The latest trends, techniques, and insider secrets—revealed.

Playing Doctor
The medicine-meets-marketing cosmeceuticals craze is putting the power to turn back time in consumers’ hands.
By Tricia Chinn-Campbell

It’s one of life’s inevitabilities: At some point, the image each woman sees in the mirror will no longer reflect the youthfulness she’s known for the past few decades. It can be a jarring moment, even for the well-adjusted, but fortunately times and skin-care technologies have changed. With the rise of cosmeceuticals, cosmetics firms are upping the ante on skin care, delivering the best anti-aging results short of syringes and surgery in easy-to-use, at-home formulas. At one time, these products could only be found at dermatologists’ offices or spas, but these days, cosmeceuticals are widely distributed, and many can even be found at the local drugstore.

What’s in a Name?
The term “cosmeceutical” is generally defined as any topical skin-care product containing more than one bioactive ingredient. These ingredients are so active, in fact, they have the ability to alter the skin’s function. Not surprisingly, the demand for cosmeceuticals has also created a lucrative market for its manufacturers, thanks in large part to demographics: The oldest of the 79 million U.S. baby boomers will turn 60 next year, and the youngest have just celebrated their 40th birthday. What’s more, the search for the elusive fountain of youth is only expected to escalate: Cosmeceuticals were a $2.65 billion industry in 2004 and are projected to grow at an annual rate of 6.3 percent, reaching a staggering $3.6 billion in 2009, according to DataMonitor.

Yet despite these products’ widespread consumer popularity, the cosmeceuticals trend has raised some eyebrows; especially controversial was StriVectin’s 2003 “Better Than Botox?” campaign. Although women continue to buy the costly cream in droves, and StriVectin has reaped extraordinary profits, critics emphasize that, although these products are subject to safety testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, their effectiveness is not subject to the same review—a rule that also applies to the term “cosmeceutical,” which currently falls into the gray area between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

“‘Cosmeceutical’ is an industry term,” explains Veronica Castro, an FDA media-affairs representative. “According to FDA categories, [a product is] either a drug or a cosmetic—one or the other—and manufacturers are well aware of the fine lines they walk and what they can and cannot claim.” They can’t, for example, “claim that their products penetrate beyond the skin’s surface layers or that they have a druglike, therapeutic effect,” Castro says. “If they did, rigorous testing would need to take place, and the approval process could be lengthy. Many companies opt to tiptoe around the verbiage and claims to get their timely products out on the market.”

Safety and Efficacy
Cosmeceutical manufacturers are quick to point out that they do conduct extensive in-house testing and many of the active ingredients in these products have been clinically proven to reduce the signs of aging. When asked about her skin-care line, Lyn Ross, president of Institut’ DERMed, says: “The active ingredients are pharmaceutical-grade dermatologic agents that have been clinically tested for more than 40 years. They are infused into all-natural base carriers using chiral technology for optimum penetration.” At the same time, Ross maintains that giving the average consumer access to pharmaceutical-grade products is not a risky proposition. “They can only be harmful if a client overtreats the skin beyond its individual tolerance,” she explains. Overtreating can be avoided, Ross says, by selecting the right products for your skin type and paying careful attention to application instructions: “Frequency of use may not always be well explained to clients, and they should beware if redness, dryness, or flaking occurs. It might be because they’re using too much, too often.”

According to Dr. Gene Rubinstein, director of the Dermatology and Laser Centre of Studio City, California, and clinical instructor of dermatology at UCLA, "Most products sold without a prescription don’t have enough active ingredients to cause damage but often are sufficient in maintaining healthy skin and preventing photodamage and skin aging." However, there can be a downside: "In the example of acne in particular, some people rely on over-the-counter medications or cosmeceuticals and can end up delaying necessary medical treatment," Rubinstein says. "Patients seeking advice from dermatologists are more likely to receive effective treatment regimens that include both cosmeceutical and prescription medications."

While the 30s represent a major turning point for most women’s skin, there isn’t a specific age at which experts agree that consumers should start using cosmeceuticals. “I’ve had clients start using these products at the age of 10,” says Ross. Although this may sound excessive, “the sooner a person begins an anti-aging program that includes sun protection, the more insurance they’ll have for their skin as they age,” she reasons. Rubinstein also advocates a proactive approach: "I strongly recommend that patients in their early to mid-20s begin using products such as AHAs and antioxidant vitamins C and E. And everyone, from a very young age, should wear sunscreen, since sun is the primary cause of skin aging."

Smart Selections
In addition to StriVectin and Institut’ DERMed, cosmeceuticals are currently being manufactured by numerous brands; some of the most popular, and priciest, include Doctor’s Dermatologic Formula (DDF), Dr. Brandt, SkinCeuticals, and N.V. Perricone. Even names traditionally associated with budget beauty are now teaming up with well-known dermatologists to bring high-technology skin care to a mass market (case in point: CVS’s ground-breaking 2005 launch of Skin Effects with Dr. Jeffrey Dover).

With so many brands available today, navigating the makeup counter or drugstore can be a daunting prospect. Familiarizing yourself with the active ingredients in these products can be helpful (see our Active Ingredients Guide); consumers should also educate themselves on the ins and outs of various brands before they make their purchases, says Carson Gray, a DDF media-relations representative. Of his own brand, Gray notes, “DDF tries to round itself out by delivering a more holistic package.” The company, which combines natural ingredients such as witch hazel and grapeseed extract, with the latest biochemical innovations, also cites its independent double-blind studies as a competitive difference.

But regardless which brands or products you choose, there’s one point upon which experts and devotees can all agree: For problems that go beneath the skin’s surface, playing doctor at home won’t suffice. To address more serious skin conditions, you’ll need to bite the bullet, ditch the scrubs (at least for the time being), and take a trip to a real dermatologist.

Photo Credit: Amanda Rohde

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