Thursday, April 03, 2008
Anti-Aging
(KDKA) PITTSBURGH Forget those expensive skincare creams; the newest secret weapon in the fight against wrinkles may already be in your kitchen cabinet!
New studies show that green tea -- in its purest form -- can fight the signs of aging.
"Theoretically, green tea is a panacea. It's a wonderful thing for the skin," explains Dermatologist Dr. Miriam Cummings.
"It stops inflammation," Dr. Cummings adds. "It stops DNA from being damaged. It stops the sun from burning the skin; so in a perfect world it's the perfect thing to use on your skin."
But while Cummings says green tea shows great promise, she says age-conscious consumers may be better off focusing on less expensive ingredients for now. "I would go for other antioxidants. I think the antioxidants that are tried and true are vitamin C and E with folic acid."
Cummings says the most important product for healthy skin is sunscreen. Sunscreen, she explains, "is the number one thing you can do to slow down the whole aging process."
As with many topical lotions, Cummings cautions that users won't see immediate results with green tea. It could take a few years to see a difference, but she says it doesn't hurt to use or drink green tea since it has so many benefits.