Anti-Aging Tips

How to Look Younger -  - Good Housekeeping

Step 2: Smooth Lines with Retinoids

Why this works: In studies dating back over the past 20 years, they have been shown to help soften the look of fine lines and brown spots by increasing collagen production and normalizing skin-cell activity. "These vitamin A derivatives have a better-established track record than any other wrinkle-reduction creams," says Dr. Glogau. Even the milder, nonprescription-strength retinol may reduce the effects of chronological aging — albeit more gradually. When University of Michigan researchers applied a .4 percent retinol lotion to one of the study participants' upper inner arms as many as three times a week for 24 weeks, skin biopsies revealed that that arm had more of the building blocks that make skin smooth and resilient than the untreated arm.

What to try: The biggest challenge with retinoids is dealing with the potential side effects, such as redness and peeling skin. Your skin will, however, build up a tolerance, usually within six to 12 weeks. Retin-A is still the gold standard in prescription strength, though there are several less-irritating options — costing $100 per tube on average — including Retin-A Micro, Differin, Avage, and Tazorac. Researchers continue to seek ways of making retinoids more tolerable; one theory currently being tested at the University of Michigan is that using an ultra-mild facial cleanser and moisturizer will help calm the irritation. (The study findings are still a few years away.) Dermatologists also suggest you ease into using one: Apply a pea-size amount at night (sun exposure makes retinoids less effective), and try it every second or third night until your skin handles it better. If that's still too irritating, go with an over-the-counter retinol. These formulas are less potent, but are still effective. Try L'Oréal Paris Advanced Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Night Creme ($20, drugstores) or DermaDoctor Poetry in Lotion Intensive Retinol 1.0 ($75, Sephora).

Years younger: 6-7. You should start to see an improvement in a matter of weeks with a prescription formula, but don't stop there. "Keep using it," says Dr. Dover, who claims he can always spot a woman on a prescription retinoid because her skin looks "too good" for her age. Over-the-counter retinol converts to the active form, called retinoic acid, at a lower concentration — but the benefits will start to show up after a few months if you stay with it.

Step 3: Load Up on Antioxidants

Why this works: Antioxidants act as scavengers that neutralize free radicals — the particles that, in skin, cause sun damage and wrinkles, and can lead to skin cancer. They can also help protect against damage from environmental assaults like pollution and smoking, says Dr. Hirsch. Though there is still some debate about whether they can reverse sun damage, at the least they deliver modest skin brightening, says Dr. Dover, since better-protected skin appears more even-toned.

What to try: Some foods are loaded with antioxidants that are beneficial to the body overall, "but most people don't eat enough of them to benefit skin," says Dr. Hirsch. She recommends ingesting them and applying them topically. Look for vitamins C and E, pomegranate, idebenone, soy, green tea, niacinamide, and coenzyme Q10 in the top half of a product's ingredient list to get the most benefits from these often-pricey potions. Try Vichy Liftactiv CxP Bio-Lifting Care ($43, drugstores) or Desert Essence Organics Age Reversal Pomegranate Face Serum ($15, Whole Foods).

Years younger: 1-2. If your skin immediately radiates youthfulness after slathering on an antioxidant-rich cream, thank your moisturizer; antioxidants won't work that fast. You have to keep using them for five or six months, says Dr. Dover, to see the benefits. After that time, not only should your skin tone be more even, but some of the fine lines may smooth out, and drier-looking skin will appear revitalized.

Step 4: Sleep Well

Why this works: Lack of sleep definitely saps your glow,
instantly aging you (think puffy, red eyes). But it also affects your
skin in stealth ways: Fatigue causes cortisol, the stress hormone, to
rise sharply. "If cortisol is chronically high, it can age you by
breaking down collagen in skin," says Amy Wechsler, M.D., dermatologist,
psychiatrist, and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection. Just one
nighttime sleep disruption can prompt your immune system to turn
against healthy organs and tissue: When researchers at UCLA interrupted
volunteers' shut-eye from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., they found that sleep loss
triggered the body's inflammation response; curiously, this effect was
found in women only.

What to try: "The one thing that seems to ring true for
everyone is to pick a bedtime, and then an hour beforehand, no more
BlackBerry-ing, e-mailing, or TV news," says Dr. Wechsler. "Instead,
read a novel, watch something funny on TV, or have sex." Cortisol is at
its lowest when you're sleeping, during exercise, and after sex, she
says. Then, if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall
back asleep, do something that bores you, like reading your least
favorite section of the newspaper (hello, sports page).

Years younger: 2-3. If your skin is aging due to lack of
zzz's, improving your sleep habits will definitely give it a youth
boost. "It's hard to know exactly how much younger you will look by
sleeping more," says Dr. Dover, "but when someone who doesn't get enough
sleep or tends to stress a lot comes back from a relaxing holiday, she
almost always looks a few years younger."

Step 5: Exfoliate Gently and Often

Why this works:
At-home peels or even a simple face scrub can make your complexion
look much more youthful and radiant and may also boost collagen
production, says Leslie Baumann, M.D., director of the University of
Miami Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute. "It's one of the best
ways to see a quick difference," she says. As you age, skin tends to be
drier and dead cells cling to the surface, giving it a rougher texture.
When you shed those dead cells with a scrub or peel, it enhances the
functioning of your skin: Water-retaining cells come to the surface, and
active ingredients in your skin care — like antioxidants and retinoids —
penetrate better. "Regular exfoliating is also therapeutic if you have
acne-prone skin," says Dr. Glogau. One caveat: People who have sensitive
complexions or rosacea should skip this step — or at least exfoliate
less often — since those dead cells actually shield skin from
irritation.

What to try: The most effective, least
expensive options are grainy scrubs that have small, round particles.
Try St. Ives Elements Microdermabrasion ($7, drugstores) or SkinEffects
Cell2Cell Anti-Aging Exfoliating Cleansing Scrub ($10, CVS). "The
particles should be smooth and feel like sugar in your hand," says Dr.
Baumann. If they are too big or rough, they can tear skin. At-home
chemical exfoliators work more slowly and may cost more, but they too
help loosen dead cells. If manual scrubs are too harsh for your skin,
choose a chemical wash with glycolic acid, or try a gentler salicylic
acid formula (it may also treat acne). Try Aveda Enbrightenment
Brightening Cleanser ($35, aveda.com). And if you're also using a retinoid, try sloughing skin twice instead of three or four times weekly.

Years younger: 2-3. There are two provisos, say experts.
First, you've got to stick with it to keep seeing improvement. You'll
get even better results by also doing monthly doctor's-office peels
(glycolic acid or microdermabrasion), which remove the upper layer of
skin and may stimulate collagen production. Second, you'll benefit the
most if you combine this step with one (or more) of the others listed
here.

Step 6: Add Moisture

Why this works: By
menopause, the majority of women need a daily moisturizer. "It's what
gives skin that smooth, radiant look," explains Dr. Glogau. In fact,
most skin care that promises to improve the look of wrinkles in just a
few weeks is probably doing it by moisturizing.

What to try:
Effective hydrators include those, like glycerin and hyaluronic acid,
that draw water into the skin, and others that prevent water from
escaping, such as petrolatum and lanolin. Try Dove Deep Moisture Facial
Lotion SPF 15 ($7.49, drugstores) with glycerin. Natural moisturizers,
like olive, sunflower, and coconut oils, can also hydrate skin; skip
them, though, if you're prone to acne. Try: Kiss My Face Obsessively
Organic Under Age Ultra Hydrating Moisturizer ($21, Whole Foods) with
sunflower and grapeseed oils. What won't work: drinking more water.
There's little evidence that staying hydrated internally can do anything
to reduce wrinkles, though if you're dehydrated, water will definitely
give your skin a smoother look.

Years younger: 2-3. Though
they have to be reapplied in order to keep up the benefits,
moisturizers can help you look a few years younger almost immediately,
says Dr. Glogau.

Can light make you look younger?

Handheld
LED machines — scaled-down versions of the ones in dermatologists'
offices and spas — promise to stimulate collagen, improve skin texture
and tone, and smooth fine lines when their red and/or infrared light is
directed at your face. True? The Good Housekeeping Research Institute
put five recently introduced devices and their anti-aging claims to the
test. Volunteers followed each manufacturer's protocol, using the
handheld gizmos daily to once a week for four to six weeks. But with
very few exceptions, testers' fine lines and wrinkles were unchanged
after the prescribed periods. The bright spots: Evis M.D. Platinum Red
LED Rejuvenating Facial Light ($295, department stores) and Tända
Regenerate Anti-Aging Starter Kit ($275, Sephora) improved sunspots,
pores, and skin texture in lab evaluations. The bottom line: Though you
may get some skin benefits from at-home LED devices, these costly,
time-consuming treatments appear no more effective than a good face
cream at turning back the clock.