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About Face

Surface Skin Techniques

Chapter Two Aging Skin Factors That Age the Skin How Skin Ages Hollowing Sagging Wrinkling Vitamin A Acid Cream Nonsurgical Face-lifts Injection Treatments Peels

Vitamin A Acid Cream - There has been a major breakthrough within the past five years with the age-diminishing Vitamin A Acid Cream, sold by prescription under a variety of brand names. Dermatologists began to use the cream to stabilize or stop the worst of the eruption of skin traumatized by acne, and in the treatment of precancerous lesions. They noticed that patients who used the cream for a lengthy period of time, up to a year or longer, actually managed to retard and reverse some of the natural process of aging.

Applied nightly, Vitamin A Acid Cream thins the dead cell layer of skin, which gives the skin a moisturized appearance. It’s relatively inexpensive and not very glamorous yet, but there is no doubt that it is remarkably effective for some people. Most of the commercial anti-aging creams on the market today do little more than cause temporary swelling of the superficial dead cell layer, which visually smoothes out wrinkles for a time. But Vitamin A Acid Cream gradually changes the cellular maturation of the epidermal layer of skin, giving the skin a more youthful appearance. Over a long period of time, months or years, it is reputed to lay down extra collagen within the dermas.

Before you charge into the local drugstore to demand a tube, you must get a prescription and be warned that a dangerous side effect of Vitamin A Acid Cream is that it could make your skin supersensitive to the sun and ultraviolet radiation. Sunbathing, or even accidentally remaining in the sun for extensive periods of time while picnicking or watching a baseball game, might result in a severe skin reaction. Users have to make a decision between getting a tan, or using the cream. During the summer months, a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) greater that 15 much be worn at all times. I wouldn’t recommend that your start a regimen with Vitamin A Acid Cream without first checking with your doctor.

I have a large number of patients on Vitamin A Acid Cream, and it is useful to know that about one-third of them love it and use it every day, one-third think it’s a waste of time, and one-third have a neutral opinion about it. The difference among them might be explained by the fact that a patient has got to be obsessive about applying it diligently every single night before bed. Chances are, if a patient doesn’t already have the habit of using a night cream, the results from Vitamin A Acid Cream will be less than satisfactory.

A new type of cream made from “fruit acids” is now available and has fewer side effects than Vitamin A Acid Cream. The active ingredient is glycolic acid in an eight to ten percent concentration. This cream works on the superficial dead cell layer of skin and the epidermis, smoothing the skin’s surface. Coupled with light, superficial and refreshing peels made of a higher concentration of glycolic acid, this cream can reduce the effects of wrinkling and aging.

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