The use of anti-aging skin care products these days is on the increase and all things considered it is perfectly natural; as we are living far longer than previous generations it is a good idea to look after your physical appearance. The skin care industry uses beauty products that increase the synthesis of the protein collagen, the main protein in skin which becomes less elastic as we age; twenty-five per cent of the skin's protein is collagen. This area of anti-ageing treatments is connected to another group of products that help people to look young; known as antioxidants, they are the body's method of slowing down the ageing process.

Anti Aging Skin Care

You probably know many anti-oxidants by name, including vitamin C, the use of which is still, even now, hotly debated in the science and nutrition community. Unfortunately all skin care treatments that use vitamin C have the problem of atmospheric oxidization to contend with once the product is exposed to the air.

To get around this some skin care treatments are based on derivatives of vitamin C, which are more stable and less expensive. Although these products are good, they cannot actually compare with vitamin C but fortunately vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid are also anti-oxidants so can be used to gain the same effect.

Anti Aging Formulas

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant and is found in human blood; it has been linked to resistance to a number of conditions including certain types of cancer. Another of these is lipoic acid which is found in every cell of our body to help generate energy for us to live; it is also able to help reduce and restore the skin's aging process.

The use of plants has not been overlooked either with many types able to provide essences called phytochemicals which have proved successful in anti-ageing skin care products. Like lipoic acid, phytochemicals help reduce the occurrence of cancers; for example:

*Prostate Cancer in Men *Cancer of the Breast *Colon Cancer

These are some of the most common (and increasingly so) cancers in the world today.

Surprisingly, the group of vitamins; B5, B6, and B12 have also shown that they can be used to help reduce the effects of ageing. The field of anti-ageing skin care products is vast and needs a great deal more research. Whilst a great deal has been learned about this subject, it is only the tip of the iceberg; however, research is moving forward rapidly and it is only a matter of time before a new generation of products becomes available.

There may be many challenges still to overcome but in time scientists believe they will succeed in producing more effective anti-ageing skin care products that are less expensive and available to more people. However, man-made skin care regimes should be used only as a supplement; fortunately there is a number of natural anti-aging regimes that can be carried out that do not rely on science. Simple things that can make a difference in slowing the signs of ageing; these include physical activity, restful sleep, maintaining good dietary habits and removing stress from your life.

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