wrinkles-related stories
Look Better Without Trying - This Week on AOL Health
Fitness, Alternative & Green Health
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Beautiful Foods
Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements
Has anyone else noticed a preponderance in the number of TV commercials pushing antioxidants? Every other beauty product is "infused with the power of antioxidants," and every new juice on the market has also harnessed the healing powers. I mean, even if you're not one to jump on the newest health and beauty trends, you've got to be wondering what antioxidants can do for you.
And I've got the answer -- a lot. Dr. Leslie Baumann, a leading global expert in dermatology, wrote in her most recent Skin Type Solutions newsletter that, in addition to preventing "heart disease, liver disease and certain forms of cancer, they may also offer some protection against neuro-degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. And if these aren't good enough reasons to convince you to start guzzling the pomegranate juice, I can also give you another one: Antioxidants also help prevent wrinkles."Basically, antioxidants help protect against free radicals, which cause damage inside and out and contribute to premature aging of the skin. (To be clear: While antioxidants can prevent further damage, they won't remove existing wrinkles). But, as Baumann says, there are plenty of ways to get these protective antioxidants, both orally and topically.
Tennis Controversy, Great Skin and Friend Affairs - Links We Love
How do you define a woman? Some in the tennis world are raising a stink about a woman born with male and female genitalia being allowed to compete against other women. Plus, our roundup of tennis players to watch.
Whether you want better skin (fewer wrinkles, reduced redness or a brighter glow) in a day, a week or a month, we'll help you achieve the younger-looking skin you crave.
How did your friend turn into his lover? Learn about the four kinds of "friend" affairs and what signs to look out for if you suspect your partner may be having one.
Week in Review: September 15 to September 21
This week, we finally saw the last of Hurricane Ike, after it finished wreaking havoc from Texas all the way to the Northeast. Ike was big and mean, and our thoughts are with our readers impacted by the devastation and destruction this storm caused.
Here's what else we've been talking about this week:
- Hey, you're exercising. That's great! But are you making one of these three fitness mistakes?
- Brooke Shields shows off her Calvin Kleins -- the exact pair she wore at age 15. How does she do it? Kristen dishes the dirt.
- Wrinkles bothering you? Get a face lift... for your refrigerator!
- Working out at home is an easy way to get fit. But what if your house could help you work out?
- Got some time to burn today? Use it wisely -- burn an extra 500 calories!
- Blogging's a great hobby, we'll agree. But not if it causes you to gain weight. Find out more about blogger bloat.
What you do in your 20s matters
Take sun tanning, for instance. It will age your skin, fast, because tanning equals wrinkles. No two ways about it. Wearing heavy earrings? How does lobe surgery sound? Wearing high heels too often can irreversibly damage the tendons in your legs, and toting a heavy purse around on one shoulder can lead to shoulder damage that may force you to carry around a backpack. Sexy, huh?
What you do in your 20s matters. Read this article for more proof.
Foods for fabulous skin
Fitness, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Following a balanced diet improves your overall health. Proper nutrition not only helps you feel good, though -- it also helps you look good!According to the Mayo Clinic, a diet rich in antioxidants has a protective effect on skin. And, the good news is that these foods that are good for your skin are also good for you in general! Conversely, certain foods actually seem to be related to skin damage. The Mayo Clinic says that a diet high in meat and full-fat milk can increase your risk of skin wrinkling.
To find out what you should be eating to keep your face flawless, check out our gallery.
Fit Beauty: The different types of wrinkles (and how to treat them)
You probably know the causes of wrinkles, right? There are internal factors (age and genetics) as well as external factors (sun exposure). But did you know you can actually tell the difference by how the wrinkles appear on your face?Wrinkles caused by internal factors will present in the form of thinner skin with less elasticity. You'll experience increased dryness and notice more fine wrinkles as well as slower scar formation.
Photoaging, or wrinkles caused by exposure to the sun and elements, will show up as deeper wrinkles and saggy looking skin. You might also notice irregular pigmentation, or brown spots, and your skin will appear rougher and more leathery.
So what does this mean for you? Well, if you're fighting your wrinkles, knowing what caused them is a good start -- if you notice that most of your problems seem to be related to external factors, you should probably invest in a big hat in sunscreen. Now. But, if you're really serious about diminishing your wrinkles, you have several choices.
What you eat shows on your skin
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
- Women with higher vitamin C intake had significantly fewer wrinkles. Makes sense since vitamin C is key in the formation of collagen, which protects the skin from damage and keeps it strong and elastic. For best results, be sure to get vitamin C not through a supplement but in its natural form -- think orange juice, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.
- Those who ate plenty of the nutrient linoleic acid had skin that was less dry and fragile. Known to keep skin moist, this stuff can be found in green leafy veggies, nuts, and plant-based oils.
- Women who ate more carbs and fat had more wrinkles.
It makes sense than that we put in our bodies what is truly good for us, on the inside and out. Check out the following gallery for 11 healthy -- and antioxidant-rich -- goodies.
An orange a day keeps the wrinkles away
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
"No longer easy on the eyes, 'cause these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below," croons Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard in a song off their 2005 album Plans. If you were to ask a scientist from the Corporate Research and Statistics Group to evaluate these lyrics, they'd tell you Mr. Gibbard probably needs more vitamin C in his diet.That's because research into the effects of vitamin C on skin revealed that of 4,000 people examined for a 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, those who consumed the highest amounts of this vitamin in their diets had significantly fewer wrinkles than people with the lowest levels. Researchers posit that the antioxidants found in vitamin C help increase collagen production and regeneration, thereby keeping skin looking younger.
However, not everyone subscribes to this 'An orange a day keeps the wrinkle away' construct. Many experts believe that it's too difficult, if impossible, to ascertain which specific foods actually contributes to wrinkles, or the lack thereof.
Aging fears not about wrinkles, gray hair
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements
What worries people most about growing old? It's not wrinkles and gray hair. It's something far less superficial. About one-third of 28,000 respondents in an MSNBC online aging poll said they are most worried about their ability to take care of themselves. One-fifth said they're afraid of losing their mental abilities, and 16 percent are afraid they'll grow very ill and experience a lot of pain. Only seven percent fear looking old and wrinkly.
The biggest priority for nearly 60 percent of respondents: Staying strong and healthy.
Daily Fit Tip: Use flower power for better skin
Daily Fit Tip, Alternative & Green Health
It amazes me sometimes how technology is always searching to create new chemicals and compounds to help us look younger and take better care of our skin when sometimes the best products are based on the most natural things. Have you ever considered lily extract for soothing and balancing out problem skin? I admit I haven't, or at least hadn't until I read this article over at Natural Health. Most commonly used for its fragrance, lily extract also has antioxidant and antiseptic properties that make it a natural for skin care. It moisturizes, softens, clarifies, and even minimizes pores.
Look for for "lily extract" or "tincture of lily flower" on the label.
FitBeauty: Tips for a fabulous face
Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
In most parts of the U.S., the sun is starting to shine a little more brightly, encouraging us to come out and play. Not only does the warm weather get us all frisky and ready to tackle all kinds of fun outdoor activities -- a change of season is also a reminder to take a look at our current skincare routine to make sure we're still meeting our skin's needs.It should go without saying, but I'm still going to say it -- first and foremost, make sure you're applying sunscreen every time you go outside. Hats and sunglasses will help protect your face from sun damage, too, but it's a good idea to get into the habit of applying a moisturizing sunscreen every morning.
Save face
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Alternative & Green Health, Men's Health
Trying to save face? No, not in the normal, reputation preservation sense. Rather, are you literally trying to save your face? With the exception of cosmetic surgery and Botox injections, there really aren't any ways to truly stop wrinkles from forming on an aging person's face. That being said, however, there are ways to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Creams and moisturizing lotions help to keep skin from drying, which helps to some extent. This method, of course, is far from a secret. But, a lesser known reason for wrinkles (and, correspondingly, a lesser known method of reducing their appearance) has to do with what you're sleeping on.
Unlike cotton pillowcases, those made of satin will better allow your face to slide more smoothly and do not sap away much moisture from your skin. As a result, your sleep lines will tend to be less dramatic and your face will appear less wrinkled.
Fight the signs of aging with sheep placenta
Filipino doctor, Dr. Florencio Q. Lucero, has presented this idea in the form of ActiStem Dermal, a product which aims to increase collagen and elastin production, thereby decreasing the look of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Dr. Lucero is a cosmetic surgeon who has been at the forefront of stem-cell therapy in his country.
However, he is quick to point out that ActiStem is not a stem-cell -- "it's a protein extract from the sheep's placenta." Therefore, he doesn't foresee the ethical and moral issues stem-cell usage has raised.
The product is backed by several former beauty queens (including two Miss Universes) who are now in their 40s and 50s, as well as the doctor's wife, all who claim it's safe and effective, and it's not baaaa-d news.
What do you think? Is this a healthy option with no repercussions? Is it better than what's currently on the market? Or should we all suck it up and live with our wrinkles?
George Clooney explains Hollywood's latest cosmetic surgery craze: Ball ironing
I can't even count the ways I love George Clooney. A lot of celebrities could take a lesson from him on how to handle the media attention (at least most of the time).He was recently interviewed for the April 2008 issue of Esquire, and when asked if it was true that he had cosmetic surgery on his eyes, he said he didn't, but went on to joke, "I did get my balls done, though. I got them unwrinkled. It's the new thing in Hollywood -- ball ironing."
This was the same interview in which he went online to see what rumors were circulating about him, and in response to one that said he was "GAY, GAY, GAY," he left a comment saying, "No, I'm gay, gay. The third gay -- that was pushing it."
The man clearly has a good sense of humor about himself, his fame, and the public's response to all that is George Clooney. If only more celebrities could be that secure -- we'd have more jokes than drugs, and more bouts of uncontrollable laughter than bouts of depression.
























