ANTIAGEING - What can we expect from a face cream and what not?

Face cream is probably used by the vast majority of people, mostly women. The advertisements we see on television or elsewhere online promise eternal youth, revitalization, and facial rejuvenation in just a few days. But think about it, if this were true, who would be buying creams in 1 year if everyone had already achieved the desired result? Probably no one.

In today's blog, we'll introduce you to the main function of a cream and how it affects our skin. When can we say that we expect too much from a cream and when are our expectations justified?

How quickly we age depends on several factors, but to a large extent it is a result of oxidative stress. In principle, we can oxidative stress neutralize antioxidants , but at some point the situation is no longer manageable and we start to age. It is from this perspective that anti-aging is such a challenge for both cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies.

Demand for anti-aging…

Currently, there are various strategies available for rejuvenation. Mild to moderate wrinkles and other signs of aging can be treated topically. Deeper wrinkles are usually managed by specialists with botulinum toxin A (˝Botox˝) or other dermal fillers.

What in the cream “nourishes” and what “moisturizes”?

A cream is usually composed of an oil and a water phase. Moisturizers are usually added to the water phase to ensure adequate moisture in the skin. Certain oils and butters are added to the oil phase to nourish the skin, protect it from external factors, etc. Additional ingredients may include active ingredients and other essential substances for the product to exist.

Face creams help protect all the products we have previously applied to our face and will potentially provide the desired result. But unfortunately, cream won't prevent aging.

Why is this so?

Our skin, or more precisely the skin barrier, has the task of not letting substances through, whether they are good or bad for the skin. With cosmetic products, we try to somehow trick the skin into accepting certain good substances, thus ensuring healthy and firm skin, but a special approach is needed to ensure that the substances reach the desired place.

Not everything is black and white.

Of course, there are creams on the market that have a certain level of rejuvenating effect, but this depends on several parameters. The first and most important is the content of a certain active ingredient and the concentration in which it is found in the cream.

So, If there is too little active ingredient, it is very likely that we will not achieve the desired result . However, if the active ingredient is in some recommended concentrations, with regular and correct use of the cream and other cosmetic products, we can achieve some improvement.

It is also necessary to ensure that the active ingredient is stable and can reach the site of action, otherwise there will be no effect, even if the concentration is right.

Anti-aging ingredients are mostly antioxidants , but there are also various peptides , combinations with acids , vitamins and various new ingredients are being discovered and created every day. The choice is truly huge!

Studies

The study tested several cosmetic products containing a powerful antioxidant . Individuals aged 35 and over used a day and night cream and an eye cream from the same line. After 28 days, the testers reported that the creams helped to increase skin hydration, and the individuals also improved skin elasticity and reduced wrinkle depth.

In another study, they used a rejuvenating ingredient a combination of ferulic acid, ginger extract, gotu kola (cantella asiatica) and Brazilian cress oil . After eight weeks, improved skin firmness was reported, suggesting that these ingredients have a rejuvenating effect.

The second study had too few volunteers and we can't say for sure that the study was truly successful. But in principle, anti-aging creams work as described in the study and have been proven to work.

What about prevention?

If you start using the product earlier than expected and take care of prevention, there is a chance that you will successfully delay the signs of aging. You probably won't be able to prevent them, but with proper hydration and skin care, you will definitely be able to your skin looks fresh, radiant and, above all, healthy for longer . And that's exactly what we want, right?

Don't expect the impossible.

Creams are a complementary or more final stage in skin care. For more specific care, use serums and various acid peels , which are able to penetrate certain layers of the skin. They also usually have Serums with higher concentrations of active ingredients compared to creams and are also more successful from this perspective, including in the fight against wrinkles.

But it's even more important to take care of healthy skin from the inside. This includes proper nutrition, exercise, taking nutritional supplements if necessary, etc.

Anyway, sooner or later, we all have wrinkles and we don't need to be ashamed of them. Let's be proud of our skin.

Literature:

Carroll JM, Hanna S, Guenther LC, Boucher N. Comparison of topical antiaging creams in the management of lateral canthal lines. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2019;00:1-11

Moldovan M, Lahmar A, Bogdan C, Părăuan S, Tomuță I, Crișan M. Formulation and evaluation of a water-in-oil cream containing herbal active ingredients and ferulic acid. Clujul Medical. 2017; 90(2):212