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Don't buy skin care anti wrinkle cream unless you know what to avoid. Two years after research confirmed that oxybenzone is a photocarcinogen, it is still found in many anti wrinkle creams and lotions. What's a photocarcinogen? Let me explain. A carcinogen is anything that causes cancer in humans. A photocarcinogen is one that only does so when it is exposed to sunlight. Guess why oxybenzone is included in anti wrinkle creams and lotions. It's an organic sunscreen! If it weren't so scary, it would be kind of funny. The move towards providing a skin care anti wrinkle cream with an SPF (sunburn protection factor) rating happened quickly, with little thought of the consequences. Many dermatologists were against it right from the beginning for several reasons. First, anti wrinkle creams and lotions are designed to be used daily, usually on the face and neck. The daily use of sunscreen leads to vitamin D deficiencies, which we are seeing more and more in the elderly. It is one factor in the increasingly large number of people with osteoporosis; a thinning of the bones, which leads to an increase in disabling breaks and fractures in our bones. Second, of the hundreds of compounds that were shown to block UV light, none of them were tested for safety when used continually. That's how oxybenzone ended up in skin care anti wrinkle cream. The initial research only showed that it blocked UV light. No one looked at it's ability to generate strand breaks in DNA or the increased free radical production it causes. Anti wrinkle skin creams and lotions should contain ingredients that reduce free radical production and activity. It is free radical damage that eventually causes fine lines, wrinkles and cancerous growths. Ideally all sunscreens should have been evaluated prior to being introduced to the public. We know that lots of different things cause an increase in the production of free radicals, yet it appears no one thought to consider the effects that the continued use of sunscreen could have on our skin's overall health. UV light from the sun stimulates free radical production and most of the signs of aging are attributed to exposure to sunlight and pollution. A skin care anti wrinkle cream should contain antioxidants that penetrate deeply and STOP free radical production and activity. Research has shown that the most effective ingredient in reducing free radical production is Coenzyme Q10, a vitamin like substance that is recommended for a variety of health benefits. If properly manufactured, it has an amazing anti-wrinkle effect. Anti wrinkle creams and lotions should also contain natural vitamin E, plant oils and waxes and amino acids. Other natural extracts are beneficial, as well. For example, wakame kelp has been shown to increase skin levels of hyaluronic acid, an amino acid essential for elasticity.
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