Resveratrol cream is a beauty cream that comes in various forms and is intended to reduce wrinkles and other signs of age to create younger-looking skin. While it has many forms designed for use on the face, it also can take the form of a general-purpose skin cream designed for use elsewhere on the body. Its active ingredient is resveratrol, an antioxidant naturally made by plants and the element believed to give red wine some of its health benefits.
There are various resveratrol cream products available, as of 2011, that are intended for use on the entire face. Others are specifically intended for use on the delicate skin around the eyes. Resveratrol cream intended for use on other parts of the body is said to reduce wrinkles and either reduce or eliminate the discoloration of so-called age spots. While the products’ manufacturers do not specifically claim this benefit and science has not definitively proved it, some products’ users say resveratrol cream’s high antioxidant properties also enable it to shrink or eliminate pre-cancerous skin lesions.
Polyphenols are naturally occurring antioxidants found in grapes and peanuts, among other foods, and in plants such as lilies, eucalyptus, spruce trees and knotweed. Resveratrol is a polyphenol, and food products made from the skin of red grapes, such as wine, and from peanuts contain resveratrol, which is believed to reduce inflammation in the body. Many believe that polyphenols such as resveratrol stop arthritic inflammation, protect blood vessels, prevent free-radical cell damage and may relieve some menopause symptoms. Resveratrol polyphenol compounds are added to products such as skin creams to reduce facial inflammation and the appearance of wrinkles. This is why resveratrol cream is used as an anti-aging cream.
Antioxidants are chemicals thought to reduce inflammation in the body, remove free radicals that damage cells and prevent cancer mutations. Anti-aging creams, including resveratrol cream, are though to reduce cell damage caused by oxidation. The free-radical theory of aging is that living organisms age because their cells are damaged over time by free radicals — atoms or molecules with a single un-paired electron in its outer shell that is highly chemically reactive. This reactive property is what causes free radicals to react with oxygen present in the body, which damages cells. Creating a chemical reaction between antioxidants and free radicals is believed to make free radicals less reactive with oxygen present in the bloodstream, preventing cell damage.
While resveratrol generally is thought to be beneficial, too much of it can cause unpleasant side effects. These range from joint pain akin to arthritis to insomnia and diarrhea, among others. While these may not occur purely as a result of using resveratrol-laced creams, the easiest way to avoid such problems is to consult a doctor and use resveratrol in moderation.