When I first realized I was going to age--complete shocker--I researched a lot of non-invasive remedies for sagging skin and wrinkles. I'm as vain as anyone--maybe even moreso than average: I never considered surgery because I'm too vain to let people know I'm vain--it had to be undetectable.
So I tried some things. I tried a series of Thermage-type stuff, some sort of painful zappy laser and, finally, a crazy-strong chemical peel that promised to stimulate collagen dramatically. Both the laser and the chemical peel were super aggressive and made my skin fall off before it grew back. My face looked like an army of little soldiers had put up flags all across a newly-conquered country, skin flaps just a-waving in the wind for days. Yes, that's supposed to happen. But is it worth it?
Short answer: hell to the no. At first, your skin looks and feels better--why shouldn't it, when you've ripped off the top layers and all we see is baby skin? But in fact, we have stripped off the protective layers of the skin and thinned it--the exact thing that creates wrinkles in older people.
Those with thick, oilier skin age much better than those with dry skin, and those with more melanin age better as well--it's about the protection that the epidermis offers. Hold that principle in mind whenever you are window shopping for facial treatments. If those treatments peel the surface in order to make you look better temporarily, they are also setting you up for failure in the longterm by thinning the skin and removing your defense from the sun and elements.
I was set straight by a wonderful, older esthetician who implored me never to get a peel again. She explained that thinning the skin was the single worst thing you can do to stave off the appearance of age, and told me to use the Clarisonic for exfoliation and spend the rest of my energy nourishing and moisturizing.
Everything we do now will affect us later. Don't be cruel; don't fight your face and attack it with angry machines. Focus on nourishment, on plumping the cells, on vitamins, on moisture, on nurturing. The skin is self-healing when given supportive tools like Chrysalis Oil, and aging is not a failure--but it can be done, beautifully. Honor the skin's wisdom and treat it with gentle care. The rewards will be coming for decades.