Help for Aging Skin

Healthy Skin

It's true -- young, beautiful, vibrant skin, which can make you look a decade younger than you actually are, is within reach. Really, no matter what your starting point, you can dramatically improve the appearance and feel of your skin.

Although we all age differently, the culprits are the same, starting with biological aging, the natural breakdown of all skin cells. This process is pretty much wired into your genetic makeup, so if your parents look good for their age, then you'll likely follow in their lucky footsteps. Next up -- and this is a biggie -- is environmental aging, the one factor within your control. This is where your unhealthy habits, such as sunbathing and smoking, leave behind little unwanted souvenirs, including dark spots and premature wrinkling. Last, the new buzzword in skin aging is mechanical aging, which refers to the effects of your facial expressions, such as when you laugh, frown, squint, or scowl. Over time, these natural movements, which make your facial muscles work harder, contribute to wrinkling. (Not good news for a lot of stand up comics!) Of course, we're all for a woman's face showing a little character -- especially if the alternative means you can't let your feelings show!

With all this in mind, we went to Fredric Brandt, MD, a top cosmetic dermatologist in Coral Gables, Florida and New York City, to get you the lowdown on how to slow down all these aging processes, using everything from at-home microdermabrasion and peel kits to the new eye gels, firming creams, perfecting complexes, and more. While no one has figured out how to stop the clock, it's safe to say that we've never been closer.