Don’t Be Duped by Antiwrinkle Creams

Don’t be misled by over-the-counter skin care products that claim to get rid of wrinkles. There’s no such thing. The closest thing to a wrinkle removing cream is retinoic acid, a synthetic form of vitamin A. Applied to the skin surface, retinoic acid increases blood flow and stimulates skin cells called fibroblasts to produce new collagen (a protein that keeps skin smooth). This process can help to reduce tiny wrinkles and make deep wrinkles less noticeable. Retinoic acid also speeds up the rate that your skin’s cells move to the surface and die off to be replaced with new cells, so your skin looks younger.

Retinoic acid is available as tretinoin by prescription only. Retinol is available in over the counter skin care products. Regular vitamin A has no effect on wrinkles, whether it’s taken orally or applied directly to the skin.