Dr. Narendra Patwardhan

There are a variety of aspects of skin care that have to do with elements and habits that are outside the products and treatments one may use in order to get youthful looking skin and retain its natural glow. Here is a list of five mistakes that may be aging your face despite the best efforts in terms of skin care. Banish these habits today to ensure that you do not end up with wrinkles and fine lines prematurely.

1. Make Up: While there is nothing wrong with using make up on a regular basis, the cardinal sin that many of us commit includes not cleaning the make up properly before we hit the bed. Many of us are so tired by the end of the day that we end up sleeping with our mascara and lipstick still on. The ingredients of such products can greatly alter the quality of your skin if left on for too long. You will need to allow your skin to breathe without any layers of make up so that your dead cells can get replenished and the elasticity of the skin is retained.
2. Sun Exposure: Prolonged sun exposure without proper protection like a proper sun screen can lead to long term damage and skin diseases too. Not only should we remain in the shade with a large floppy hat whenever we are out in the sun, but we should also do a little research and get the best SPF possible that will also suit our skin. Also, we should avoid staying the sun for too many hours in a row.
3. Hydration: Many of us make the mistake of having sugary drinks and other beverages when the skin actually needs plenty of water for proper hydration. The skin tends to get dehydrated quickly because of the constant exposure to the world outside and all its micro particles that we catch from pollution and general dirt and grime. Therefore, it is important to replenish the skin with the clear goodness of natural water rather than drinking too many sugary beverages that can harm the collagen and break it down in the long run.
4. Sleep: Late nights at work or play can both be extremely detrimental for the skin as the skin needs some rest in order to get the regeneration process going in a smooth manner. Tired looking skin with dark circles can give way to crow's feet and fine lines that look very unbecoming on a young person.
5. Too Many products: Ensure that you use only a few products for a prolonged period, rather than using too many products and changing them often. This will keep the skin looking fresh and young.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Skin care and beauty products are a multibillion dollar industry which has been known to use unscrupulous methods to ensure the success of their products. Not all of them are fraudulent as some specialist creams are known to be effective. The majority however is mostly a mixture of marketing gimmicks and very run of the mill ingredients which don't really do anything. Let's look at a few reasons why most anti wrinkle creams don't work.

1. Creams bought over the counter, barring non prescription ones, are mostly just moisturizers - When you buy a new wonder cream which is supposed to be beneficial for your skin and reduce wrinkles, all it may be doing is actually just moisturizing the skin. This results in smoother looking skin although the wrinkles are still there. This with the combination of the placebo effect makes you think it may actually be working to reduce your wrinkles.
2. The use of marketing to make a product appear what it isn't - Anti-wrinkle cream manufacturers use clever ploys to market their product and make it appear as a magic solution when it isn't. Digitally enhanced photographs and the use of models that are gifted with exceptionally good skin may lure you into buying their product when it may not be effective for you at all.
3. Lack of real ingredients - These creams lack the real ingredients for it to be effective anti wrinkle agents. Retinol is a regulated drug which is used in many high end creams and is known as the anti wrinkle drug. However, cheaper creams may not have any of this chemical and thus all the claims are complete hoaxes.
4. Making expectations too high - The human body is meant to change throughout the years, but due to excessive and hyped marketing, many are led to believe anti wrinkle creams will work wonders on them. However, even the best cream can only do so much and thus it is important for you to have realistic expectations of any product.
5. Wrinkle prevention is always easier than removing them - Leading a healthy lifestyle where you keep your body hydrated, and follow a proper diet and exercise well will do wonders for your skin. Keep your skin hydrated with light moisturizers as well and it will prevent more wrinkles from showing up. However, existing wrinkles will not go away completely but will remain minimized if you have a healthy lifestyle.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

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