What Is The Best Way Of Treating Aging Skin?

In this day and age that people have become obsessed with the way they look, treating aging skin has gained an increasing importance in medical research. In this article, I will first try to give you an overview of the underlying causes of skin aging and then I will present the different options one has in front of her or him, when she or he is seeking the best route to retard the aging process.

As scientists say, there are two types of aging. One is called "intrinsic" and the other "extrinsic".

First, the "intrinsic" type. As its name suggests, this type of aging is caused by internal factors, i.e. from the genes we inherit. It is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. In a nutshell, what happens during this process is that the collagen and elastin underneath our skin, these are proteins which keep our skin youthful looking and firm, gets gradually depleted. As a result, our skin begins to sag and form wrinkles.

The speed, with which this process unfolds, depends on the type of genes we have. Some of us show visible signs of aging even from mid-thirties, while others seem to age gracefully, with no signs until our mature years.

And then, we have the "extrinsic" type of aging. A number of external factors often act together with the normal aging process to prematurely age our skin. Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure. Other external factors that prematurely age our skin are repetitive facial expressions, gravity (when elastin and collagen get less and less, the effect of earth's gravity on our body gets increasingly pronounced leading to drooping nose tips, elongated ears etc.) and smoking.

Broadly speaking, considering now the options we have in treating aging skin, there are two types of treatment. One is the more "aggressive" type, which involves application of direct cosmetic procedures that can only be performed by a qualified dermatologist. The other type is the "mild" treatment you can do on your own, involving use of appropriate anti aging skin care products.

Some brief examples of treating aging skin through cosmetic procedures are listed below. As you can imagine, thanks to the spectacular technological breakthroughs that have been achieved the last few years, there is an impressive and diverse array of cosmetic procedures that now exist and a complete presentation of these is beyond the scope of this article!

1. Botulinum Rejuvenation: This method is widely known as Botox. During this procedure, small amounts of botulinum toxin are injected into the desired area (face and/or neck).

2. Chemical Peeling: This procedure involves direct application of chemicals on the skin (face, hands, neck, and chest), peeling away many visible signs of aging.

3. Laser Skin Rejuvenation: This method of treating aging skin is relatively new, which has emerged due to the rapid advancements of laser technology. Today's lasers can diminish many signs of aging - from early wrinkles and age spots to deep lines and spider veins.

There are pros and cons in each method and there are a whole bunch of variables that one must carefully consider before she or he decides to go down this route.

The most important variables to consider would be signs of aging you want to correct (wrinkles, discoloration, dull complexion etc), your age, possible side effects, required downtime, expected results, how long the results are expected to last before you need to undergo some treatment again and finally the cost.

Each variable is different from individual to individual and can only be defined in consultation with your dermatologist.

And, of course, don't forget the most important issue of all! Regardless of all the pros and cons, the success of all methods is solely dependent on the skills and qualifications of the person performing it. Make sure that you trust your precious skin to a professional dermatologist, qualified for the particular method you choose.

Having said all above, we now come to an alternative method of treating aging skin, much less aggressive: Using high quality, natural skin care products. With no surgical procedures, no downtime and zero side effects and very important, much less costly, considering that almost all of the methods discussed should be more or less frequently repeated. Of course, it is a much more gradual process, without the spectacular, overnight results that these methods promise to deliver.

In conclusion, there is no one definite answer to the question "what is the best way of treating aging skin?" It all depends on personal preferences, expectations, personal budget, and individual circumstances.

Personally, I opt for the "mild" solution, using only natural, high quality skin care products. Visit my website to see products I recommend after extensive research.