WHAT!! MY ANTI-AGING PRODUCTS ARE AGING ME FASTER!

How can my anti-aging products be aging me faster? There is a little saying that states, "too much of a good thing can be a bad thing."  Just look at diet cookies; just because they are only a hundred calories does not mean the whole box is a hundred calories, same goes with skin care.

Real Life Scenario:

• Esthetician- So what brings you in today Mary?
• Client- I just turned 35 and my skin is going crazy with acne, I have never had it before! I think I have adult acne.
• Estheticain- Ok. So you have never had a problem with acne before besides your monthly breakouts.  What has changed in your skin care regimen?
• Client- Nothing.
• Esthetician- Ok, so you have not changed anything. What product line do you use?
• Client- I use this product line from the drug store called Aging Eraser (not a real line). I also have a prescription for a retinoid.
• Esthetician-  How long have you been using it?
• Client- 1 Month.

BINGO!  Did you know that the majority of Anti-Aging products on the market today are meant for women 60 and older.  30 year old skin is still producing oil and functioning properly, 60 year old skin does not produce much oil, and their cell life cycle slows down.  Anti-Aging products are ment for skin that does not produce oil.
Once a women hits 35 she start to see cumulative damage to their skin and begin to freak out.  It doesn't help that product companies put at 20 year old on the cover of an ad for aging products (which makes our job a lot easier, NOT)    We as estheticians and the public haven’t quite accepted that too many topical anti-aging products with active ingredients might actually do more damage than improvement. Retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, peptides and vitamins, to name a few, can all be extremely effective in fighting signs of aging like wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. But when used incorrectly, they can be harmful.
"Using too many products on your skin, especially more than one anti-aging product, tends to irritate the skin which in turn may make aged skin more noticeable. "Applying more than directed can cause clogged pores, a blotchy complexion or other unwanted effects," says New York dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, MD."

WHY DO WE DO THIS?
So why are we all slathering on tons of anti-aging beauty products? Because we are impatient. As consumers we are told to want and expect instant results from active ingredients, but most products and ingredients take time to work. "It’s very important that you allow time for a product to work. While a moisturizer can immediately plump up fine lines, most products take at least six weeks to work and sometimes, it can take up to three months."

If you don't see results from active ingredients after six weeks, or if you believe the product you know and trust has "stopped working," talk to your dermatologist and then and only then should you consider trying a different product. THIS GOES FOR ESTHETICIANS AS WELL!  Do not give your client more products just to make a cheap 10% commission.  Our job is to take care of the client.  The best thing I ever adopted in my practice was taking  before and after pictures.  When we look in the mirror we see everything wrong  with us, we don't focus on the good things, or even the small changes, hell we just want to look 20 again.
Just be beautiful in your own skin, and accept things you can't changes. Products can only do so much, it's up to you take care of your skin inside and out.