Do Anti-aging Creams Really Work?

Written by Emily McBride (last updated January 22, 2020)

Most people are not excited about growing old. Wrinkles are the surest sign of old age, as gray hair is easily remedied through hair dye. Women especially seem to be concerned with getting wrinkles. This is blatantly obvious through the media and advertisements. Chances are you see advertisements for anti-aging creams multiple times a day, whether in commercials, in magazines, or on billboards. Anti-wrinkle creams seem too good to be true. It's especially hard to know whether they are working or not because they are not supposed to get rid of your wrinkles overnight—they are supposed to be able to prevent your wrinkles. If you are looking for a cream that is going to instantly make your face look younger, you are out of luck (at least for now).

So do these creams work? Research shows that some of the ingredients may help wrinkles, but for the most part, the creams have not been around long enough to have been fully researched. If anti-aging creams do anything, they will help ease the aging of your skin. However, there is no fountain of youth. Don't expect any type of cream or treatment, no matter how expensive it may be, to stop the signs of aging altogether. The way anti-aging creams often work is that they hydrate your skin or remove the dead outer layer of your skin, which can make wrinkles less prominent.

On the market, there are hundreds of creams and treatments that claim to stop or reduce the effects of aging. Common ingredients in anti-aging creams that may help reduce your wrinkles are retinol, copper peptides, kinetin, hydroxy acids, coenzyme Q10, and tea extracts.

If you are willing to spend the money on anti-aging creams, there are probably not a lot of risks involved. Either they help prevent your wrinkles or it doesn't, but they most likely won't make your wrinkles worse. The FDA will ensure that warnings for harm are on the directions, so make sure you look at them before you start to use a new product. The best way to care for your skin is to practice good hygiene, eat nutritious meals, take vitamins, drink plenty of water, exercise, use moisturizers, use sunscreen and don't spend too much time in the sun, maintain a healthy weight, get plenty of sleep, and don't smoke. Practicing these habits will not only help you to feel better but will also help your skin look smoother and more youthful.

Author Bio

Emily McBride

A senior majoring in English and editing at BYU, Emily hopes to enter the field of professional editing upon graduation. Emily has done humanitarian work in Africa and studied in London. She enjoys blogging, foreign films, and playing the piano. ...

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