There are many anti aging skin treatments on the market today and finding one that is effective and suitable for your skin may take some time and money! How do you sort out the best products from the hype and find a product that will help your skin to look younger and firmer without spending too much money? Firstly remember that the price ticket on a product has very little to do with it's effectiveness.

Research into the most effective anti aging skin care treatments and then look at the ingredients and concentrations included in the product you are contemplating buying. Some expensive products often have less active ingredients than products half their cost.

Before you buy a product you need to find out your skin type and it's current condition. Is your skin oily, dry or a combination? Is your skin young and healthy with only a few lines and wrinkles and will respond well to light treatments or is it older with more wrinkles and lines and will need a more aggressive anti aging treatment? Anti aging skin treatments can be purchased for each type of skin.

Anti aging skin treatments contain a range of ingredients some of which may or may not be effective. Some ingredients have been clinically tested and shown to be effective at restoring the tone and smooth looks to an older skin, some have not been tested at all. How can you be sure that you are purchasing an effective treatment? We've put together information on some of the ingredients found in these treatments to help you when you make a purchase.

Ingredients to Avoid

Collagen is a very important part of your skin as it provides a firm foundation that prevents the formation of lines and wrinkles. When it is damaged by age or environmental factors the skin begins to sag as it is not supported firmly from below. Collagen is a large molecule and just adding some to a topical skin cream will have no effect as it cannot penetrate the upper layers of the skin.

Ingredients That Have Been Shown to Work

Retinol or other vitamin A derivatives, such as tretinoin, have been shown in clinical studies to reduce lines and wrinkles effectively. Tretinoin is available by prescription only and is more effective than retinol. Retinol and other non prescription vitamin A derivatives have been shown to work but will take longer to produce the same effects as tretinoin.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin like chemical that is important for the health of the skin. It is a powerful anti oxidant and protects the skin from damage by the sun and other environmental factors. As we get older CoQ10 production in the body decreases. CoQ10 helps to repair damaged collagen and elastin in the deep layers of the skin and helps to restore elasticity and decrease wrinkles. Studies have shown that long term use of CoQ10 results in a smoother skin with fewer wrinkles.

Copper peptides are small molecules with consisting of a copper atom bonded tightly to a small part of a protein molecule called a peptide. They are well known for their ability to help the healing process so have been used in the past to treat wounds. They have the ability to promote the synthesis of elastin and collagen in the deeper layers of the skin as well as other components. They are useful in healing the skin after laser, dermabrasion or chemical peel treatments as well as help to control any skin irritation from other anti aging products. It is thought that copper peptides can slow down aging of the skin but more clinical studies are needed to conclusively prove this.

A Word of Caution

Some ingredients in anti aging skin treatment increase the sensitivity of the skin to the sun so you should always use a high factor sun screen if you are using these products. Some redness and irritation may occur after use especially with a new product but it should be mild and disappear in a few days. Some skins may be more sensitive to these ingredients so discontinue the use of the product if the irritation persists.

How Long Will it Take to See Results?

With any anti aging skin treatment you will not see results overnight. Some effects should be visible after about eight weeks of treatment but for the full effects expect to use the treatment regularly for at least six months. After this time you should see a significant reduction in the number and depth of lines and wrinkles.