Because an increasing number of people are living to a greater age and are more active, it is not unreasonable to want to continue looking youthful for as long as possible. It makes up about a quarter of the total protein content of structural protein found in skin. Collagen is related to other anti-ageing substances in the body called anti-oxidants.
Vitamin C is arguably one of the more widely used anti-oxidants being used today but the recommended daily intake is still undergoing some debate. Unfortunately all skin care treatments that use vitamin C have the problem of atmospheric oxidization to contend with once the product is exposed to the air.
Other skin care treatments which mimic the effects of vitamin C are being tried all the time which are hoped to be more stable in the atmosphere and also cheaper to produce. Unfortunately the anti-oxidant products used to replace vitamin C are not as effective but as vitamin E and lipoic acid can both have the same effect; this is not too much of a problem.
The body uses vitamin E as an anti-oxidant and is also used to increase the natural defense we have against disease, including many types of cancer, it is a fat soluble vitamin in people’s blood. It’s function is to provide energy and reverse much of the damage caused to the skin by ageing.
Another group of products used to reduce the visible signs of ageing are phytochemicals which are compounds extracted from various plants and used in many anti-ageing skin care products. Another major plus, like the benefits of alpha-lipoic acid, is their ability to lower the occurrence of certain cancers like prostate, breast and colon cancer.
Other vitamins from the B group, are also used in anti-ageing skin care like vitamins B5, B6 and B12 for example. The use of anti-ageing skin care products is a huge scientific field to research and has far greater potential than just producing goods that reduce the visible signs of age.
A great deal about the ageing process has already been learned and the products available today are already far more advanced than ten years ago but there is still a long way to go. The amount of research going on in this field will undoubtedly bring results in time, hopefully bringing down the cost of these anti-ageing skin care products in addition to increasing their reliability.
However, man-made skin care regimes should be used only as a supplement. So, drinking plenty of water, getting a good night’s sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining healthy eating habits and keeping stress at bay are essential means of delaying the ageing process.
