Issue link: http://www.finelinesmagazine.com/i/1383719
fi nelinesmagazine.com 9 LACK OF FIRMNESS Elasticity issues accompany aging. The eye-area skin, especially the lids, is very thin and easily shows signs of aging. Taking good and gentle care of the eyes on a daily basis will help slow this lack of firmness. Habitually wearing sunscreen and good UV- protective sunglasses helps shield this fragile area from sun damage. Regular use of a high-quality eye cream also helps keep skin healthy. Ingredients to help: Palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3 (also known as Matrixyl 3000) help encourage elasticity improvement by suppressing the breakdown of fibers from oxidative damage, and increase production of collagen, increasing firmness and elasticity. Using such a product twice daily can provide impressive results over time. WRINKLES AND DRYNESS Wrinkling and dry skin are attributable to both cumulative sun damage and chronological aging, as well as long-term poor skin care. The skin surrounding the eyes and eyelids becomes dry, wrinkled, and crepey with many fine lines. Wrinkles are caused from repeated facial expressions over time, as well as sun exposure that damages collagen and causes other dysfunctions that affect your skin's appearance. Dry skin is often caused by impaired or compromised barrier function, which is the lipid complex (the space) between the cells in the epidermis. The lipids in this layer are formed during normal cell renewal. It is this lipid complex that holds moisture within the epidermis. When the renewal process slows due to chronological aging or sun-related damage, the amount of lipids that fill the spaces between cells dwindles, decreasing the moisture content and accentuating wrinkles. This may also be a major factor in skin inflammation and redness. Ingredients to help: Ceramides, when applied to the skin, fill in the gaps within the barrier function (the protective layer of the skin that acts as a "wall" between it and the outside world). This increases its moisture-holding capacity, which results in smoother, younger-looking skin texture. A daily-use eye cream or serum containing ceramide lipids (coupled with peptide technology) can make a noticeable difference in the appearance of aging and wrinkled eye areas. Reduction in redness and sensitivity is also likely. Ask your esthetician for recommendations on products that contain these ingredients. As always, the best way to treat eye-area aging issues is prevention. Taking routine, gentle care of the eye area, and utilizing proper daily sun protection and daily use of a modern eye cream, can help prevent and correct eye-area issues and let the eyes continue to look youthful and bright. ▪ Mark Lees, PhD, MS, CIDESCO, is an award-winning speaker, clinical skin therapist, and product developer specializing in acne and sensitive aging skin. He is the author of Skin Care: Beyond the Basics (Milady, 2011), The Skin Care Answer Book (Milady, 2010), and Clearing Concepts (Milady, 2013). marklees.com