Men’s Beauty : Age Defying
Age Defying, Anti Aging and Restorative are all terms used when talking about skin care with a focus on restoring a youthful appearance to the skin. Who wouldn’t want to have the skin they had at the age of twenty? Of course preventative messages, such as using a product containing a SPF is a great way to keep the signs of aging from affecting your skin. But let’s look at some basic things we can do to lessen the appearance of fine lines, and the like.
To start off with, take a look at your face. What is it that you are looking at changing? Do you feel that your skin is showing age through pigmentation changes, age spots, wrinkles? The idea here is to even out any pigmentation differences in the skin. We aren’t talking about major changes in the skin tone which may be caused by lack of pigmentation differences, but mild hyperpigmentation due to sun exposure and age. The point here is to think in terms of mid long term lightening of the skin. With the use of the right product, the skin tone can be evened out. Depending on how you are approaching this skin issue and what products you are using, it is possible to see changes in the skin within a week. A great product to add to your skin care regimen would be Pharmagel Derma Fade. This product works with licorice extract, comfrey, vitamin C and other anti-oxidants to help the skin return to a balanced tone. It also provides a non-comedogenic PABA-free sunscreen components for both UVA/ UVB protection at SPF 15. You can find this product in many Salons, or online at www.pharmagel.net
The next issues with anti aging skin care is often issues around fine lines, crow’s feet etc. While nothing short of surgical intervention will completely remove more deep set wrinkles or expression lines, there are a number of great products that will help relax the face and smooth out the skin’s appearance. Though not surgical in the purist sense, one treatment for skin smoothing is Botox. Botulinum toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and is extremely neurotoxic. The use in cosmetic procedures is to paralyze the muscles of the face, and relax the skin. When used appropriately the results can be very dramatic. One thing to keep in mind is that the person whom you are seeing for this procedure should be trained in the use of Botox or Dysort. Botox is not a permanent treatment.
For similar results that don’t require a visit to a Doctor, you may want to look at a product that gives very similar results. DDF Wrinkle Relax is one such product. A daily treatment that contains a peptide humectant complex to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that can be caused by the contraction of the skin and repetitive facial movements. The plumping hydration penetrates the skin’s outer surface to help diminish the appearance of visible crow’s feet and other signs of premature aging. Visible results within four weeks. This product can be used on any skin type, and is usually used before moisturizing the skin. This product is easily available at many salons or specialty stores. You can also find it online at www.ddfskincare.com.
The key point here is to keep our skin tone even, even it out if needed and to reduce the appearance of fine lines. Keeping in mind that there is no magic bullet, but a number of ways that we can invest in our long term skin care.
Owen D. Edwards California Licensed Esthetician
Some of the many advices for younger looking skin and overall health; concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables.
First: Salads can be fun when adding nuts and fruits; strawberries, blueberries, any kind of berries, kiwi, bananas, grapes, etc. Then your prefered dressing; vinnagrette (olive oil and vinegar), ranch, etc. Remember to wash fruits and vegetables since they’ll still have pesticides and herbicides residues by the time you pick’em at the store. We’ll pay higher prices during off local season, mostly during winter, when produce is brought from central and south America. Again; more than ever is when we must wash/rinse fruits and vegetables.
Secondly; stop smoking. Nicotine and tar mixed internally in the blood stream will cause arteries and capillaries to shrink and minimizing the normal volume of blood flow into the body. Plus delivering carcinogents to the body!
Third; maintain liquids in specially during summer and vigorous times (exercising, body work out (construction, farming, etc.) Even during winter, with all the warming clothes on, the body will over work to keep warm, so dehydration happens unnoticeable! When you’re thirsty means you’re already dehydrated! Try your best to maintain a suggested advise of no more than 10 glasses of water (8oz) through the day; too much is as bad as not enough. Drinking too much water will deplete the body of minerals and vitamins the body needs to keep, so you’ll be then flushing those away! Only when your body is going through an extended motion time, again; sports, exercising at the gym, or your job requires constant motion (construction, manual loading/unloading, factory, manufacturing, and during warmer conditions (warehouse, outdoors, etc.)
Fourth: Use shower gels and moisturizing soaps especially during winter to leave a thin coat on the skin to protect and “lubricate” skin and pores, while helping to keep warm.
Fifth: Minimize carbonated drinks; the soda in them will affect your moisture retainability. Also, caffeinated drinks such as ; coffee, hot/ice tea.
Use face moisturizers and lotions especially in winter ad when you might be exposed to the weather for a long period of time and conditions (dirt, dust,etc.) either indoors/outdoors (warehouses, factories, farming, loading/unloading, etc.) And when applying, emphasize “massaging” the face while at it; this stimulates blood flow,
as well when showering using a wash cloth while removing dead skin cells and invigorating blood into the face.
Exercise! A sensible routine will keep you feeling younger, full of energy, maintaining proper posture, increasing and maintaining proper blood flow throughout the body while helping the body to eliminate wastes and toxins. Lactic acid is a waste after a good work out or sport. Drinking water while at it will help the body through urination to flush it off. Now we know how important is to keep ourselves and bodies hydrated with water throughout the day! If you take medications, even aspirins, they leave a low level of toxins and wastes, also from daily food consumption. Ask any health nutritionist, dieticians, and doctors.
I have done this through the years and I tend to look 10 to 20yrs younger than my age.
one of the things I found out to even out skin tone and lighten the face is found in your refrigerator, lemon. I don’t think this hurts the face, it is a bit acidic but it does lighten the skin, and I don’t put much stock in expensive cosmetics. or botox.