Aging Well & Choosing Right for Healthy Skin

Aging well is a goal that many people have, today. It means focusing on good nutritional intake, being physically active and enjoying a variety of social activities. Keeping the mind active is also important for reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and age-related dementia. To most people, it also means doing everything that they can to keep their skin looking healthy and wrinkle free. With all of the options available today, a person that has enough money can look 20 years younger, practically ove ight. But, the injections that offer those quick fixes are painful and not that safe. An FDA panel reviewed the safety of shots containing collagen, Botox, hyaluronic acid and synthetic fillers. The panel called for the inclusion of warning labels and more testing, because of the 1000 reported adverse reactions, between 2003 and 2008. The adverse reactions ranged from severe swelling to permanent scarring. Mild and moderate adverse reactions included pain, bruising, swelling at the sight of the injection, redness and hard bumps. If you do consider this kind of therapy, you should choose an experienced doctor that is board certified in cosmetic surgery or dermatology. It is also important to find out how long he or she has been using the material. You might not want to be the guinea pig for something new. Aging well on the outside does not require the cosmetic injections. There are hundreds of different creams on the market. Each provides varying results. Some are obviously more effective than others. As with the injections, one of your major conce s should be safety. Even some of the topically applied creams have caused permanent scarring. If you experience and adverse reaction to a topically applied cream, you should contact a dermatologist about reporting the reaction to the FDA. They can only have unsafe products removed from the market, if adverse reactions are reported. Most experts agree that one of the best solutions for aging well is the use of antioxidant-rich creams. In fact, the only prescription wrinkle cream contains a synthetic antioxidant called retinol. Retinol has been known to cause redness, peeling and irritation. Safer solutions, like Cynergy TK, are available in over-the-counter products. Some of those solutions may be even more effective than retinol, judging from clinical trials. Coenzyme Q10, for example, is an antioxidant found in all of the cells of the body. It seems to play an important role in protecting the skin’s cells from sun damage, judging by the fact that it is quickly depleted when the skin is exposed to UV rays from the sun. A diet rich in antioxidants is believed to be one of the keys to aging well, because antioxidants are the body’s only defense against free radical damage, a major cause of cellular aging. Other causes of age include inflammation and glycation. When it comes to the outer signs of aging, decreased production of elastic fibers and low levels of hyaluronic acid are also causes. With the right solutions, aging well is possible. We don’t have to look older than we feel.