Finding the Fountain of Youth

The search for the Fountain of Youth is, pardon the phrase, as old as time. After all, legend has it that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon was trying to find it when he discovered Florida in 1513.

But modern explorers determined to delay the effects of age on their faces don't have far to go. The "fountain" can be as close as the local drugstore or department store. The problem is that today's hunt is more like a maze -- hundreds of anti-aging facial products line shelves and cosmetic counters like liquor bottles in a supermarket.

And it also depends on what the modern-day explorer wants. Are deep wrinkles the issue? That's beyond what these products can do; in such cases, botox, other fillers or cosmetic surgery likely will have to be considered

But if the issues are more like fine lines and dull skin -- well, there could be some help for them. It's a matter of knowing what to look for.

Some companies have a sense of humor about all this. The cosmetic line Philosophy has a product called "hope and a prayer," a topical vitamin C powder that can be used alone or mixed with a customer's favorite product.

And then there's another Philosophy product: "when hope is not enough."

And this: "save me."

The proliferation of products -- from reasonably priced items to expensive ones -- stems in part from the baby boomer generation's focus on fitness and health. The search for anti-aging products falls right in line.

"We are trying to reverse sun damage. We're trying to enhance our skin, our natural beauty," says Dr. Marcy Street, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Doctor's Approach Dermatology & Laser Center in East Lansing, Mich. She's also a governor appointee to the Michigan Board of Medicine and founder of Doctor's Approach Skin and Hair Care.

"We're trying to prevent the inevitable, really, so that we don't end up needing a facelift at 50. It's skin wellness."

According to The NDP Group in New York, which tracks consumer and retail information for industries, the anti-aging facial-care portion of high-end skin-care products has grown by 33 percent since 2001, to a total of $664 million in 2005.

With so much out there, what's a woman or man to do?

First, you could make an appointment with a dermatologist for professional advice.

Short of that, however, there are steps you can take to prevent signs of aging on their faces.

The one step that dermatologists emphasize is this: Apply sunscreen or sunblock. Make sure it addresses both common forms of ultraviolet radiation -- UVA and UVB rays -- and has a sun protection factor of at least 15 or 30. And reapply it frequently -- one time doesn't last all day.

"It's the No. 1 thing that people can use," says Dr. Catherine A. Hoffman, a Fresno dermatologist. "Most people don't put sunblock on thickly enough, so I usually tell people to go with an SPF of 30 or higher."

Wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella also is a good idea.

A new ally to sunscreens in this country will be mexoryl, an ingredient available in other nations but just this week approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Mexoryl is popular elsewhere because it blocks UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB rays. Product prices haven't been set, but it typically costs more than other types of sunscreens.

Other steps to keeping your facial skin in good condition include a healthy diet, refraining from smoking and doing things as simple as rejecting straws (over time, the puckering motion can be a line inducer).

And then there are the products for fine lines and dull complexions. The key is looking at the ingredients and using them
correctly.

Tretinoin, or Retin-A, for example, is derived from vitamin A and is the active ingredient in brands such as Renova.

Dr. Marsha Gordon, vice chairman of dermatology at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital and a consulting dermatologist for the St. Ives skin care line, says these kinds of ingredients can smooth out the appearance of fine lines, even out pigments and help skin look more smooth and vibrant.

Under the category of what "might work," Gordon says pentapeptide, which is a peptide consisting of five amino acids, shows promising possibilities. She also cites soy extracts.

Gordon adds that moisturizing is a key measure, especially those with dry skin: "We know that dry skin, if it gets dry enough, has the ability to become inflamed. Inflammation, we know, can cause damage."

But those with other types of skin, whether oily or combination skin, should monitor themselves, too. Skin types can change with age.

Street says products with antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, can help deal with damage from sun exposure. So can alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids that act as exfoliants to remove dead skin cells, allowing skin to look rejuvenated.

People who want to try anti-aging facial products should do so in a slow and certain way, Gordon says.

"My feeling is that if it's a reputable brand and you want to try it, go ahead and try it," she says. "Try one at a time, and don't overuse. Use it according to the product guidelines. Give it a good two or three weeks before you add another one. If there's any irritation whatsoever, make sure you stop."

And, Gordon says, don't judge a product by how much it costs: "Price is not necessarily at all an indicator of how good a product is."

Costs can vary widely.

Brands such as Neutrogena and Almay are reasonably priced, with products at about $20. For example, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Serum, Anti-Wrinkle Intensive, at one ounce, costs nearly $18.

Philosophy's "hope and a prayer" is $35 per for one-quarter ounce. A Klein-Becker product called StriVectin-SD, which says it's enriched with a compound containing "patented pentapeptides," runs $135 for six ounces.

The N.V. Perricone M.D. Cosmeceuticals line sells a Neuropeptide Facial Conformer at $570 for two ounces.

Hoffman suggests two books for people trying to determine their skin type and what may be best for them. One is The Skin Type Solution: A Revolutionary Guide to Your Best Skin Ever, by Dr. Leslie Baumann (Bantam, 2006). The other is It's Not Just About Wrinkles, by Dr. Neal B. Schultz with Laura Morton (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2006).

Elva Coronado, assistant superintendent for K-6 instruction for the Fresno Unified School District in Fresno, Calif., already is ahead of the curve on all this. She is 55 but started paying more attention to her face and skin when she hit 30. Ten years later, she remembers what her doctor good-naturedly told her about turning 40: "After you hit 40, your warranty runs out."

Coronado, who looks younger than her age, says she uses brands that don't cost a lot of money and "had some research behind them."

This is her routine: After she washes her face each morning, she applies a toner and then a facial serum that she also applies to her neck. Next, she uses an eye moisturizer and then a facial moisturizer.

And then, on many days, comes the sunscreen, with a minimum SPF of 30. It sounds like a lot, but she says it takes maybe four minutes tops.

At night, she washes off her makeup and applies a night cream. Once a month, she applies a facial mask for skin care.

She also tries to drink ample amounts of water, which helps the skin. In her days as a principal at Webster Elementary School, she wore a hat while out on the school grounds.

"I believe that consistency is the best practice," says Coronado, who adds she doesn't explore options such as botox. "I stay away from that. I know that what I use is working for me."

Source: The Fresno Bee. Powered by Yellowbrix.