The Chemicals That Reduce Wrinkles (Economist)

Summary

Most anti-wrinkle product claims rest on company-funded studies, but a handful of ingredients have genuine clinical backing. Tretinoin (a vitamin-A derivative) has the strongest evidence, thickening the epidermis and stimulating collagen; over-the-counter retinoids like retinol convert to it in the skin. Vitamin C and some peptides have supporting evidence too, though peptide claims often come from the cosmetics firms themselves. The article's bottom line: ingredients can partly reverse ageing, but sun protection beats any treatment.

Key claims

• About 80% of ageing in white skin is caused by UV exposure, per Abigail Langton (University of Manchester); melanin in darker skin offers some protection. Ageing harms collagen and elastin in the Extracellular Matrix.
• Tretinoin (all-trans retinoic acid), originally an acne drug, was found in the mid-1980s to reduce wrinkles; it thickens the epidermis and stimulates dermal collagen, partly restoring the extracellular matrix.
• Tretinoin is usually prescription-only and irritating; milder OTC Retinoids (retinol, retinal) convert to tretinoin in the skin — start as low as 0.04% and work up to avoid irritation.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) aids collagen production and can reduce wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, but is unstable and degrades if poorly formulated or stored.
• Peptides are short amino-acid chains — some boost matrix proteins, some block their breakdown, some relax facial muscles like botox — but supporting studies are typically company-funded.
• Ingredients need months of consistent use to judge; prevention (sun protection) is more effective than any reversal.

Wikilinks

Skin Ageing · Tretinoin · Retinoids · Peptides · Extracellular Matrix

The Economist — Science & technology.