More Information on Stimulating Collagen Production

I’ve noticed a lot of my readers took particular interest in my previous article on Collagen Production and I’ve noted there is a lot of interest in preventing aging of the skin. So I’ve done some more research for those of you interested in some more anti-aging tips.



My previous article mentioned some of the ways you can boost collagen production in your skin to help fight aging and I thought I’d write more about collagen because there seems to be a lot of questions about how to help your skin build up its collagen supply. Because we all know the facts – as we age, we lose both collagen and elastin and the skin becomes susceptible to wrinkles and loss of volume which contributes to our faces looking older than they should.



The aging of the skin is based on a few factors, including photo damage by the harmful effects of the sun rays and decreasing available amounts of collagen and elastin as time goes by. Both of these factors lead to our skin aging.



What can help with collagen production is the use of the bioidentical hormone Estradiol applied to the skin. A study was done at the University of Michigan Medical School using postmenopausal women and andropausal men with the average age of 75. Estrdio was applied every day on skin near the hip and on the forearm (one area is usually unexposed to the sun and the forearm which usually has sun damaged skin due to lifetime exposure). The participants also applied a moisturizing cream which contained estradiol to the face twice a day for a two week time period. It was found that in the biopsy samples of skin removed from the test participants, It was found that there were increased levels of collagen and compounds that increase the production of collagen in the skin biopsies. It appears that the bioidentical hormone estradiol helps with the production of collagen. It is more than a coincidence that declining levels of hormones in men and women as they approach menopause and andropause also coincides with the decline of collagen production and results in the look of aging skin.


Vitamin C is another big booster to collagen production as well as highly beneficial to your overall health. However, I will not elaborate on the other health benefits of vitamin C here as we are here to discuss collagen. As a popular additive to many anti-aging skin care products, it plays a major role in collage production. Vitamin C interacts with amino acids in the collagen cells. By adding hydrogen and oxygen to the amino acids, Vitamin C helps with collagen production. By not taking vitamin C, not only are you negatively affecting your health, you will also be causing your levels of collagen production to decline. In your late 40s, you should be taking about 500 mg of vitamin C a day. On your 50th birthday, it may be time to start taking 1000 mg to help boost the rate at which your body makes collagen. Consult with your anti-aging doctor or naturopath to discuss the correct dosage of vitamin C for you to take.


Applying collagen as an ingredient in a skin cream will not help much because the problem with most anti-aging creams is that the collagen molecules are too large to penetrate the top layer of skin. Antiaging moisturizing creams do help keep the skin soft and moisturized, and help plump up the skin temporarily. I am not telling you to stop using a good moisturing cream at all. We are discussing things here that will help boost collagen production internally.


Key amino acids and copper peptides help to stimulate collagen synthesis. However, these must be used with the greatest care because over use can be dangerous. Again, I must emphasize that you work with an anti-aging doctor and/or naturopath to discuss the nutrients your diet might be missing and see what you can supplement with safely to enhance collagen production.


Other supplements which can help with boosting collagen production are Hyaluronic Acid and Genacol which has a highly concentrated amino acid base, can boost the production of collagen throughout the body when used on a regular basis. Not only does it improve the elasticity of the skin and help reduce the look of wrinkled, aging skin, it can reduce pain throughout the body, most specifically in swollen and tender joints resulting from injury. It can also increase the strength and endurance of the joints. It has also been recommended for fibromyalgia, arthritis, muscular and joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. You can buy Genacol online or at the local health food store.


Another way to boost collagen production is to use a cosmetic filler such as Restylane, or Artecoll or Perlane which actually helps stimulate collagen cells in the site of injection. These injections which fill wrinkles pushes up the indentation of the wrinkle and also promotes collagen. See my articles on Restylane, Artecoll and Botox to find out more.

Artecoll

A Better Anti-Aging Cosmetic Filler


Looking for a cosmetic surgery which takes the years off your face? I will share with you this great anti-aging tip – a process I am definitely a fan of. Another anti-aging cosmetic filler like Botox is a product called Artecoll, made by Canderm Pharma Inc. One of the benefits of Artecoll is that it is a much longer lasting filler than either Botox or Restylane. Since the 1930s, it has been used for eye lenses, dental work and bone repair, so it has a known safety factor for quite some time now.


As an anti-aging treatment, it is used to add volume and structure to your skin as it ages. It is used by clinicians as a solution for acne scars, frowns, laugh lines (nasal labial folds) and thin lips. It is quite successful in building up lost volume in the face.



This bio-compatible solution is made of collagen and microscopic PMMA beads and added lidocaine to help with the pain of the injection site. By stimulating natural collagen production, it “binds” with the collagen building volume and structure to your face where required, this whole process takes from two to three months to be activated. Occasionally a patient will require two or three applications to get the results you are looking for as an anti-aging treatment.


How long will this antiaging procedure last? Artecoll will last for 10 or more years. To get Artecoll, you must have an experienced doctor inject Artecoll. One in a thousand people can be allergic to Artecoll so if you are worried, you can have a sensitivity test performed on your skin. If Artecoll proves to be the option for you, then you may experience some redness, swelling, bumps, bruising and itchiness which you can deal with by using cold compresses and acetaminophen, These side effects will disappear in a few day. Another bonus besides getting lost volume replaced in your face is that there is no downtime with Artecoll. If you want you can have this done on your lunch hour and return to work that afternoon. However, I would recommend having it done on a Friday and if there is any redness of bruising, you have the weekend in front of you so the redness or bruising will subside.


Consult with your antiaging doctor to find out if Artecoll is the solution for you. As a booster to collagen production in your skin and an excellent way of giving back lost volume to your face, even though it is slightly higher in price than Botox, I highly recommend Artecoll injections.

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CLEAN & CLEAR makes a day SOFT with a new Moisturizer

So today I want to talk a bit about my new favourite accessory. No it’s not the latest iPod gizmo. It’s not a new watch or neclace. And it’s definitely not a new handbag. Because the most beautiful thing out there, as far as I’m concerned, is the simple and natural things in life. And what could be more natural than your own skin? You’ve had it since you were born. Nope. My new favourite “carry-along” is my bottle of, believe it or not -- skin moisturizing lotion.

I’m talking about my Clean and Clear soft DAY oil-free moisturizer. Now, don’t get confused. There’s a NIGHT version too. And I’m not talking about that one! It’s too thin to work the magic my DAY moisturizer does. And that, my friends, is a fact. Ask anyone and they’ll agree. The night one doesn’t come with the additional SPF 15 either. And actually, that’s the reason it’s not strong enough and up for the job. It’s why you have to put it on your skin at night -- no one can see your skin at night!


But for anyone looking for anti-aging tips -- I’ve got one for you: TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN. A good anti-aging skin care program is essential to the well being of the average citizen. You don’t want to speed up the aging process do you? And that’s why I love my Clean and Clear Soft Day Moisturizer. It keeps me feeling fresh and young -- even when you’re I’m ready for what life throws at me. And, let me just be clear -- by soft, I mean SOFT!! Like a silk scarf or a tiny kitten. Try it and you’ll know that the softness is imaculate...

All you have to do is take a quick wiff and I assure you, you will fall in love. At least I did. Love on first sniff.

Also -- it doesn’t just work with anti-aging properties that create softness. And it doesn’t just smell good. It also protects you from harmful rays and wind damage.

And it looks good too.

Let me tell you what I love about even just the packaging. Johnson and Johnson, the folks who bring you the soft baby bottom, may only have a small logo on the bottom of the white bottle, but stands strong and bold. On a rounded purple square reads the title -- written in white -- that catches your eye but doesn’t blow it away with wasteful ferocity: Clean and Clear. The rest of the lettering is an almost aqua blue, and it gives the sensation of being alive -- the spray of a fountain, the caress of a lover, the fresh breath of the morning -- just by even looking at your little bottle. Even the smallest detail of the skin-hydration product is tailored with care. Now the best part about my Clean and Clear moisturizer is its size. Just bigger than your thumb, you will have no problems finding a space for it in your bag, purse, jacket or jeans. It really is a transient multi-purpose accessory.

Ever have a friend say -- “OHHHH -- I hate when this happens to me. I’m so dry! This is terrible.”? Well, now you’re all the sudden their new BEST friend! Just whip out your little oil-free product from the zipper pocket you keep it in, unscrew the cap, and dole out some glistening white lines of blissful perfection. She’ll rub it in with a tender caress and feel complete and utter release. It works every time. You may, eventually need to reapply -- but the ecstasy you will feel just by using this product will be worth it, I promise you.

When I tried the soft day moisturizer it was an experience to remember. The sun shone down with a playful touch. There were children playing in the park. And the world moved on and on around me -- but I didn’t notice the rush, the endless hustle and bustle. I was caught up in my own bliss. The new taste life I sensed upon applying just the very least amount of lotion I could. Clouds soared overhead, as if they moved to their own rhythm. Buildings glistened with power. Men and women smiled as they moved along their paths. Because when you take care of yourself you find a place for yourself. Sheer satisfaction. I felt like I had just given my coarse skin fillet mignon. I got up from where I was lounging, ready for desert.

I’m sure they must have spent FOREVER figuring this gem out in the lab. Have you seen all the unpronounceable words on the back? They use sugar cane and sugar maple and bilberry and water -- plus all the other unpronounceable ones (like Arachidylglucoside, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, and Threonine for example) and somehow turn it into something that’s safe and fun.

I hope you like it too. :)

Microdermabrasion

One of the best anti-aging procedures you can get for assisting your skin against the effects of time including wrinkles, blemishes, shallow scarring, and discoloration and used with great success is microdermabrasion. This non-invasive cosmetic procedure is best done in a salon though you can purchase at at-home kit manufactured by Neutrogena. You can also purchase any number of microdermabrasion formula but neither of these are as effective as a treatment done by a salon because of the tool that is used in a salon. You can try these at-home procedures or formulas but if you then try a salon treatment, you will see and feel the effectiveness and the difference when the procedure is done by an anti-aging esthetician. What I will discuss here is the very successful salon procedure microdermabrasion.

The esthetician in a salon uses special equipment for the process. It will feel like a very strong, small vacume which distributes the crystal formula that performs an abrasive rotating action against the skin and then powerfully “vacumes” up the used crystals and old dead skin cells. These crystals used can be such ingredients like sodium chloride, aluminum oxide or bicarbonate.

How does this all work? How much does microdermabrasion cost? Well, it can be compared to an inexpensive “facelift” with immediate results. Microdermabrasion works on the top layer of the skin called, the stratum corneum where the blemishes , wrinkes and fine lines are formed. Unlike Botox or Restylane or Artecoll or any other variety of cosmetic fillers, It is not an invasive process Microdermabrasion is not a cosmetic filler to replace loss of volume in aging skin. What does it cost? You can get this procedure from anywhere between $50 - $175 a session. Some salons offer package deals. The esthetican will determine how many treatments you will need to get the results you are looking for...

Why is microdermabrasion so successful? The tool and formula and strength used by the esthetician will actually breakdown the upper layer – the stratum corneum. This is interpreted by the body as an injury and reacts with crythema and mild edema (swelling). This can last for a duration of an hour for up to two days What the body is actually doing is now creating new skin cells and a smoother surface.

Microdermabrasion is able, by this process to repair fine lines and wrinkles, repair sun damage skin and blemishes. The anti aging moisturizing creams used after the treatment can then access the deeper layers of your skin . With repeated treatments and over a period of time, it can also fix minor acne scarring. The microdermabrasion procedure creates new healthy skin cells which is why as an anti-aging procedure it is so successful.

You can use microdermabrasion for any of the following problems dull aging skin, sun damaged skin, brown age spots, superficial acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin texture and tone and melasma (hyper-pigmentation).

However, microdermabrasion is not a good idea if you have any of the following skin conditions on your face: Erythematosis, Psoriasis, Active rosacea, Diabetes mellitus, Herpes, Dermatitis, Lupus, Vascular lesions, broken capillaries, open sores, warts, Eczema, severe acne, skin lesions or if you are taking anti-coagulants.

Microdermabrasion is one of the best antiaging procedures for the cost of value of the treatment. You will see the results and your skin, though it may be red for a short time after the treatment, will feel brand new, fresh and super clean. Follow your esthetician’s recommendation for follow up treatments to get the results you are looking for.