Wrinkle Creams Reviewed: How Well Do They Work?

Karen Austin

With the passage of time, our skin often no longer exudes the youth and vitality still pulsing in our veins. Reducing the look of lines or wrinkles that reflect the years of life experience we’ve earned has become easier due to the advancements in skincare that keep us looking our best.

To best address aging’s impact on youthful skin, an understanding of the origin of wrinkles is in order. The presence of wrinkles involves more than just good genes and the exposure to harsh environmental factors like sun damage and pollution. They are the result of the skin’s natural biological breakdown process as it ages. Elastin, the elastic fibers that form the skin’s foundation, deteriorates over time and the production of collagen, skin’s natural filler which makes youthful skin smooth and plump, slows down as we age. This results in thinner, looser skin that is more susceptible to wrinkles and fine lines.

Yesterday’s cold creams which attempted to respond to wrinkles with more moisture have morphed into today’s wrinkle creams that respond to the physiology that causes wrinkles in the first place. Yet, these improvements have produced more choices with differentiations that are harder to detect. Whether navigating the cosmetic counter at the department store or the endless shelf space dedicated to wrinkle creams sold in drugstores and cosmetic megastores there are key points to remember when selecting an effective wrinkle cream:

There’s no one magic ingredient that combats wrinkles. Just like there are multiple factors that cause wrinkles there are multiple ingredients that make a wrinkle cream effective in lessening the appearance of wrinkles.Although there are many formulas and concentrations on the market, not all concoctions are equal. Wrinkle creams, whether sold over the counter or purchased under the care of a dermatologist, consist of active and inactive ingredients. Some of these ingredients include:

Retinols – in its various forms retinols or retinoids are derived from Vitamin A, an antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental free radicals that damage skin at the cellular level.
Hydroxy Acids – whether in the form of a poly or beta hydroxy acid, is derived from natural or synthetic fruit sugars that exfoliate the top layer of skin to reflect the brighter smoother skin hiding underneath dead skin cells.

Nutrients and Minerals – such as copper, CoEnzyme Q10, plant-based Kinetin, and peptides or proteins, stimulate collagen production, enhance antioxidant performance against free radical cells and attract or lock-in moisture to improve the skin’s texture.

Tea Extracts — whether black or green, tea extracts have anti-inflammation properties that soothe skin irritation.The above are the most common active ingredients found in commercial and prescribed wrinkle creams. There are also inactive ingredients such as oils and waxes that preserve and bind wrinkle cream components to make them more aesthetically and texturally pleasing.When finalizing your wrinkle cream selection, Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, a board-certified dermatologist, University of Oregon clinical professor and skin researcher asks that we not be fooled by the mere mention of experimental research studies.

He says, "With topical wrinkle products, the ingredient alone is not the story. In order to choose the best product, look for safety and efficacy studies. Specifically, the studies should show that the marketed product works on living, human skin".Due to the wide array of wrinkle cream treatments currently sold in traditional retail stores, pharmacies and on the Internet and the confusing assortment of ingredients, we scrutinized the most currently marketed wrinkle products.

We used the most current scientific research in order to assess which wrinkle cream products were most effective. While the physiological breakdown of our skin is a natural byproduct of aging, our actions and attention can impede the process thereby extending the enjoyment of vibrant, youthful skin. Selecting an effective wrinkle cream is an excellent way to manage the skin’s aging process. See below for the results of our evaluation.If you are interested in reading about top eye creams on the market and what you should look for in a qualtiy product.