Wrinkles

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WRINKLES

There has never been a shortage of products that cosmetic manufacturers claimed could stop or erase wrinkles but didn't live up to their promises.

Smoothing things over

Shop for a product with AHAs

To erase fine wrinkles and prevent more from forming, make alpha hydroxy acids the foundation of your daily skin-care regimen.

Test first

To start using AHAs, smear a drop of a 5 percent AHA preparation on a small section of skin under your jaw. If there is no sign of redness or irritation by the next day, the next morning you can wash your face, pat it dry, apply the AHA preparation to your face, then apply your usual sunscreen.

Do the eye area last

Smooth the AHA preparation over your entire face, but no closer to your eyes than the length of your eyelashes. You can use it underneath your eyes, but not on your eyelids. And be sure to follow up with a moisturizing eye cream.

Repeat daily

If no redness or irritation occurs, begin using the preparation once a day. You may experience some tingling as the AHAs begin to work, but the tingling should subside within a few minutes. If no irritation develops after several days, you can increase your use of AHAs to twice a day: once in the morning and once at night.

Double up on sunscreen

I generally recommend that women use two sunscreen at the same time if they plan on spending the day outdoors.

Forget tanning booths

Tannning salons should be called wrinkling salons. Tanning parlour operators and tanning equipment manufacturers claim that tanning booths and tanning beds give a safe tan. The truth is, tanning equipment produces rays that can cause premature wrinkling of the skin and skin cancer.

Keep your weight steady

Gaining and losing even small amounts of weight can create fine wrinkles by the constant stretching and tightening of skin.