Wrinkles are a part of life and they are an indication of old age. With this comes the fact that we all want to remain wrinkle free all our lives and for that we turn to many creams and medical procedures including surgery and botox. The usage of anti-ageing creams is a necessity as it can do wonders to the skin. Unfortunately, we are still unaware of many aspects on how we can stay beautiful and young hence, we turn to cosmetic creams after the occurrence of wrinkles and various skin pigmentations, especially women, can go to any heights to achieve that smooth flawless skin.

Scientists have long been exploring the myth ‘fountain of youth,” trying to uncover the secret to anti-ageing and some years ago their diligent search yielded a major discovery Retinol; a highly effective form of Vitamin A. It plays an important role in anti-ageing skin care and is the purest and most active form of Vitamin A, as it aids in the resurfacing and rejuvenating of the skin and helps to impart a clearer, more vibrant complexion for all ages and skin types.

As one gets older, the skin gradually worsens as stratum corneum (the layer of dead skin cells on the outermost layer of the skin that helps protect the deeper layers of the skin) begin to rub away. Also, the basal layer filled with collagen to protect the skin and elastin starts to fade. Retinol works by penetrating deep into the skin where collagen and elastin reside, as it stimulates more collagen production allowing the skin to repair and renew itself at a much faster rate. With this fact we also need to be aware that just because a cream contains retinol doesn’t mean it will get rid of your wrinkles. You need a high level of retinol and a good delivery system so the retinol stays effective in the bottle and penetrates deep into your skin when you use it.

For this particular cause and to raise awareness of how the skin can be nourished one of Pakistan’s leading dermatologists Dr. Fazeela Abbasi, conducted a beauty workshop recently where the topic of wrinkles was discussed in detail. Dr. Fazeela is an icon in the field of skin care and cosmetic procedures and is also an advisor/consultant in the Federal Ministry of Health. According to her the problem of ageing is solvable and the ingredient retinol is an important element. You! talks to her to find out more information on the cause of wrinkles and how they can be prevented:

You! How wrinkles are formed?

Dr Fazeela: Our skin resurfaces the basal layer of skin making new cells and sends them to the upper layers from where the skin cells get sloughed off in about 3 to 5 weeks. As we age the skin resurfacing process slows down, piling up the dead skin surface causing dullness and slowing the skin renewal mechanism, giving rise to wrinkles.

You! How to slow down ageing and keep a younger looking skin?

Dr F: Ageing is an inevitable process but could certainly be delayed. The first thing to do is to change your lifestyle to a healthy pattern. A healthy lifestyle focuses on a balanced diet including giving up bad habits like smoking, attaining proper sleep, appropriate workouts and a skin compatible regimen where strong sun exposures are avoided and proper anti-ageing creams are used in the right way.

You! What is a proper anti-ageing cream?

Dr F: The best anti-ageing ingredient is vitamin A derivative commonly known as retinol. So any cream having retinol is a proper anti-ageing cream.

You! How long retinol needs to be used to get a significant impact?

Dr F: You can see visible results in 4-6 weeks.

You! If retinol is that good, is there anything we should be aware of?

Dr F: The truth is that the quantities needed for retinol to exert a significant impact are very high i.e. 0.7%. It hence gets very expensive plus requires a dermatologist’s prescription as potent content levels as skin irritation could be a side effect. Though products with higher concentrations do exist but many do not deliver the purported benefits for a number of reasons. Furthermore, conversion rates of various forms of vitamin A to retinoic acid vary among individuals – the same concentration may yield visible benefits in some people and little or none in others.