Looking for an anti-aging product that actually works? Maybe it’s time you stopped searching for the latest-and-greatest product and started paying attention to the ingredients.
That’s right: It’s the ingredients ““ and often the concentrations of those ingredients ““ that count, not the products themselves.
Stacy Kepplinger, an aesthetic consultant at Dermatology Associates of Northern Kentucky, breaks down the four key ingredients that work for age prevention:
- Zinc (in sunscreens)
In general, most sunscreens are chemical-based, Kepplinger said, but sunscreens with zinc provide broader sun protection than sunscreens with chemical-based ingredients.
To discover whether your sunscreen is zinc-based or chemical-based, check the active ingredients, which differ from the standard list of ingredients.
And, of course, always reach for sunscreens that are at least SPF 30.
- Retinoid
“If I could pick only one product for anti-aging besides sunscreen, it would be a product from the retinoid family,” Kepplinger said.
The prescription form of a retinoid is tretinoin. One of the most recognized prescriptions containing tretinoin is Retin-A, a drug commonly used for acne, but which contains many crossover, anti-aging benefits, as well.
It’s important to remember, though, that the retinoid family has prescription and non-prescription strengths. The non-prescription form of a retinoid is retinol.
“Know you’re going to get different results depending on the strength of the ingredient,” Kepplinger said.
- Topical antioxidants
You probably know that eating antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, is good for your body ““ antioxidants minimize damage to your cells from free radicals ““ but did you know that what you eat doesn’t make it to the surface of your skin?
You need to apply antioxidants topically, Kepplinger said, so look for ingredients such as vitamins C and E, flavonoids, and polyphenols in your skincare products.
- Exfoliants
Another beneficial ingredient for anti-aging is some form of an exfoliant, such as an alpha hydroxy acid.
One of the most common alpha hydroxy acids on the market today is glycolic acid. Using a glycolic cream or pad a few times a week is crucial to cell turnover and allowing other products to penetrate more easily.
Other notes from Kepplinger?
Don’t be fooled by “buzzy” products advertising new ingredients because they don’t always have much research to support their claims. Ingredients such as retinol have years’ worth of research backing their benefits.
“New doesn’t mean better,” Kepplinger said. “I would never replace a tried and true proven ingredient with the latest fad product.”
Remember that when skincare companies make seemingly impossible claims, such as a product that reduces wrinkles by 70 percent. It’s probably just that: impossible.
Finally, know that when you buy a skincare product from a grocery or drug store, its ingredients are going to be in lower concentrations because the skincare manufacturer doesn’t want to risk consumers experiencing complications or skin irritations. You tend to find much weaker products at stores like Target compared to the medical-grade products or prescriptions available from your doctor.
For more information or if you have additional questions, call Stacy Kepplinger at Dermatology Associates of Northern Kentucky at (859) 283-1033, ext. 223.
