Do Anti-Wrinkle Treatments Actually Work?

The skincare world is full of proposed anti-wrinkle treatments – but do they actually work or are you wasting money?

Everyone wants to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, which is why we see so many treatment options, and we’ve got some great news for you. Many of them do work – but there are just as many that don’t! This post will teach you how to spot effective treatments, and how to avoid the bad ones.

As a result, you can enjoy anti-wrinkle benefits and stop wasting money on things that simply will never work!

The Main Anti-Wrinkle Treatments That Work

Generally speaking, most cosmetic skincare procedures are genuinely effective at removing wrinkles or reducing the appearance of fine lines. We won’t list them all, but here are three of the most popular: 

• Botox Injections – Yes, Botox is a legitimately effective treatment for wrinkles. It involves special neurotoxin injections that paralyze the small muscles in your face responsible for creating expressions and causing wrinkles. This can stop you from developing wrinkles on your forehead or at the corners of your eyes.
• Microneedling – Not to be confused with microblading (which is for your eyebrows) microneedling uses tiny needles that pierce your skin. They create “micro-injuries” which encourage the skin’s natural healing mechanism. As such, collagen production and blood flow are increased in the area, improving skin texture and gradually reducing wrinkles after regular treatments.
• Chemical Peels – Often seen as a skin resurfacing treatment, chemical peels are like face masks on steroids. The chemicals sit on your face and remove the outer layer of skin. It sounds crazy, but you end up with fresher, smoother, skin underneath. Like microneedling, chemical peels tend to be effective for wrinkles after multiple treatments.

As well as cosmetic procedures, you can find some topical treatments to combat wrinkles. These are provided by all the major skincare brands, so keep an eye on the following: 

• Retinoids – Skincare products with retinol as an active ingredient are proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. How? Because retinoids like this stimulate collagen production. Our skin develops wrinkles because collagen production slows down, so boosting it will have the opposite effect!
• SPF – Applying an SPF to your face will be a great anti-wrinkle treatment as it protects the skin from sun damage. This delays the appearance of wrinkles and is essential when used with other anti-wrinkle treatments to ensure they’re as effective as possible!

The Anti-Wrinkle Treatments That Don’t Work

Put simply, any skincare product that doesn’t include retinol won’t be good at reducing wrinkles. Steer clear of ones that claim to be infused with collagen – collagen is too big to be absorbed through the skin, so you’re not improving collagen levels this way!

As a general rule, cosmetic treatments are the most effective, though you should look for any treatment that can boost collagen production. The more collagen in your skin, the firmer and less wrinkled in will be. Hopefully, this tells you which treatments to watch out for – and which ones to avoid spending money on.