Wrinkle Reduction? The Jury's Still Out!
Sep 25 '00
There's a curious riddle about wrinkle reducing treatments: at a certain age, we begin to try them, but we can't always tell if they work! That's because we don't always know how we would look if we did nothing at all.
I began my "wrinkle reduction plan" when I was the tender age of 25 by using a moisturizing sunscreen every day of my life, rain or shine, winter or summer. Now that I'm 43, I should have a measurement of how well it did or didn't work, but I'm just not certain! I still have lines, but I don't know if I would have had more lines if I had done nothing at all. Sometimes, I compare my skin tone and texture to that of other women I know are my age. I look better than some of them, and not as good as others. What are the ones who look better than I do doing that I'm not doing?
Is it a secret product? Is it good genes? Is it because they never went to the beach a day in their young lives? I just don't know! Sometimes, I fish for answers by complimenting these women lavishly to see if they'll spill their guts and recommend a fabulous product, but that usually doesn't work.
But there are things I have done to care for my skin that I feel have contributed to looking as good as I can for my age. Overall, I'm very happy with my skin. I have never smoked, I stopped sunbathing when I was in my teens, I rarely drink alcohol, I have religiously used sunscreen, and I try to drink plenty of hydrating, nourishing water.
Lately, I've been paying even more attention to skin care, and doing some additional "research" into new technology short of plastic surgery. Currently, I'm in the midst of a series of six "Derma-peel" treatments, which have had some positive effects on my skin. The procedure is performed by a licensed aesthetician in a dermatologist's office. The total cost was about $600 for six treatments. I have noticed a softening of some deeper lines, and near elimination of fine lines after four treatments.
The primary function of the "lunch time peel" is to deeply exfoliate facial skin. It's appropriate for any age, even children who have certain skin conditions, so it's not used only for wrinkle reduction.
To supplement this series of treatments, I have recently purchased the up and coming product Kinerase from Drugstore.com. A complete list of ingredients and directions for use can be found on that site, and you can find Kinerase by plugging the name into the site's search engine. I used a $10 off any purchase of $35 or more, and was able to buy the 1.7 oz. size of Kinerase for under $40. In my dermatologist's office, the same size sells for nearly $85.
After only a few days of use, I have noticed improvement in my skin tone and texture, and plumping-out of tiny lines. Kinerase works like Retin-A, but without the dryness, redness and flaking. The results are promising enough that I am certain I'll continue using it. While the manufacturer doesn't promise you will notice any results until 24 weeks of use, people who have rated and reviewed the product on Drugstore.com have seen almost immediate improvement like I have.
In most cases, we'll all get wrinkles no matter what we do, short of plastic surgery. I'd rather care for and maintain what I have than go under the knife for as long as humanly possible. Most women who have passed 40 don't have an obsession to look 25 again, we simply want to be the best we can for our current stage of life without going overboard.
But I plan to investigate any reasonably affordable, non-surgical skin improvement and wrinkle-reduction technique I can, because even if I stay the same for a few years and "hold my own" that will be enough for me!
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Member: Ms Hooterville
Location: Hooterville Green Acres USA
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News and feature writer, graphic designer and artist, wife and mother, small business owner.
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