Anti Aging – Anti Aging Skin Care

Archive for October, 2011

In the world of skin care, many people know the names of ingredients, but don’t totally understand how they work. Anti aging products, especially, have a flurry of formulas which do some rather amazing things.

Below is a rundown of the most popular ones coupled with what they do for the skin.

It’s also important to note that over-the-counter products are less potent than its prescription counterpart.

Another tool worth its weight in gold is having a skin care professional to help lead the way to more beautiful skin.

When it comes to anti aging prevention, the best place to start with is vitamin A; its offshoot is retinol and tretinoin. Retinol helps with fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation issues. But the truth of the matter is that tretinoin does a better job.

Tretinoin is found in Renova and Retin-A.

Many anti aging product users have heard the term hydroxy hundreds of times. There are two types of hydroxy: alpha and beta

Alpha-hydroxy acid have different names such as:

• Citric acid
• Glycolic acid
• Lactic
• Tartaric

People reach for alpha-hydroxy acid because its ingredients it reduces fine lines, age spots, and other hyper-pigmentation issues.

Alpha-hydroxy acid has been known to cause minor irritation especially for those who have sensitive skin. So, start with a lower percentage and use it every other day to build up a tolerance. Wearing sunscreen is super important with an alpha-hydroxy treatment.

Beta-hydroxy acid is more commonly called salicylic acid and is an ideal choice for those who have premature signs of aging.

Sensitive skin users like beta-hydroxy better than alpha-hydroxy because it’s easier on the skin.

Beta-hydroxy has the following benefits:

• Clears up acne
• Creates even pigmentation
• Skin exfoliation
• Provides smoother skin

Women who are pregnant, nursing or have an allergic reaction to aspirin should contact their healthcare provider before adding beta-hydroxy to their daily routine.

Vitamin C, a great antioxidant, boosts collagen production for younger looking skin. It also helps fight off wrinkles.

Another potent collagen creator is copper peptide. It enhances elastin production and renews the skin. Copper peptide has also been reported to:

• Firm slack skin
• Soften skin
• Smooth out fine lines

For years, hydroquinone has been the cream of choice to fade freckles and age spots.

Like other powerful antioxidants, alpha-lipoic acid offers its own anti aging technology. Reports show how it restores damaged skin and wards off free radical damage. While it treats fine lines, users claim their skin appears more renewed.

Although there are more anti aging ingredients out there, this list is just the beginning to defy aging skin.

Everyday women go to battle with their bathroom scale (even the skinny bitches). But take heart my girlfriends, your weight gain is in part connected to your hormones and that extra pound you gained this morning is not your fault, not entirely anyway. Read on for a better understanding of how your hormones just might be making you fat.

THYROID

Your thyroid is running the show my love and it’s the force that’s driving your metabolism. A deficiency of thyroid hormones will most assuredly result in weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight. Make sure your doctor tests your TSH, Free T4 and Free T3. You want your levels to be high normal. And remember this; if you do not feel normal regardless of your “normal” levels pursue this even if it means you see a new doctor.

PROGESTERONE

Progesterone, one of your two primary female sex hormones is significant with respect to weight control. Studies show it has a direct impact on thyroid function and acts as a natural diuretic. As we age progesterone levels decline leading to estrogen dominance. It’s this dominance that impairs thyroid function and causes bloating. Restoration of progesterone to more youthful levels with bioidentical progesterone supports optimal thyroid function and reduces the bloating caused by estrogen dominance.

ESTROGEN

Estrogen, your other primary female sex hormone is a fat-storing hormone. It’s estrogen that gives us hips, thighs and breasts. Throughout our reproductive years estrogen is carefully balanced by progesterone however the aging process causes progesterone to fall dramatically and at a faster rate than estrogen leading to estrogen dominance. This inhibits thyroid function. Once again restoring progesterone to more youthful levels balances estrogen which serves to support optimal thyroid function leading to weight loss.

TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone, a fat burning hormone is the hormone we love but as with all our other hormones it declines with age. And this decline leads to a loss of lean muscle tissue. As we lose lean muscle tissue our metabolism slows down which leads to weight gain. The remedy to this dire situation is to restore your testosterone levels to their more youthful levels with bioidentical testosterone. Doing so will enhance your lean muscle tissue and increase fat burning. The end result is weight loss.

Thyroid, progesterone, estrogen and testosterone are the four main hormones that impact weight management the most. While there are many other hormones and factors that contribute to weight management these are the four you want to pay the most attention to. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is what’s needed to restore these declining hormones and address your weight gain once and for all.