This is how long it takes for wrinkles to disappear

No matter how diligently you look after your skin, fine lines and wrinkles are inevitable – it’s just a fact of life we’re afraid. Fortunately, there are plenty of products on offer that are specifically formulated to diminish the signs of premature ageing so you can delay and lessen their appearance. To find out more about the exact ingredients and products we should be using and how long it takes before we will actually see results, we spoke to two of Australia’s top skin care experts: founder of hop & cotton, Ee Ting Ng; and founder of Paula’s Choice Skin Care, Paula Begoun.  

#1 / Ingredients to look out for

Paying close attention to a product’s ingredients list is key. A jar may claim to work magic, but if it isn’t packed full of the right ingredients, you’ll be left underwhelmed and disappointed with the lack of results.  

When on the hunt for a new anti-ageing skin care product, Ng says “it’s best to incorporate a combination of ingredients that all work to combat fine lines”. For instance, Ng suggests using vitamin A (such as retinol), peptides and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid and lactic acid to promote skin renewal and regeneration; vitamin C to encourage collagen formation; and antioxidants like vitamin E, CoQ10 and polyphenols to neutralise damaging environmental free radicals and prevent cell damage. She also recommends reaching for “skin identical emollients such as squalane, lanolin and oils with a variety of essential fatty acids (think oat, kiwi seed and argan oils) to repair and enhance barrier function to reduce water loss.”

And last but certainly not least – in fact, it’s the most important anti-ageing product you could ever use – apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects skin against both UVA and UVB sun rays to prevent photo-ageing and skin damage. 

#2 / The most effective products

In addition to using a potent anti-ageing serum and a UVA and UVB blocker (we like Ultraceuticals Ultra A Skin Perfecting Serum Mild and Dermalogica Solar Defense Booster SPF50 respectively), Begoun stresses “it’s incredibly important to use a topical leave-on exfoliant to help skin shed built-up layers of dulling, dead cells caused by sun damage and ageing.” Try Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid or hop & cotton The Smooth Operator Face Exfoliant.

#3 / How to know if you’re using too much

When it comes to fine lines and wrinkles and the products we use to combat them, we often have a tendency to want to use all of them at once to speed up the results. The problem with this however, is that many anti-ageing products are formulated with AHAs or vitamin A, and when used too often or in a concentration too high, “these ingredients (which stimulate cell turnover and regeneration) can cause side effects such as peeling, heightened sensitivity, redness and dryness,” explains Ng. As a result, it’s best to incorporate products with these ingredients into your skin care routine slowly - i.e. only a few times a week and in a concentration between 0.1 and 0.5 per cent.

#4 / How long until you can expect to see results

Unfortunately, topical skin care products won’t make fine lines and wrinkles magically disappear overnight. According to Ng, you should start to see results from your skin care products after the skin has had time for its surface to renew, which is approximately four to six weeks.

Are fine lines and wrinkles not the only skin issue you’re dealing with? If you suffer from redness, these are the ingredients every rosacea sufferer needs to include in their skin care routine. And if pimples happen to be your main skin concern, learn six ways to nip them in the bud.  

Do you have an anti-ageing skin care product that has delivered amazing results for you? Share it with us in the comments below.

Image credit: Getty