The use of anti-ageing skin care products these days is on the increase and all things considered it is perfectly natural; as our lifespan increases so does our desire to remain active as well as look young and healthy. We achieve this with beauty products that synthesize the production of the protein collagen; twenty-five per cent of the skin's protein is collagen. This area of anti-ageing treatments is connected to another group of products that help people to look young; called antioxidants, they help flush out toxins from the body and help reduce the signs of aging.

Probably the best known of these anti-oxidants is vitamin C although no-one really knows just how much we should have each day. The main problem when using any skin care treatments which use vitamin C is that oxidization can occur as soon as they have contact with the air.

Other skin care treatments which mimic the effects of vitamin C are being tried all the time which are hoped to be more stable in the atmosphere and also cheaper to produce. Unfortunately the anti-oxidant products used to replace vitamin C are not as effective but as vitamin E and lipoic acid can both have the same effect; this is not too much of a problem.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and component of human blood whose purpose is to help increase the body's immune system; there is some evidence to show it helps prevent diseases including cancer. Lipoic acid, which is found inside every cell of the body, helps generate the energy that keeps us alive and functioning; it is also able to help reduce and restore the skin's aging process.

Another group of products used to reduce the visible signs of ageing are phytochemicals which are compounds extracted from various plants and used in many anti-ageing skin care products. A further benefit of these phytochemicals is their ability to prevent the onset of certain cancers; these include:

* Cancer of the Prostate

* Breast Cancer in Women (and occasionally men)

* Cancer of the Bowel

These three types of cancer are also becoming a global problem.

For some time now it has also been known that the vitamins B5, B6 and B12 also have anti-ageing skin care properties. Although the area of anti-ageing skin care products is huge, more is being learnt about the whole ageing process and about natural products that can reduce the effects it has on our bodies as well as our skin. Whilst a great deal has been learned about this subject, it is only the tip of the iceberg; with the number of genetic discoveries made in recent years, it is only a matter of time before conquering the effects of age is commonplace.

In time it is hoped that less expensive and more reliable anti-ageing skin care products will become available for a larger number of people to use. Scientific research into anti-aging products is still in the early stages but they should never be relied upon; fortunately there is a number of natural anti-aging regimes that can be carried out that do not rely on science. Regular sleep patterns, exercise, a good healthy diet and less stress will all contribute to reducing the signs of ageing, for instance!