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What is the secret to anti aging?There isn't one! You cannot stop the aging process but you CAN slow it down.
Many people see the concept of anti aging as being based purely on vanity. These startling statistics would appear to support this view:
$664 million dollars spent in the US in 2005 on anti aging products. 1/3 of UK women use anti-aging creams and spend £600 each per annum on facials, massages and anti aging treatments. 48% of Spanish women, 53% of French women and a massive 64% of German women regularly use anti aging skincare products 2.3 million Botox procedures were performed in the US in 2003. In the same year, 8.3m cosmetic procedures were carried out of which 20% involved surgery. The Botox market in the US was worth $900 million dollars in 2002.
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But WHY do we grow old? The scientific answer lies in the GLUE that holds our skin together = COLLAGEN ("Kolla" is the Greek word for glue by the way) (copyrighted image courtesy of
Collagen is the most common protein in mammals and is the main ingredient of bones, teeth, tendons and ligaments. It is also the key component of the connective structure supporting the skin, making up 90% of it's dermal volume.
It provides strength, suppleness and elasticity to the skin but as we age we lose Collagen, leading to dry skin and wrinkles. Wikipedia has some great additional information on Collagen for the scientists amongst you!
So, I can stop the aging process by putting back the lost Collagen, I hear you ask? Well, Collagen injections are certainly popular - there were 1 million procedures carried out in the US in 2001 alone. They declined to only 600,000 in 2003 due to the introduction of a more popular anti aging remedy - Botox.
Most people looking for a cure to the aging process have heard of Botox but do you know what it is and what it does?
Botox is a toxin that was first approved in 1989 by the Food and Drug Administration in the US to treat cross-eyed patients and those suffering from uncontrollable blinking. After years of medical use, the cosmetic application for Botox was discovered. The toxin itself causes food poisoning but, after it has been sterilised and purified, it can stop the release of a chemical called "acetylcholine." This chemical, released by muscles in the face, causes the facial muscles to contract which leads to wrinkling of the skin (frown lines and crow's feet around the eyes, for example). Botox injections effectively try to stop muscle relaxation by blocking the production of acetylcholine.
Okay, those are the main NON surgical anti-aging treatments. We won't mention the SURGICAL ones as we're a little squeamish and don't like knives, even sterilised ones! But there are also a whole load of other factors that contribute to the aging process: Diet, lifestyle, stress, trauma, standard of living and hereditary factors all add up to how we age in differing ways and at differing speeds.
In today's mad mad world, we would all love to eat and live more healthily and there is no shortage of experts telling us what to do. Indeed, if we took every piece of advice thrown at us regarding how to live, eat, sleep, drink and so on, we may all live to be a hundred! Well we won't attempt to lecture you on the subject but you can find helpful hints and tips throughout this site. We would, however, like to share our little secret for anti aging with you: Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
Acupuncture works on reducing wrinkles by stimulating the body's own ability to produce Collagen, thereby slowing the aging process down. Combine your acupuncture treatment with a healthy diet and exercise and you will be amazed at the difference. It is also important to use a moisturiser to help hold back the aging process. Acupuncture helps to slow down the loss of Collagen whilst a good moisturiser aids the prevention of dry skin and loss of skin elasticity.
Good quality Collagen creams and masks can provide an excellent "intensive" treatment to supplement a course of facial rejuvenation acupuncture. But here's another little secret.
Your daily moisturiser must also contain Hyaluronic Acid otherwise you are wasting time and money. Hyaluronic acid is, like Collagen, a natural protein found in our bodies and is the BEST and most effective re-hydrating substance, having the potential to attract more than 100 times it's own weight in water. So the higher the concentration of this component in your moisturiser, the more effective it will be AND, because it comes from our own body, it is easily absorbed by any skin type.
If you are interested in finding out what Christine recommends to accompany her unique signature treatment, here.
And for hints and tips on how your lifestyle can affect the aging process, here.
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