Well, there is age discrimination in the corporate world, so the use of hair dye, Rogaine, and yes, mom's Retin-A has to take place.  Funny how we may look older, but feel so young inside.
As long as I can "do it" like I did in my 30's, all is good...

Hummm!  lots to tell ya!

But first lets just think about the difference between a cosmetic and a drug.

Cosmetic - little or no physiologic effect (that is - it does not alter the basic biochemistry of the body).  Drug!  well that does.

A moisturizer can contain a wide variety of ingredients (most considered safe) with little or NO FDA approval... HOWEVER the FTC (http://www.ftc.gov/) is an entirely different story.  What they can claim for a moisturizer is very different from what they can claim for a drug.  They can (and do) put a low does of sunscreen into a very wide variety of cosmetics, but if they claim no sun protection value, they are not necessarily subject to FDA approval... Think of this another way... deodorants are cosmetics... as are shampoos... anti-persperants (because they inhibit a natural body secretion) are drugs as are anti-dandruff shampoos....

RetinA certainly is a drug (first developed for the treatment of acne by Albert Kligman) that is now currently used to fight wrinkles and potentially reverse the photoaging of skin due to sun or UV exposure.  Retin A treatment should not be administered to women who are pregnant or who are trying to become preggers as it is a potent teratogen (causes birth defects).  

So while your face cream may say it contains a proteoglycan complex made from fetal sheep brain... well, it probably does, but it also probably never penetrates your skin to the living layers (ie, cells within the deepest layer of your epidermis) of your skin.  For the most part, what they moisturizers do is hydrate the skin.

However, after years of research - scientists have found that if you believe that a product makes you look younger and feel better about yourself... then a whole host of great stuff happens in your body - endophins- the right kind of immunomodulatory molecules are released... and you are 1) healthier and 2) look better as a result.... so my recommendation - find products that YOU believe do you good - as they probably do....

now on to a very interesting study that was conducted in a secret lab - in a world far - far away, a long long time ago...

We set up a number of animals... and exposed them to UV light (we shaved their skin or left their skin unshaved)... in looking at what made the biggest difference - age, amount of UV exposure or shaving... shaving made the most difference (Beneficial)  In another study, we "massaged" the back of animals... either with or without moisturizer...   of course we had a control group of animals to which we simply played with the animals for the same amount of time but without the massage.... the animals which received the massage (either with or without the moisturizer) had the healthiest looking skin... (moisturizer did slightly improve the skin).

As to what this means.... you should get (and give) a massge from and to your favorite provider....


I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.