It is painful to look upon oneself in the mirror and realize that time is taking its toll. No one wants to grow old, much less die, but sooner or later we have to accept our mortality and the fragility of our youth. You cannot avoid aging, not yet, but the least you can do is take precautions to delay its effects. The skin is the most prominent indicator of age. Wrinkles, crow’s feet, discoloration, and sagging are some of the more common visible effects of aging.
Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies derive a large percentage of their revenue from the sale of anti aging products. The markets are flooded with anti aging skin care products which make tall claims, but not all live up to those claims. The truth is, anti aging science is still in its infancy, which is surprising considering man’s obsession with the promise of eternal life and youth. Based on the findings of such research projects, new anti-aging skin care products are being developed.
Antioxidants are a group of chemical compounds which delay aging by protecting cells against damage. Vitamins are natural antioxidants, especially vitamin C, B12 and E. These days, almost every manufacturer is including antioxidants and vitamins in their range of anti aging skin care products. Antioxidants absorb free radicals; free radicals damage cells and tissues and thereby bring about aging.
Some brands of anti-aging skin care products also include a group of proteins called peptides. Peptides are basically tiny protein fragments which serve a number of purposes in cellular systems. For example, they act as signaling molecules and are used for signaling the cellular machinery. Peptide based anti aging skin care creams and lotions contain a number of peptides in their formulation which signal the skin cells to synthesize a number of proteins including collagen.
Collagen provides structural support to tissues, collagen deficiency causes wrinkles. Peptide based products rejuvenate and firm up the skin by stimulating the skin cells to synthesize more collagen. sun screens are also present in many anti aging skin care products, making them suitable for outdoor application. Finally, the ingredients to look for in any effective anti aging skin care product include – vitamins, peptides, sun screen and antioxidants.