Anti-aging creams are cosmetic products marketed with the promise of making the consumer look younger and reducing visible wrinkles on the skin. Despite great demand, most such products and treatments have not been proven to give lasting or major positive effects.
There is a range of cosmetic treatments for the appearance of wrinkles on the skin such as plastic surgery and botox injections. Advertising sometimes presents anti-aging creams as an alternative to these more costly and invasive cosmetic treatments. Many wrinkle creams and lotions sold in department stores, drugstores and on the Internet promise to reduce wrinkles and prevent or reverse damage caused by the sun.
Do they work? Some research suggests that wrinkle creams contain ingredients that may improve wrinkles. But many of these ingredients haven't undergone scientific research to prove this benefit.
If you want to look young, don’t spend a fortune on anti-wrinkle creams. A study shows that the cheaper brands work just as well – if not better than the more expensive ones.
Do anti-aging skin care creams containing Vitamin C work?
Both "yes and No" are the answers! On one hand, vitamin C does possess definite, scientifically validated merits for wrinkle reduction and skin rejuvenation. On the other hand, most anti-wrinkle anti aging vitamin C products do not work. And worse is that they may aggravate wrinkle formation.
Here are some of the most common ingredients that are used in anti wrinkle creams.
* Vitamin E. Vitamin E is known to be a good vitamin for the skin.
* Tretinoin (or retin-A). The effects of retin-A or tretinoin will be similar to vitamin A, as it is a similar ingredient. It can be also be used to treat acne and sun damage.
* Hydroxy acids (including Alpha hydroxyl acids, beta hydroxy acids and poly hydroxy acids). Hydroxy acids are synthetic versions of the acids contained in fruit. They remove the upper layer of old dead skin and stimulate the growth of new skin.
* Vitamin A (or retinol). Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. It is an antioxidant and is used in many anti wrinkle creams.
This was the verdict of Consumer Reports, a monthly publication of the non-profit consumer research group Consumer Union that recently tested different products to determine whether or not they could fight wrinkles.
After 12 weeks of testing, researchers found that the best performer cost only $19. However, none of the products they tested was able to significantly reduce wrinkles.
“The top-rated products smoothed out some fine lines and wrinkles but even the best performers reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 per cent, a change barely visible to the naked eye,” according to Belinda Goldsmith of Reuters.
"The tests revealed that, on average, these products made little difference in the skin's appearance and there's no correlation between price and effectiveness," a spokeswoman for the magazine said.
For its tests, Consumer Reports chose several popular brands priced from $19 to $355. The creams were used by 17 to 23 women aged between 30 and 70. The services of a European laboratory were used to recruit the women and evaluate the products.
“The women used a test product on one side of their face and the lab's standard moisturizer on the other side for comparison. A high-tech optical device was used to detect changes in wrinkle depth and skin roughness,” Goldsmith said.
Results were disappointing and showed that the effects of most anti-wrinkle creams were barely noticeable.
The small study, however, was criticized by some dermatologists. Dr Tina Alster, a dermatologic laser surgeon from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and a member of the American Academy of Dermatologists said it was difficult to conclude from such a limited study that these products did not work.
"People would love to believe that cheap products are the same as the more expensive ones, and I may pooh-pooh someone paying $500 for a cream, but I do see the value of some of the luxury brands which are science-based. But it is a cautionary tale that people should be looking at the ingredients rather than just at the packaging," she said.
Still, some women said they would continue to use anti-wrinkle creams if only because it gave them the illusion of being beautiful.
"I've never really believed these creams would stop wrinkles, but they make me feel and smell good," said Amira Thoron, a 36-year-old New York teacher.
To maximize your beauty without losing money, redefine your skin with Dermaxin cream. This potent needle-free formula will reduce the signs of aging without the discomfort and side effects of painful and costly doctor administered injectables.
The effectiveness of anti-wrinkle creams depends in part on the active ingredient.
