sasseestefanie said:
I just started and I'm 18..... the sooner you start, the better...... some 15 year old models start on the stuff
Actually, this is not the case at all and is kind of dangerous thinking. Most "anti-aging" products are not appropriate for young skin and potentially very harmful in the long-term- doing more damage to the skin, while trying to prevent it
As I said in my earlier post, anti-aging creams are formulated for older skin, which is usually not producing as much oil as it used to. Most fifteen year-olds or every 25 year olds, do not need to be applying thick buttery creams to their skin! They ususally have enough or too much oils and thick creams can instigate breakouts. A lighter formula is better if you are not very dry.
Preventing wrinkles and aging in the skin has A LOT to do with sun protection (80% of the skin's aging is attributed to sun damage

). A good routine for teen-twenties who have normal/good skin, is good diet/exercise, gentle cleansing, adequate exfoliation, lots of h20, light moisturizing, and a great full-spectrum sunscreen- I'd say at least SPF30.
Again, many anti-aging creams contain retinol or other retinol derivitives, glycolic acids, or other AHAs. I am not saying that these are bad ingredients- quite the opposite actually. They are used to treat acne and prevent aging as they are great exfoliators- so they speed up the process of cell turnover and increase the effectiveness of other products (because the dead cells on the top layer of the skin has been removed.
What is dangerous here, is a teenager who is using these creams and not wearing a sunscreen daily. SUN DAMAGE CITY! They make you very sun sensitive and can cause a lot of damage that will not show up for years.
Prescription retinoids (retina, renova,etc.) that are used to treat acne and prevent aging, are accompanied by specific instruction from a dermatologist -
including the use of daily sunscreen, but many non-Rx products do not come w. these instructions or are not followed.