A splotchy appearance stems
from a combination of skin type and sun exposure. The
lighter your skin, the more freckling, broken blood vessels,
and blotchiness you're likely to experience as you age. If
you were once prone to acne, it's likely that the dark red
spots are the remnants of past blemishes.
Over-the-counter products
that contain lightening ingredients such as
hydroquinone can help fade dark spots on skin of
every shade. You may also want to consider microdermabrasion
in which tiny aluminium oxide crystals are blown onto skin
and then vacuumed off along with dead cells.
Microdermabrasion's exfoliating action can also help
bleaching agents penetrate more effectively.
But if your skin is
extremely ruddy or blothcy, a chemical peel performed in a
doctor's office is a better bet. A solution containing an
AHA (usually glycolic acid) or trichloroacetic acid is
applied to skin, left on a few minutes, and followed by a
neutralizing solution. The acid lifts off dead cells,
revealing new skin underneath. These "lunchtime peels" - so
called because hey take only about an hour - cause little or
no redness and irritation, though your face may be flaky the
floowing week.
An intense-pulsed-light (IPL)
device specifically targets areas of brown or red
discoloration on fair-skinned women (it's not recommended
for use on dark skin, however).
You may need a series of
three to six sessions to achieve the desired effect.
Problem:
Dull/dry, rough skin
As you age, decreasing
estrogen levels influence the production of other substances
in your body. For example, the amount of hyaluronic acid, a
naturally occurring chemical that helps keep skin firm,
begins to decline, affecting your skin's ability to retain
moisture. Oil production also slows down, reducing natural
lubrication. To help counteract these changes, use creams
that contain humectants (like glycerin, citric acid,
propylene glycol, urea, and phospholipids) and emollients (such
as petrolatum, shea butter, and cetyl alcohol) to seal in
moisture.
Problem:
Furrows; frown lines
Moisturizers or makeup with
light-reflecting particles can make your expression lines
look less, well, expressive. These tiny flecks create an
optical illusion that puts your face into soft focus,
helping camouflage imperfections.
Botox injections are an
option if you've got the money and the inclination. A
purified form of the botulinum toxin, Botox blocks the
signals that are transmitted from nerve fibres to facial
muscles, temporarily paralyzing them. Within a week or so,
furrows become less noticeable and stay that way for about 3
to 6 months.
