Turn back the hands of time with products that work

We find our 30s to be the decade when all the years of sunbathing begin to take their toll, and fine lines and creases start to appear. More than 80 percent of the sun damage we experience in our lives, however, actually has already occurred by the time we are 18 years of age.

by Linda Leibl — 

Women in their 20s may have started having children, which often means dealing with stretch marks on the stomach. Stretch marks occur as a result of the tearing of collagen and elastic fibers during the rapid weight gain of pregnancy. It’s a good thing that during this particular time in our lives, we aren’t especially worried about wrinkles or aging yet, and good skin usually isn’t a concern.

We find our 30s to be the decade when all the years of sunbathing begin to take their toll, and fine lines and creases start to appear. More than 80 percent of the sun damage we experience in our lives, however, actually has already occurred by the time we are 18 years of age.

Then, factor in that most of us have been sleeping on one side of our face since we were small children. While looking into a mirror, take a clean white sheet of paper and hold it up to cover half of your face. Study one side carefully for five seconds, then repeat with the other side. If you look closely, you will probably be able to see more fine creases around one eye than the other, and a longer, deeper crease around the nasal-labial (nose-to-lip) area. The side that looks older is likely the side of your face that you tend to sleep on.

When we reach our 40s, the effects of a lifetime of sun exposure become more obvious. Sunscreen becomes more important to us. Little brown spots, often called liver spots (because they are the color of liver, not because of any condition you may have), begin to appear on your face, hands, feet and back. Rosacea, small broken veins on the cheek areas, also begins to show up around this time.

The brown spots and rosacea can be softened and, in most cases, totally reduced with the use of special-purpose skincare products. Not only can you find anti-aging products, but if you look for them, you may find products that are age-reversing. We are now in a “wellness revolution,” and baby boomers are demanding products and services that are highly beneficial and really work.

During our 50s and 60s, some of our bodily changes are due to menopause, which has a dramatic effect on our skin. Moisturizing is highly important because, as you age, the blood moves more slowly through your body, resulting in much drier skin. This is further compromised by heat and the dry desert environment, which further compound the skin’s loss of elasticity. This is the point when the skin begins the very first stages of drooping and sagging. Gravity is not our friend at this point.

In our 70s and 80s, our bodies may want a little more attention. Even those in this special group can still reverse the aging process. Yes, there is hope, so do not give up. We have the technology now that will allow anyone — from 19 to 99 — to not only prevent, but also reverse, the aging process. It’s what grandmothers have in common these days with their granddaughters — they all want to look great. There appear to be fewer years between the generations these days, and it is not uncommon for mothers and daughters to be mistaken as sisters. What mother wouldn’t love that?

On the other hand, in this day and age, even 19-year-olds are starting to look for age-reversing products. They claim they do not want to look “old.” They look at their parents and grandparents and can see their future in a glance. Their thinking with regard to their skincare is very advanced, compared to the way older generations were thinking and behaving at that age. They watch the myriad “makeover” programs on television — from making over your kitchen, backyard and closet, to making over your face and body. This gets them thinking early, often motivating them to action before the aging process takes a visible hold.

Unlike American women, European women have always taken care of their skin. They begin taking their daughters for facials in their pre-teen years. Europeans are eight to 10 years ahead of the American culture in the areas of skincare and fashion. The Swiss especially are known for their precision in research, science and development. They have high integrity and are highly advanced in the skincare field. They are continually revealing technologies that will take Americans years to develop. They work in the areas of botanically based Swiss principles, on which they have founded their companies.

American companies, on the other hand, prefer to spend the millions of dollars in their advertising and marketing budgets on campaigns of desire and hope. Rather than product ingredients and efficacy, the American consumer is paying for advertising, marketing, packaging and labeling. In addition, if you purchase cosmetics from retail outlets such as department stores, food stores, health stores, salons and various boutiques, you also are paying for their rent. You are not paying for what is inside the bottle; you are paying for the outside and all that is involved in getting it from the manufacturer to you, the consumer.

Remember that there are different levels of personal care products. You want the purest, safest products with the most benefits. Look for “before and after” photos that prove you are getting the great results you are paying for. You might even ask the store if you can buy the products wholesale — the same price they get — just to see what they say.

The thing to remember is that whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond, it is never too late to begin preventing or reversing the effects of aging. During my 20 years in the skincare field, I have had the opportunity and pleasure to treat three generations of women and have seen the difference a little knowledge and effort can make in their appearance.

To your health and happiness.

Linda L. Leibl, B.S., has been a clinical aesthetician since 1986 and founded Advanced Skin Technology in 1993 in Scottsdale, Ariz. She recently created the four-component Anti-Aging Facial. www.SharingTheMagic.MyArbonne.com. 480-443-3445 or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 25, Number 4, August/September 2006.