Do wrinkle creams actually work?
“Yes, wrinkle creams are 100% worth the investment,” says Dr. Lal. “Most wrinkle creams have ingredients such as retinol or peptides, which help regenerate damaged collagen. Retinol also helps even out skin tone and pigmentation that occurs from photoaging. They often also contain hyaluronic acid which hydrates the skin and softens fine lines. The issue with wrinkle creams is- they take time. Do not expect immediate results.”
While you can see results with wrinkle creams, they may not be the same results you could see from in-office treatments. “No anti-wrinkle cream is going to take a 65 year old and reduce wrinkles enough to make them look 15 years younger,” adds Dr. Ibrahimi. “One will need lasers, fillers and other procedures to achieve this. However getting started early in your 20s will certainly delay the development of wrinkles and allow one to age more gracefully.”
Are wrinkle creams better than in-office treatments?
It all depends on what your skin goals are. “I liken wrinkles creams to brushing your teeth twice daily vs. in-office treatments being like the deep cleaning of your teeth one gets ideally twice a year,” says Dr. Ibrahimi. “Just because you do the deep cleaning or in office procedures doesn’t mean you are able to skip the daily brushing. Likewise, the daily brushing doesn’t obviate the need to do in office procedures to obtain optimal skin health.”
Can you use wrinkle creams preventively?
“Absolutely!” says Dr. Lal. “These creams basically help stimulate collagen beneath the surface of the skin so using them preventatively will help maintain and reduce natural collagen breakdown.”
What are the best ingredients to look for in a wrinkle cream?
“The best ingredient with the most evidence by far are retinoids and retinol molecules,” says Dr. Ibrahimi. “I also think growth factors and growth factor peptides are another important anti-wrinkle ingredient with solid evidence. Vitamin C and E as well as molecules that may not help stimulate collagen production but draw in water and help plump the skin such as hyaluronic acids will also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.”
