple and scalp components. These two structures are utilized and modified in most face lift procedures.

As we age, several facial components undergo significant changes. The skin becomes less elastic that is associated with decrease in collagen support. Furthermore, there is modification of the facial fat with respect to its amount and position. In addition, there is remodeling of facial bones that in combination with fat and skin changes lead to aged facial appearance.

Most of the surgical face lifts procedures today are a variation of two-plane face lift - use of the epidermal-dermal component (full thickness skin) as well as the SMAS-platysma component. Optimal results require modification of SMAS-platysma component through resection, placation and/or suspension. It is this modification that is at the core of most face-lifts. These adjusted deep supporting structures provide durable framework over which skin can be safely re-draped. It is imperative to realize that stretching skin alone will not result in any sustained improvement and can lead to skin death, appearance of “surgical look” as well as significant facial distortion and scarring.

The Latest Techniques:

Latest face lift techniques utilize shorter skin incisions and are primarily designed for patients with mild to moderate jowls and neck laxity. With the recent advancements in local anesthetic and, in particular, the development of tumescent anesthesia, most face lift procedures can be safely and comfortably accomplished without the need for the traditional general anesthesia. These modified procedures have accomplished several things. Shorter incisions and local anesthetic make the recovery from modern face lifts much easier than in the past. In addition, the shorter scar and resulting less significant distortion of hairline make these methods much more appealing for modern men and women.

What Every Patient Needs To Do

As with any aesthetic procedure, pre-operative consultation is an optimal time for defining patient’s motivation for aesthetic improvement and developing plan of action. It is at this time that patient’s desires and fears can be explored. It is important for the patient to ask pertinent questions regarding the expected degree of sustained facial rejuvenation, the length of the scar as well as modification of the temporal and post-auricular hairline. With proper patient selection and optimization of desired procedure, most patients can achieve rewarding sustained results that can benefit most if not all of us at some point in our life.

Using Green Tea & Zinc to Slow Aging

The popularity of green tea in the skincare industry has skyrocketed over the last decade. It’s more than just a fad, as the benefits of green tea are well documented due to extensive research. Tea was used in ancient times as a natural stimulant, since it contains caffeine. Today, people drink green tea as a natural way to promote overall good health, but it is especially popular in the skincare industry, where it is a key component in the efforts to slow down the signs of aging.

Green tea contains high amounts of polyphenols, which protects the skin from damage caused by free radicals and other harmful toxins. Compared to black and white tea, green tea contains the highest amount of polyphenol, and contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic properties. Its anti-inflammatory nature makes it a versatile herbal ingredient used to fight acne. The antioxidant qualities help prevent premature signs of aging, and the anticarcinogenic characteristics are a major component in the efforts to find a cure for cancer.

The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea make it an effective herbal treatment against symptoms of acne. A 2003 study carried out by Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong of Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines suggest that green tea cream is just as effective as benzoyl peroxide cream, but does not expose the skin to harsh chemicals and preservatives, according to skincell.org. It also helps detoxify the body and reduces skin inflammation, which decreases the occurrences of outbreaks.

Green tea is also indispensible as an anti-oxidant because it contains high amounts of catechins, a substance that fights against free radicals, which are harmful to cells and tissues. Catechin is especially effective in neutralizing free radicals caused by excessive exposure to UV rays.

Although green tea extracts alone cannot replace the protection provided by sunscreen, it can enhance sunscreen’s effectiveness. Simply add green tea extract to zinc oxide products, such as Vivoderm’s Zinc Cream. Using zinc oxide cream instead of a store-bought sunscreen product is recommended because zinc will not react to the green tea extracts.

Anti-oxidants found in green tea help delay the skin cell aging process and heal stressed skin. Green tea promotes healthy skin by rejuvenating skin cells and reviving the skin growth cycle. The skin is produced in the deepest of three layers, and as it ages, it moves closer to the surface, where it can develop wrinkles and fine lines. An article published in the Natural Food Merchandiser magazine states that research done by Dr. Stephen Hsu, a professor at Medical College of Georgia suggests that green tea can accelerate the skin cell production process.

Whether as an ingredient in your natural skincare products or added to your zinc oxide cream, the health benefits of green tea are plenty.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare and facemasks, you can also link to http://bestfacemask.com

Healthy Diet, Healthy Skin

By: Van Le

The saying “you are what you eat” didn’t happen by accident.  More Americans are realizing that what we put in our bodies dictates how well we think, look and feel.  Eating is the body’s way of obtaining the nutrition and vitamins required in order for the body to function properly.  Consuming the right kind of food can increase our energy level, lead to healthier-looking skin, and boost our self-confidence.  Americans spend billions of dollars each year on beauty products that promise to hide blemishes, cover under-eye circles, and conceal wrinkles; however, these products only temporarily fix what’s on the outside.  In order to have truly healthy skin, we must monitor our food intake and eat food that allows our body to naturally generate that coveted healthy glow.

Water:  Everyone knows that we should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, but not everyone does.  Seventy percent of the body is comprised of water, which is vital to cellular replenishment..  Water also helps flush bodily toxins and regulate our body temperature.   Try to limit caffeine and alcohol intake, as they can lead to dehydration and cause dull, dry skin.  If you think water is too plain, try adding lemon slices or cucumber for a hint of taste.

Low-fat dairy products:  Milk, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese all contain vitamin A, a key ingredient in most anti-aging, anti-acne and anti-wrinkle products.  Vitamin A strengthens the skin, helps repair and restoration processes and prevents wrinkles.  The recent frozen yogurt craze has helped increase consumption of dairy products, however, it is important to remember that a cup of yogurt topped with candy, caramel, and other processed sugary treats can be counterproductive.  Instead, choose healthier fresh fruit toppings such as blueberries and strawberries.

Antioxidants: Fruits like berries and pomegranates are filled with antioxidants, which have been proven to protect the skin against UV damage such as wrinkles and dark spots.  They also protect the skin from free radicals, which are organic molecules responsible for tissue damage and aging.  According to antioxidantskincare.org, “when free radicals attack healthy skin cells, they cause the cell to decay,” which can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease and speed up aging.  Antioxidants neutralize the production of free radicals.

Omega 3:  Walnuts, flaxseeds and salmon contain essential fatty acids that prevent harmful substances from entering cells.  They help regulate cell functions and maintain skin elasticity, leading to soft and healthy skin.  A diet filled with omega 3 will result in radiant skin, stronger hair and overall good health.  Our bodies cannot produce omega 3, therefore, it is important to add omega 3 to our diet.

Whole grain:  Wheat products such as bread, pasta, and cereal contain plenty of vitamin B, which can even out skin tone and help the skin maintain moisture.  Whole grain products help replace dead skin by stimulating cell growth on the epidermis, the skin’s outer layer.  Increase your consumption of whole grains by replacing white bread, pasta and bagels with wheat products.  Most likely, you won’t even taste the difference.

Makeup can create the illusion of healthy skin, but true healthy skin starts and ends with a proper diet.  A healthy diet is an essential way to achieve not only radiant skin, but also a radiant lifestyle.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare, you can also link to http://bestskincareforme.com

Age spots, Shingles and Brusing

Age Spots

Age spots, or “liver spots” as they’re often called, have nothing to do with the liver. Rather, these flat, brown spots are caused by years of sun exposure. They are bigger than freckles and appear in fair-skinned people on sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands, arms, back, and feet. The medical name for them is solar lentigo. They may be accompanied by wrinkling, dryness, thinning of the skin, and rough spots.

A number of treatments are available, including skin-lightening, or “fade” creams; cryotherapy (freezing); and laser therapy. Tretinoin cream is approved for reducing the appearance of darkened spots. A sunscreen or sun block should be used to prevent further damage.

Shingles

Shingles is an outbreak of a rash or blisters on the skin that may cause severe pain. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After an attack of chickenpox, the virus lies silent in the nerve tissue. Years later, the virus can reappear in the form of shingles. Although it is most common in people over age 50, anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles. It also is common in people with weakened immune systems due to HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations, and stress.

Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching, generally on one side of the body or face. A rash appears as a band or patch of raised dots on the side of the trunk or face. The rash develops into small, fluid-filled blisters, which begin to dry out and crust over within several days. When the rash is at its peak, symptoms can range from mild itching to intense pain. Most people with shingles have only one bout with the disease in their lifetime. However, those with impaired immune systems — for example, people with AIDS or cancer — may suffer repeated episodes.

If you suspect you have shingles, see a doctor right away. The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be reduced significantly by immediate treatment with antiviral drugs. These drugs also may help prevent the painful aftereffects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases currently is testing a shingles vaccine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The vaccine they are testing is similar to the one used to immunize against chickenpox. After the shot, some people have had some discomfort around the area of the injection. In addition, a few people have had a low-grade fever. For more information about this study, call 1-800-411-1222.

Bruising

Many older people notice an increased number of bruises, especially on their arms and legs. The skin becomes thinner with age and sun damage. Loss of fat and connective tissue weakens the support around blood vessels, making them more susceptible to injury. The skin bruises and tears more easily and takes longer to heal.

Sometimes bruising is caused by medications or illness. If bruising occurs in areas always covered by clothing, see a doctor.

Skin Care and Aging

Americans spend billions of dollars each year on skin care products that promise to erase wrinkles, lighten age spots, and eliminate itching, flaking, or redness. But the simplest and cheapest way to keep your skin healthy and young looking is to stay out of the sun.

Sunlight is a major cause of the skin changes we think of as aging — changes such as wrinkles, dryness, and age spots. Your skin does change with age. For example, you sweat less, leading to increased dryness. As your skin ages, it becomes thinner and loses fat, so it looks less plump and smooth. Underlying structures — veins and bones in particular — become more prominent. Your skin can take longer to heal when injured.

You can delay these changes by staying out of the sun. Although nothing can completely undo sun damage, the skin sometimes can repair itself. So, it’s never too late to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun.

Wrinkles

Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. The breakdown of these fibers causes the skin to lose its ability to snap back after stretching. As a result, wrinkles form. Gravity also is at work, pulling at the skin and causing it to sag, most noticeably on the face, neck, and upper arms.

Cigarette smoking also contributes to wrinkles. People who smoke tend to have more wrinkles than nonsmokers of the same age, complexion, and history of sun exposure. The reason for this difference is not clear. It may be because smoking also plays a role in damaging elastin. Facial wrinkling increases with the amount of cigarettes and number of years a person has smoked.

Many products currently on the market claim to “revitalize aging skin.” According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over-the-counter “wrinkle” creams and lotions may soothe dry skin, but they do little or nothing to reverse wrinkles. At this time, the only products that have been studied for safety and effectiveness and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat signs of sun-damaged or aging skin are tretinoin cream and carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium (Er:YAG) lasers.

Tretinoin cream (Renova), a vitamin A derivative available by prescription only, is approved for reducing the appearance of fine wrinkles, mottled darkened spots, and roughness in people whose skin doesn’t improve with regular skin care and use of sun protection. However, it doesn’t eliminate wrinkles, repair sun-damaged skin, or restore skin to its healthier, younger structure. It hasn’t been studied in people 50 and older or in people with moderately or darkly pigmented skin.

The CO2 and Er:YAG lasers are approved to treat wrinkles. The doctor uses the laser to remove skin one layer at a time. Laser therapy is performed under anesthesia in an outpatient surgical setting.

The FDA currently is studying the safety of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are widely promoted to reduce wrinkles, spots, and other signs of aging, sun-damaged skin. Some studies suggest that they may work, but there is concern about adverse reactions and long-term effects of their use. Because people who use AHA products have greater sensitivity to the sun, the FDA advises consumers to protect themselves from sun exposure by using sunscreen, wearing a hat, or avoiding mid-day sun. If you are interested in treatment for wrinkles, you should discuss treatment options with a dermatologist.

Light-Activated Therapy and Aging Skin

A study in the October issue of the Archives of Dermatology, supports that Photodynamic therapy appears to cause molecular-level changes in aging skin that increase collagen production and improve skin appearance, a U.S. study finds. Meaning, light-activated therapy seems to rejuvenate aging skin.

In photodynamic therapy, a light-activated medication is exposed to a light source. Photodynamic therapy for aesthetic treatments typically involves application of a topical medication, such as 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA).

In this study, Dr. Jeffrey S. Orringer and colleagues at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, used photodynamic therapy to treat 25 people, aged 54 to 83, with sun-damaged skin on their forearms.

Prior to treatment, the patients’ degree of skin damage was rated, and tissue samples were taken from their forearms. A solution containing 5-ALA was applied to the damaged skin and left on for three hours. The skin was then cleaned and treated with a pulsed-dye laser. The patients were re-examined four to five times over the following six months.

Tissue samples showed that treatment resulted in a fivefold increase in levels of a protein called Ki67, believed to play an important role in the growth and development of new skin cells. In addition, there was a 1.4-fold increase in the thickness of the skin’s outer layer (epidermis) and higher levels of enzymes and other compounds associated with the production of collagen, the main structural protein in skin.

“Photodynamic therapy with the specific treatment regimen employed produces statistically significant quantitative cutaneous molecular changes [e.g., production of types I and III collagen] that are associated with improved appearance of the skin,” the researchers wrote.

The findings suggest that use of a photosensitive compound such as 5-ALA in combination with pulsed-dye laser therapy prompts more beneficial changes in skin than laser therapy alone.

“Although our molecular measurements cannot yet precisely predict clinical outcomes for a single given patient, taken together they are very much in keeping with the bulk of the clinical literature and thus lend substantial support to the conclusions reached by other researchers who have published purely clinically oriented work in this field,” the study authors concluded.

“We believe that the quantitative amount of dermal repair and regeneration induced by a specific therapeutic intervention very likely underlies the degree of clinical rejuvenation produced.” they wrote. “Thus, it is our hope that, with further development, our working molecular model may one day be used to predict the clinical value of new technologies in aesthetic dermatology.”

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