Moisturizers for wrinkle treatment: often your lines

Moisturizers are the easiest, least expensive wrinkle treatment available. There are many products on the market that will help your face feel softer and at the same time make you look years younger.

In fact, a British consumer group, Which?, has found that that a readily available moisturizer performed just as well as anti-wrinkle creams costing 60 times as much, according to a report in The Daily Mail.

According to the article, 12 products were compared in the six-week-long study on subjects between the ages of 35 and 65. Before and after photos were taken and analyzed by five skin-care experts in a blind study, meaning they did not know which creams were used.

The fact that an over the counter moisturizer performed just as well as high-end wrinkle creams is encouraging news to those of us who must count our pennies but still want to look younger. However, at least one dermatologist has criticized the study, noting that moisturizers and anti-wrinkle creams perform different functions.

San Francisco dermatologist Kathleen M. Welsh, M.D. said that while moisturizers do reduce the appearance of wrinkles, it is only for the short term because moisturizers are not intended to be wrinkle treatment. Welsh said prescription-strength anti-wrinkle creams treat existing wrinkles and prevent new ones from appearing. She added that these creams work over many months, even years, thus a six-week-long study was not sufficient time to make a true comparison.

So where does that leave the rest of us? By all means use a moisturizer. It will help your skin look moist and hydrated, thus softening the appearance of your existing wrinkles. When you get up in the morning, use a daytime moisturizer with sun protection factor to protect your skin against the various pollutants that attack your skin every day. When it’s time for bed, apply a nighttime moisturizer that will soak in to the deeper layers of your skin.

Over time, consistent use of these moisturizers will make a difference in your wrinkles. However, if you think you need some extra care, consider using a wrinkle cream with a moisturizer built right in. Wrinkle creams are different from moisturizers as they actually tone the skin’s surface (that is, clean out dirt and oil) in addition to moisturizing it. To really treat wrinkles deep down, you may also need to use a wrinkle serum, which stimulates the body’s production of elastin and collagen, two proteins that help the skin’s flexibility.

Finding the right product for your face is a matter of trial and error. Your best bet is to start with the least expensive products at the drugstore or the cosmetics counter. Be sure to apply them correctly, according to package directions. Apply them in a circular motion, gently working your way up your neck and face and from the outer corner of each eye to the center. One tip: apply moisturizer while your face is still damp to keep your skin extra hydrated.

Moisturizers are an important and effective way to keep wrinkles at bay. Use them regularly and give watch the years melt off your face.