Wrinkles are caused by a variety of factors including repeated facial expressions such as squinting, smiling frowning etc., aging, and environmental damage from the sun or smoking. Anti wrinkle skin creams are formulated to undo this damage by repairing and moisturizing the skin. The skin is comprised of three layers, the top layer the epidermis, the middle layer is the dermis which contains the structural elements and connective tissue and the bottom layer of subcutaneous tissue contains fat cells.
As we get older the cells in the epidermis become thinner and lose some of their stickiness. The skin looks thinner and the loss of stickiness reduces the effect of the epidermis as a barrier so moisture is not kept in the skin as efficiently and the skin dries out more. The skin is less able to replace epidermal cells as we age so repairing blemishes and damage is less efficient.The dermal layer contains collagen which acts as a support to the skin and prevents sagging. Collagen is damaged by the sun and other environmental factors and the body id less able to repair or produce new collagen as we age. The result is less support for the skin which sags and produces lines and wrinkles. Elastin is also in this layer and Is Important to maintain the elasticity of the skin. This is also damaged by age and the environment which results in less elastic skin which contributes to the occurrence of lines and wrinkles.
Other factors also contribute to the skin aging and becoming lines including the decrease in sebum produced by the sweat glands which leads to dryness and many other factors.
How do Anti Wrinkle Skin Creams Work?
Most anti wrinkle skin creams available today work by helping to restore the damaged collagen and elastin and moisturizing the skin effectively to combat the dryness often associated with aging skin. Small molecules are able to penetrate the epidermis to the dermis below and repair damaged collagen and elastin. Retinol and other vitamin A derivatives such as tretinoin which is available in prescription only anti wrinkle skin creams work in this way. Alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) including glycolic acid are excellent exfoliants which help to remove the top layer of dead cells leaving behind a smoother, better colored skin. They are also small molecules that can penetrate the epidermis where they loosen the bonds holding the dead cells on to the skin, allowing them to be easily sloughed away. Glycolic acid is also an excellent moisturizer to plump up cells and help the skin to look firmer.
Other ingredients often used in anti wrinkle skin creams include coenzyme Q10 and copper peptides. Copper peptides are small molecules where a peptide is bonded to an atom of copper. They have been shown to be effective in the healing of wounds and in reducing scar tissue. They have been shown to be effective in promoting healing after dermabrasion or chemical peels and may be effective at preventing wrinkles from forming. There is little evidence that they can reverse the formation of lines and wrinkles. Coenzyme Q10 is needed by the body for various functions and the levels in the skin decrease as we age. Coenzyme Q10 is important in the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.
Skin with lower levels of Coenzyme Q10 is more prone to damage by the sun and other environmental factors so in theory applying an anti wrinkle skin cream containing Coenzyme Q10 should help to prevent the damage. There has been few clinical studies of the effectiveness of Coenzyme Q10 in reducing lines and wrinkles and it is unclear whether the concentration found in anti wrinkle skin creams containing this ingredient are sufficient to have any beneficial effect.
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