The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating and/or preventing chronic- or UV-induced photodamage in the skin as well as damage to the skin caused by chronological aging and disease. Specifically, select aryl alkanones have been found to induce/produce a number of beneficial effects in the skin and skin processes by elevating the skin's defense against UV-induced damage and reversing skin photo- and/or chronological damage in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ), up-regulating tissue inhibitory metalloproteases, reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting activity of matrix metalloproteases, and protecting DNA.
