At the American Academy of Dermatology’s Summer Academy Meeting 2007 in New York City, Zoe D. Draelos, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist from High Point, NC, offered consumers advice about ingredients found in cosmeceuticals.

“Sunscreen is the antiaging product in cosmeceuticals that is basically doing all the work,” Draelos says. “Since sunscreens are regulated by the FDA, it’s easier for consumers to know what they’re getting when they see sunscreen listed as an ingredient. The other ingredients are not as easy for the average person to decipher, and that’s where dermatologists can help.”

Draelos recommends that consumers be on the lookout for the following cosmeceutical ingredients:

•    photostable avobenzone—a sunscreen ingredient newly approved by the FDA, known for its antiaging properties;

•    green tea—a tealeaf extract with potential antioxidant properties used in combination with butylated hydroxyltoluene to provide some UV protection, but not as much as other sunscreens;

•    feverfew—a plant-based ingredient that may reduce redness from sun exposure, but whose effectiveness is unproven; and

•    sea kelp, mushroom extracts, and repair enzymes—ingredients often advertised as antioxidants without any scientific evidence.

“Sunscreen is by far the most beneficial of any ingredient you will find in an antiaging product,” Draelos says, encouraging consumers to discuss their concerns with their dermatologists. “While other ingredients may be promoted for their antioxidant properties, sunscreen is backed by proven science.”

Please see the September issue of Plastic Surgery Products for a review of new cosmeceuticals on the market.

Source: Medical News Today; August 5