Aging Gracefully

Aging Gracefully

Every morning I go thru this. I look in the mirror and wonder when I became my mother. Except on her, wrinkles made her look wiser and dignified. Wrinkles just make me look old. To me, the crow’s feet and lines in my forehead are glaringly obvious. My husband, bless his heart, tells me that I look the same as I did when we were first married 29 years ago. Of course, that is his standard response for everything. I could be walking around in a burlap bag and he would tell me the same. So I am on my own to figure out this wrinkle problem.

I would love to buy the best anti aging product or best anti wrinkle cream that would whisk me back to around age 25. Of course, I am not sure that any such product exists, and short of plastic surgery, I would settle to soften the effects of aging just a little longer. So I decided to see what is new and available short of going under the knife. Scientists have made numerous advances since the days when using cold cream was the only option available.

After doing extensive research, I have learned a lot about skin care and aging. I have also learned that there is no one right answer that applies to everyone. Just as each of us has a unique thumbprint, so each of us will age differently. Some of us will age gracefully because we received genes that will dictate this, and some of us will age not- so-gracefully. For those of us that were not endowed with good genes, the good news is that there are steps we can take to prolong our youthful appearance.

At the most basic level, nothing can compensate for poor diet, smoking, pollution, dehydration or the other myriad of preventable environmental factors. It is best to eat a healthy diet, free from unnecessary fat and junk food, and drink lots of water. Exercise when possible, as this will increase blood flow through out your body and bring essential nutrients to your skin, which will also help with a younger appearance. Avoid cola and other sodas, as a number of them have high phosphorus content, which will not only weaken the bones, but can, make skin look dull and dry. In some instances, environmental factors can actually speed up aging and we certainly don’t want to do that!

When we understand our skin and how we age, the choices of products becomes much clearer. Our skin is made up of 3 layers - the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The outer layer, called the epidermis, protects the other layers like a barrier to the outside world. The dermis contains the structural elements, or the connective tissue. There are various types of connective tissue with different functions. Two important types are collagen which gives the skin its strength, and elastin which give the skin its elasticity. The last layer, caller subcutaneous tissue, is made up as fat cells, which plump up the skin.

The effects of aging on the dermal layer are significant. The dermis gets thinner, and as we age, less collagen is produced and the elastin fibers wear out, thus reducing elasticity. The ideal wrinkle cream will work on these two components, which in turn will have an effect on the dermis, thus making us look younger. So what is the best cream that will work on these two layers? Since we will all react differently to different treatments, it is best to purchase trial sizes of products and decide what is working best for you.

If you don’t have time, or just don’t want to go through all of the searching, trial and error, you can read “Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me”, written by Paula Begoun. In this book she reviews over 25,000 products that are available for anti-aging and skincare. The book also includes reviews by average consumers.


For me, the perfect anti aging system is a series of products that address all of my skin issues. Systems that include a cleanser, a toner, a day cream and a night cream and have performed the best for my skin but have to be used religiously to see results. (The products are priced between $29.00 and $45.00 depending on what size you want, from 2 oz to 6 oz.). These prices are moderate; I have seen some products that are less and some that are considerably more. I didn’t want to go broke for vanity, so I stuck with the mid range pricing. And my husband still thinks I look like the young bride he married.