A method for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin comprising topically applying to an area of the skin in need thereof an effective amount of an agent that suppresses miR-29a, having the sequence UAGCACCAUCUGAAAUCGGUUA (SEQ. ID. No.: 1), and/or miR-29b, having the sequence UAGCACCAUUUGAAAUCAGUGUU (SEQ. ID No.: 2), in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle, for a time sufficient to enhance the production of collagen, elastin, and fibrillin in the skin, wherein said active agent is a compound having the structure of formula II: wherein, R 5 is selected from hydrogen; -R; or X 1; where "m" is an integer from 0 to 4, and, in the case where "m" is 2, 3 or 4, R 5 is independently selected at each occurrence; and R 7 and R 8 are independently C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; or a group -R, where R' is a group of the form -(CH 2) a -(CR*=CR*) b -(CH 2) c -X 2 -(CH 2) x - (CR*=CR*) y -(CH 2) z X 3; where a, b, c, x, y, and z are independently integers from 0 to 5, and X 2 either represents a bond or a divalent radical or atom selected from -O-, -S-, -C(=O) -, -N(R N) -, -C(=O)O-, -OC(=O)-, -C(=O)-N(R N) -, -N(R N)-C(=O)-, and X 3 represents hydrogen, X 1, or R*, where R* is a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; R and R* are independently hydrogen or a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; R N is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, tert.-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or benzyl, and X 1 is selected from the group consisting of -F; -Cl; -Br; -I; -OH; -C=C-R*; -C=N; - C =N-R N; -C=N-N(R N) 2; -C(=NR N)-N(R N) 2; -CH 2 OH; -CHO; -(C=O)-R*; -COzH; - CO 2 -; -CO 2 R*; -CS 2 R*; -(C=O)-S-R*; -S-(C=O)-R*; -(C=O)-NH 2; -(C=O)-NR N R N; - (C=O)-NHNH 2; -O-(C=O)-NHNH 2; -(C=S)-NH 2; -(C=S)-N(R N) 2; -O-(C=O)-H; -O-(C=O)-R*; -O-(C=O)-NH 2; -O-(C=O)-NR N R N; -OR*; -SR*; -NH 2; -NHR N; -NR N 2; - N(R N) 3 +; -N(R N)-OH; -N(→O)(R*) 2; -O-N(R N) 2; -N(R N)-O-R*; -N(R N)-N(R N) 2; -NR N -(C=O)-R*; -NR N C(=O)O-R*; -NR N -CHO; -NR N -(C=O)-R*; -NR N C(=O)NR N; -N(R N)-C(=O)-N(R N)z; -N(R N)-C(=S)-N(R N) 2; -N=C(R*) 2; -N=N-R N; -SCN; -NCS; -NSO; - SS-R*; -SO-R*; -SO 2 -R*; -O-S(=O) 2 -R*; -S(=O) 2 -OR*; -N(R N)-SO 2 -R*; -SO 2 -N(R*) 2; -O-SO 3 -; -O-S(=O) 2 -OR*; -O-S(=O)-OR*; -O-S(=O)-R*; -S(=O)-OR*; - S(=O)-R*; -NO; -NO 2; -NO 3; -O-NO; -O-NO 2; -N 3; -N 2; -N(C 2 H 4); -Si(R*) 3; -CF 3; - O-CF 3; -(C=O)-R*; -P(R*) 2; -O-P(=O)(OR*) 2; and -P(=O)(OR*) 2; and cosmetically acceptable salts thereof. R 5 is selected from hydrogen; -R; or X 1; where "m" is an integer from 0 to 4, and, in the case where "m" is 2, 3 or 4, R 5 is independently selected at each occurrence; and R 7 and R 8 are independently C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; or a group -R, where R' is a group of the form -(CH 2) a -(CR*=CR*) b -(CH 2) c -X 2 -(CH 2) x - (CR*=CR*) y -(CH 2) z X 3; where a, b, c, x, y, and z are independently integers from 0 to 5, and X 2 either represents a bond or a divalent radical or atom selected from -O-, -S-, -C(=O) -, -N(R N) -, -C(=O)O-, -OC(=O)-, -C(=O)-N(R N) -, -N(R N)-C(=O)-, and X 3 represents hydrogen, X 1, or R*, where R* is a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; R and R* are independently hydrogen or a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; R N is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, tert.-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or benzyl, and X 1 is selected from the group consisting of -F; -Cl; -Br; -I; -OH; -C=C-R*; -C=N; - C =N-R N; -C=N-N(R N) 2; -C(=NR N)-N(R N) 2; -CH 2 OH; -CHO; -(C=O)-R*; -COzH; - CO 2 -; -CO 2 R*; -CS 2 R*; -(C=O)-S-R*; -S-(C=O)-R*; -(C=O)-NH 2; -(C=O)-NR N R N; - (C=O)-NHNH 2; -O-(C=O)-NHNH 2; -(C=S)-NH 2; -(C=S)-N(R N) 2; -O-(C=O)-H; -O-(C=O)-R*; -O-(C=O)-NH 2; -O-(C=O)-NR N R N; -OR*; -SR*; -NH 2; -NHR N; -NR N 2; - N(R N) 3 +; -N(R N)-OH; -N(→O)(R*) 2; -O-N(R N) 2; -N(R N)-O-R*; -N(R N)-N(R N) 2; -NR N -(C=O)-R*; -NR N C(=O)O-R*; -NR N -CHO; -NR N -(C=O)-R*; -NR N C(=O)NR N; -N(R N)-C(=O)-N(R N)z; -N(R N)-C(=S)-N(R N) 2; -N=C(R*) 2; -N=N-R N; -SCN; -NCS; -NSO; - SS-R*; -SO-R*; -SO 2 -R*; -O-S(=O) 2 -R*; -S(=O) 2 -OR*; -N(R N)-SO 2 -R*; -SO 2 -N(R*) 2; -O-SO 3 -; -O-S(=O) 2 -OR*; -O-S(=O)-OR*; -O-S(=O)-R*; -S(=O)-OR*; - S(=O)-R*; -NO; -NO 2; -NO 3; -O-NO; -O-NO 2; -N 3; -N 2; -N(C 2 H 4); -Si(R*) 3; -CF 3; - O-CF 3; -(C=O)-R*; -P(R*) 2; -O-P(=O)(OR*) 2; and -P(=O)(OR*) 2; and cosmetically acceptable salts thereof.