Question of the month December 2009: Wrinkles

Dear Paula,

I am a great fan and follow your advice consistently. I am 41, and have fairly decent skin with regard to wrinkles, considering my teenage days of sun-tanning. I had oily skin as a teen, but now have combination skin with blemish-prone areas. My concern is that the skin around my eyes extending to my cheek bone and on the lids are wrinkled-profoundly so. It is almost like this dramatic change occurred overnight. I keep these areas moisturized and am careful that the beta hydroxy acid product I use does not "travel" to those areas. Short of an eyelift, is there anything I can do to decrease the appearance of the lines that is not a cosmetic corrective procedure? I am willing to use a cosmetic product to temporarily tighten them up, even just a little bit, so my makeup looks smooth again. I have recently stopped taking birth control pills and wondered if the lack of estrogen and approaching menopause could be a factor. Do you think I should use the BHA product around that area to lessen the lines?

Denise, via email search

Dear Denise,

I wish I could point to one product as being the answer to your woes, but I can't, because one doesn't exist. What will be hard for you is to avoid the seduction of the cosmetics companies wanting you to believe they have products (thousands and thousands by the way) that can erase those lines. Sun damage, age, loss of estrogen, muscle movement (especially for the eye area and forehead), fat depletion, and depleted collagen and elastin all play major roles in causing wrinkles. There isn't any one product that can address all or even most of those things once the damage is done. What can be done to improve this topically is up for debate. What most experts agree on (myself included) are the following: daily liberal use of a well-formulated sunscreen, application of a topical exfoliant (AHA or BHA), a product containing tretinoin (Renova, Retin-A, Avita), and a moisturizer loaded with antioxidants. Which antioxidant is the best isn't known, and there are those who would suggest an assortment of antioxidants is best because each exerts a different "repair" or prevention mechanism for the skin. However, whether any of that will delay the need to seek the expertise of a plastic surgeon or dermatologist who performs cosmetic corrective procedures is at best questionable.

By the way, BHA works well over all parts of the face to help it feel and look smoother. However, use caution when applying a BHA product around the eye, being careful to not apply too close to the lash line to avoid getting it in the eye.