You will find a plethora of information on how to combat oily or dry skin, heal pimples, and apply makeup as well as a the pros. The one condition that cannot be cured or ignored, however, is wrinkling. Just as the aging process cannot be stopped, neither will your skin’s wrinkling schedule. But it may be able to be slowed a little, at least in showing its true colors and age. Read on to discover sources of additional aging damages and learn how to improve the appearance of older, wrinkled skin.

Wrinkles are caused by a number of different factors, all related to aging. As you grow older, your skin begins to lose the ability to repair itself as well as it could when you were younger. The epidermis (outer layer of your skin) looses cells and begins to thin. The cell lessening process reduces the elderly body’s ability to retain moisture, and so the skin becomes dryer. The production of collagen, a compound in the skin that promotes elasticity and resilience, also slows down. Fat cells in the subcutaneous skin layer begin to shrink and lose their ability to fill in deep crevices within the skin. This is why an older person’s skin appears thin, brittle, and wrinkly.

Although many people feel that their skin appears healthier when it is aglow with a suntan, our epidermis actually suffers long term sun damage from overexposure. Our aging skin becomes extremely leathery in appearance, making us look much older than we really are. It would be far better to wear sunscreen, hats, protective clothing, scarves, cover-ups and minimize direct contact with full sun as much as possible all throughout our lives.

About the only thing that can be done for wrinkles, besides plastic surgery, is to shop around and discover high quality creams and lotions that may help boost the skins own ability to stay firm and elastic. Specialized anti-aging facial moisturizers and creams may contain certain ingredients that are known to promote skin repair and firmness.

The following is a list of the most common ingredients and their known effects on reducing the appearance of wrinkles in older skin. It is a good idea to carefully read the labels on the jars to find out what is included in different products and choose what is best for your own skin.

Retinol
Retinol, a vitamin A compound, is an antioxidant widely utilized in anti-wrinkle creams. An antioxidant is a substance that neutralizes free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that cause wrinkles by breaking down skin cells. Retinol is an important and popular ingredient to watch for when shopping for special anti-wrinkle creams.

Hydroxy acids
Alpha, beta, and poly hydroxy acids are synthetic versions of acids that are derived from sugar-containing fruits. These acids are exfoliates. They remove old, dead skin cells from the top layer of epidermis and promote the new growth of smooth, aesthetically appealing skin.

Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, also know as CoQ10, is an enzyme that regulates energy production in cells. Studies have shown that fine wrinkles around the eyes have been reduced from using CoQ10.

Copper peptides
Copper is an element contained in every cell in the body. When used in skin creams, copper is combined with small protein fragments known as peptides. Copper peptides enhance wound healing, stimulate collagen production, and may boost the effects of antioxidants. It is also alleged that copper peptides help to repair and heal other tissue and cells such as bone, hair follicles, liver, stomach lining, and the intestinal tract through a specialized skin remodeling process using copper peptides.

Tea extracts
Green, black, and oolong teas contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds which can help reduce irritation in the skin. Read labels and watch for these ingredients within special wrinkle reduction creams and lotions.

Although wrinkling is not a skin ailment that can be cured, it can be controlled to an extent. Follow a daily cleansing and moisturizing regimen, and be sure to use a high quality anti-wrinkle cream with at least two of the compounds listed above, if not all of them. By gathering information, making educated choices, and incorporating excellent skin care products into your daily hygiene routine, you may see a difference in the condition of your skin each time you gaze into a mirror.