Lifestyle
5 Anti-Aging Skin Care Myths and Truths
How much do you know about anti-aging skin care? There are plenty of myths out there that people believe as fact. They often couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s important to know as much as possible to be able to use the best product for your skin.
Let’s look at some of the common beliefs:
- More expensive products are always better
- Your creams will reverse all the pesky signs of aging
- You have to use anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams
- “Natural” ingredients are always better than synthetic
- Using more is far more effective
Yes, these are the top five myths of anti-aging products. But what are the truths? We’ll look at each one in turn through this article to help you get a better understanding of anti-aging skin care products.
Myth: More Expensive Products Are Always Better
This isn’t completely false, as some of the more expensive products will be better. However, it’s not a consensus that you should pay more. There are plenty of low-cost options that are extremely good for your skin and will help to repair some damage and prevent further signs of aging.
You need to look at more than just the cost. The cost is usually set at a rate that will make the company money. You’re paying for a brand and packaging. You’re not always paying for the ingredients within the product.
And having a product that has 20 million ingredients isn’t going to do your skin that much more benefit than something with 20 ingredients. Okay, so the 20 million is an exaggeration, but you get the idea, right? It’s all about effective, active ingredients.
Some products will have one or two, and they will be perfect for the anti-aging processes of the skin. Some are just simple moisturizers that are extremely effective to the expensive, multi-ingredient, specially-marketed products.
But there are some products more effective than others. Tretinoin is the most effective, but it is only available through prescription. As it’s a prescription medication, it mostly is more expensive than other products on the market. This is the only one that tends to buck the trend that cost doesn’t equate effectiveness.
Your dermatologist or doctor will be able to point you in the right direction for your treatment. They won’t just recommend the most expensive but the best for your money.
Some of the most effective products are your natural, homemade ones. They also work out the cheapest compared to many other anti-aging products on the market. You stock up on the ingredients, make them in bulk, and store in the fridge or even at room temperature for long-term use, depending on the product.
Myth: Creams Reverse All the Pesky Signs of Aging
Are you looking for something that will reverse the current signs? Well, you want to watch out for the majority of anti-aging creams. They don’t reverse aging but prevent it from taking place. If you already have fine lines, blemishes, and wrinkles, you’ll need to think about treatments for them instead.
Anti-wrinkle creams especially are only designed to prevent the signs of aging occur. They stop wrinkles rather than reverse the damage. All they do is moisturize your skin, helping to improve the elasticity and avoid the over stretching and tearing.
There may be some reversal benefits. However, the reversal benefits don’t last forever. You will need to constantly use the anti-aging products to keep the signs of aging at bay.
It’s worth noting that some brands will say that they rejuvenate and repair skin. Watch out for these claims, as the FDA doesn’t consider any over-the-counter remedy as a medical option. If you want to reverse the damage completely, you will need to talk to your doctor or dermatologist about real repairing products that are available by prescription only.
If you do have cream that helps to reverse some damage—there are a few out there, but they’re not anti-wrinkle creams—then you’ll need to keep using them. Just because you’ve reversed and stopped the damage doesn’t mean your skin will continue in the same way. The whole reason is due to the creams. The moment you stop using them, the moment your skin starts to show signs of aging again.
Myth: You Have to Use Anti-Aging Creams as You Get Older
There will be a lot of people who tell you that anti-aging creams are a necessity. This is often told by people who either make money directly from sales or through a commission. Either way, they want money from you.
The truth is that you don’t need to shell out for anti-aging creams if you don’t want to. Your skin will still benefit as it ages from a range of other moisturizing creams and lotions. You can use petroleum jelly around your eyes and natural ingredients on your face and body to add and lock in moisture. Don’t feel pushed into buying anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams.
While there are some anti-aging creams with special active ingredients, there are some that are hyped up moisturizers. You only need a normal moisturizer to keep your skin elasticised, hydrated, and collagen-filled.
Make sure you use sunscreen regularly. There’s no time like the present to use it. Sunscreen does more than just protect your skin from burning. It helps to reduce the risk of skin cancer and can help to prevent some skin cell damage. You’ll reduce the risk of blemishes and fine lines from the sun’s UV rays. Opt for a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30.
Even if you do use night creams or anti-aging creams, you want to make sure you still use sunscreen. There is no or little SPF protection within the creams. While the creams try to hydrate your skin, the sun will keep drying it out and cause problems for the skin cells. The creams become less effective and a waste of money.
If you don’t use sunscreen, cover up your skin when you are out in the sun. Even with sunscreen, it’s worth avoiding the sun when it’s at its hottest in the middle of the day.
A healthy diet is also essential. You want to get plenty of water while eating the right nutrients to offer help to the skin. Natural ingredients (the real natural ingredients and not the ones we’re about to get onto) are also good for adding more nutrients to your skin to help with the repair and rejuvenation.
There are some people who think a healthy diet doesn’t matter as you get older when it comes to skin care. This isn’t true, and one of the lesser stated myths. You want to think about the food you eat. Refined foods will lead to hormonal disruption. This leads to a change in your oil production, which can mean dry skin, more acne, and more signs of aging.
Myth: “Natural” Ingredients in Skin Care Products Are a Must
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Real natural ingredients are better than synthetic. If you can get all your nutrients from food, drink, and plants, then you want to use them to your advantage.
However, there is a common myth that if a company states that it uses natural ingredients that their products are safer and superior to the competition. This isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, “natural” isn’t always natural.
The companies will certainly use ingredients that come from oils, flowers, and herbs. What the companies don’t tell you is the manufacturing process that they go through. They’re never in their natural state when they’ve finished with the creation of the creams.
If the natural ingredients remained in their natural form, you would see them in the creams and lotions. They can’t dissolve properly. When you make your own, you’ll see the little bits of the herbs and vegetables. This is a good thing—honest.
By losing the natural form, you end up adding extra chemicals to your body. There are toxins that you won’t even realize you’re adding to your skin.
You need to read the labels and check all the ingredients. If there is anything that you’re not too sure about, talk to your dermatologist or just avoid completely. You can make your skin care products easily.
If you want to take advantage of natural benefits, you need to make your natural products. This is the best way to know just what you’re putting in and how it will affect your skin. There’s no need to put a lot together at first. Just some olive oil with honey and lemon will be a good place to start. You get the moisture, antibacterial, and antioxidant benefits instantly.
Myth: Using More Is Far More Effective
Less is more.
You’ll have heard of this saying, but not thought it would apply to skin care products. After all, surely more is more when it comes to creams that help to prevent aging. Surely you need as much as possible, so your skin cells all get the benefits.
The idea of more is more is a myth. All you’re doing is wasting money since you don’t add any other benefits than you would if you use a smaller amount. You’ll just have to replace your skin care products sooner.
In fact, using more could cause more problems for your skin. You get the active ingredients in higher doses, which means your skin starts to expect this. When you do use the right amount, they’re no longer as effective as they would have been. Think of it like bacteria resistance, but in this case its wrinkle resistance.
You also run the risk of skin irritation. Remember you’re getting the active ingredients in higher doses. You’re opening your skin up to more chemicals, which will end up seeping into your pores and body. Your skin is more likely to inflame, and you end up with more irritation and rashes. It’s possible to look worse than you did when you started!
There’s no telling what some of the chemicals and toxins will do. There will be some toxins that you don’t even know exist in the creams since they’re included in the “parfum” or “fragrance” section. You end up adding toxins that disrupt your hormones and cause more problems for aging skin.
Avoid too much of treatment. Even natural treatments need to be used sparingly. You’ll do your whole body more favors.
Likewise, don’t use anti-aging creams for your face on the rest of your body. The skin on your face is completely different to the rest of your body. It’s thinner and more fragile, and also more likely to show the signs of aging. You end up wasting the products, so you need to spend more money replacing them.
There are creams designed for the rest of the body. You can also choose simple moisturizers or use coconut oil to get the all-over body benefits.
Know the Truths About Anti-Aging Creams
I don’t want to put you off using anti-aging creams. There are certainly some major benefits to them, but you need to use them with an informed opinion. Your anti-aging creams and anti-wrinkle creams aren’t necessarily a way to improve all the damage you’ve done in the past. They’re not going to repair the wrinkles that you currently have.
Anti-aging creams are mostly hydrating formulas that will help to slow down the process of aging in the body. There are stronger options out there that can help to repair, but you’ll never reverse all the signs of aging; and not in one night.
Use them sparingly and make sure you know all the ingredients that are included. You may find that creating natural anti-aging products is a better use of your time.
Look after your skin. It’s not just about the products you use, but your diet and protection from the sun. Sunscreen and a nutrient-filled diet will help to balance hormones, protect cells, and reduce blemishes and other signs of aging.
