All About Botox for Eye Wrinkles

When Botox made its initial debut, it was heralded as the perfect final solution for troublesome skin wrinkles. However; as people began to learn more about Botox, they learned that it really wasn’t the magic bullet that it was originally touted to be. One thing that most people know by now is that Botox only works on wrinkles that are caused by the involuntary “flexing” of skin muscles. So what about eye wrinkles? Will Botox have any effect on them?

Powerful New Anti Wrinkle Creams and Serums Zap Crows Feet

The answer to that question is “yes and no”. Botox will diminish eye wrinkles that are on the outside regions of the eye that are due to involuntary “squinching” of skin muscles muscles. However; it will have absolutely no effect on eye wrinkles that are the result of aging or over exposure to the suns harmful rays. The good news though is that there are now powerful anti wrinkle eye creams and serums available that can zap crows feet wrinkles.

Botox and Blank Facial Expressions (Frankenstein Face)

If you are considering undergoing the “needle” with Botox treatments, there are a couple of things that you should know first. To begin with, Botox treatments aren’t cheap and can cost on average between $350-500 per session. Secondly, Botox injections work well on the brow and outside regions of the face, but can cause a side effect known as “Frankenstein face” when used on the interior region of the face. This odd side effect received its name from the deadening of facial expressions due to facial muscle paralysis.

Should You Use Kinerase as an Anti-Aging Skin Treatment?

An anti-aging cream that’s received a great deal of attention in the last few years is Kinerase. Kinerase is a topical agent applied topically to the skin that’s being touted for its ability to reduce the visible signs of skin aging. It’s available without a prescription and is currently being marketed as a wrinkle reduction cream through physician offices, medical spas, and online. It’s claimed that kinerase gives similar skin anti-aging effects to the prescription retinoids without the side effects frequently seen with retinoids such as skin redness and peeling. Does kinerase really live up to the marketing claims?

What exactly is Kinerase and what gives it the ability to function as an anti-aging cream? The active ingredient in kinerase is a plant component known as kinetin. Kinetin is a plant derived component that functions in the plant as a growth hormone like substance to help retard aging of the plant. Because kinetin has shown the ability to slow down plant aging, it’s thought to have some anti-aging properties when applied topically to human skin. Kinetin has also been shown to have antioxidant properties which may help to reduce the effects of free radicals on human skin cells. Another important property of kinectin is that it’s been shown to aid in repair of DNA , the genetic material found in every cell in the body, including skin cells.

A study carried out at the University of California in Irvine looked at different strengths of Kinerase and their effects on human skin over a 48 week period. The groups receiving the Kinerase showed significant improvement in the texture of the skin, the appearance of fine wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Although the results of this study show support for the topical anti-aging effects of Kinerase, double blind, placebo-controlled studies are still absent and it may be premature to say that Kinerase is as effective as the well studied, time tested topical retinoids.

Although Kinerase needs further study in order to be recommended as an alternative to prescription strength retinoid preparations, patient reviews of this product have been favorable. The preponderance of patients using Kinerase as an anti-aging cream report improvement in skin roughness, uneven skin pigmentation, and improvement in the appearance of fine wrinkles. Plus, its antioxidant effects and its ability to repair DNA make it likely that it would have some anti-aging benefits for aging skin.

Should you consider using Kinerase as an anti-aging skin treatment? If you make this choice, it won’t come cheaply. A half ounce of Kinerase based cream can cost over a hundred dollars. If you are unable to tolerate use of prescription strength retinoids due to skin irritation and redness, Kinerase may be a reasonable alternative. If you’re currently on prescription strength retinoids and are tolerating them well, Kinerase may not offer any additional advantages for you and it may be best to wait until studies comparing the effectiveness of retinoids versus Kinerase are completed before jumping on the Kinerase bandwagon.

4 Dry Skin Ingredients That Really Work for Aging Skin

As skin ages it tends to become drier and flakier which causes the skin surface to look dull. This can enhance any pre-existing wrinkles and skin imperfections giving the skin an aged appearance. As the weather changes and temperatures become cooler, dry skin can become even more pronounced. To restore moisture balance a treatment is needed to help maintain the skin’s moisture balance by preventing further loss of moisture as well as improve the skin’s texture. When it comes to selecting a dry skin treatment, there is a confusing array of products available. How do you know which one to select? Here are four ingredients that help with the symptoms of dry skin. Look for these four key ingredients on the label the next time you’re shopping for a dry skin cream:

Hydroxy acids

The hydroxyl acids have a dual role in treating dry skin. They act as exfoliators causing the dead skin cells on the skin’s surface to be shed more rapidly. This helps to relieve some of the dullness associated with dry skin and gives the skin a subtle glow. Hydroxy acids also act as humectants, drawing moisture from the environment and depositing it onto the surface of the skin. The combination of these two factors gives dry skin a softer, smoother appearance. Two of the most common hydroxy acids are lactic and glycolic acids. These ingredients are found in a variety of skin care products. They can be quite effective at moisturizing and improving the appearance of dry, dull skin.

Glycerin

Glycerin is another ingredient that serves as a humectant. By drawing moisture from the ambient air, it causes a slight swelling of the skin layer known as the stratum corneum which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s found in some moisturizing creams as well as a variety of soaps used for dry skin treatment.

Lanolin

Lanolin is an occlusive type moisturizing agent extracted from the secretions of sheep sebaceous glands. It’s designated as an occlusive because it helps to prevent moisture loss from the deeper skin layers. It’s also one of the main ingredients in a popular skin lotion, Oil of Olay. While this moisturizing agent is effective, a certain portion of the population will experience sensitivity to it and should look for creams and lotions that are labeled lanolin-free.

Petrolatum

Petrolatum is another occlusive type of moisturizing agent. This ingredient is usually found in conjunction with other ingredients for treating dry skin since it’s quite oily when used on its own. It’s the active ingredient in the commonly used lubricant, Vaseline.

Look for these four ingredients when you’re shopping for a moisturizing treatment for dry skin. These ingredients can often be found in products that are quite reasonable in price. Expensive is not always better when it comes to dry skin care treatment. Sometimes simple is best.

Is Retinol Really Effective for Skin Rejuvenation?

With so much hype and misinformation associated with the marketing of anti-aging skin care products, it can be difficult to determine what actually works for improving the texture and appearance of aging skin. One skin care ingredient that’s been promoted heavily for skin rejuvenation is retinol. Is there truth behind the widely claimed benefits of usin retinol for skin rejuvenation?

Retinol is a purified form of vitamin A which is thought to stimulate collagen product when applied directly to the skin. It does this by stimulating skin fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen, and by inhibiting the action of enzymes that promote breakdown of the skin’s collagen support structure.

The limiting factor with many skin care products that advertise that they promote collagen production is that the molecules are unable to penetrate deeply enough to gain access to the dermis where the fibroblasts are located. Hence, they’re unable to stimulate collagen synthesis despite their advertising claims. This where the retinol molecule is different. It has the ability to penetrate the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, and gain access to the inner dermis where it can stimulate the fibroblasts to produce more collagen.

The ability to gain access to the dermis and stimulate collagen production gives retinol the ability to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles as well as counteract some of the skin damage created by years of sun exposure. Retinol also increases the thickness of the outer skin layer, the epidermis. This results in a skin with a finer, more translucent texture as well as a reduction in skin roughness.

Do studies confirm that retinol works to improve the appearance of aging skin? A study performed on 31 subjects to test the effects of retinol on skin texture and appearance. The individuals had a 0.4% retinol solution applied to one arm and a placebo to the other. Not only did the arm that received the retinol show improvement in skin roughness and texture, but a skin biopsy revealed an increase in the precursors of collagen synthesis, suggesting that collagen production was being stimulated. In addition, retinol has been used by dermatologists and physicians for many years as an anti-aging cream with good results.

It appears that retinol is effective both in improving the texture of the skin as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines. By stimulating collagen production, it may also compensate for some of the solar damage accrued over the years. Although you can buy dilute retinol formulations over the counter, they may not have the same benefit as prescription formulations available from your doctor. Because prescription strict retinol in the form of Retin-A and its derivatives may be too irritating for some people’s skin, it may be prudent to start with a lower strength, non-prescription formulation and advance to the prescription form if results aren’t achieved. Remember to always wear a sunblock when using retinol since it increases sensitivity to the sun.