| If you want to look young, don't spend a | | | | "The women used a test product on one side of |
| fortune on anti-wrinkle creams. A study shows | | | | their face and the lab's standard moisturizer |
| that the cheaper brands work just as well - | | | | on the other side for comparison. A high-tech |
| if not better - than the more expensive ones. | | | | optical device was used to detect changes in |
| | | | wrinkle depth and skin roughness," Goldsmith |
| This was the verdict of Consumer Reports, a | | | | said. |
| monthly publication of the non-profit | | | | |
| consumer research group Consumer Union that | | | | Results were disappointing and showed that |
| recently tested different products to | | | | the effects of most anti-wrinkle creams were |
| determine whether or not they could fight | | | | barely noticeable. |
| wrinkles. | | | | |
| | | | The small study, however, was criticized by |
| After 12 weeks of testing, researchers found | | | | some dermatologists. Dr. Tina Alster, a |
| that the best performer cost only $19. | | | | dermatologic laser surgeon from Georgetown |
| However, none of the products they tested was | | | | University Medical Center in Washington, |
| able to significantly reduce wrinkles. | | | | D.C., and a member of the American Academy of |
| | | | Dermatologists, said it was difficult to |
| "The top-rated products smoothed out some | | | | conclude from such a limited study that these |
| fine lines and wrinkles but even the best | | | | products did not work. |
| performers reduced the average depth of | | | | |
| wrinkles by less than 10 percent, a change | | | | "People would love to believe that cheap |
| barely visible to the naked eye," according | | | | products are the same as the more expensive |
| to Belinda Goldsmith of Reuters. | | | | ones, and I may pooh-pooh someone paying $500 |
| | | | for a cream, but I do see the value of some |
| "The tests revealed that, on average, these | | | | of the luxury brands which are science-based. |
| products made little difference in the skin's | | | | But it is a cautionary tale that people |
| appearance and there's no correlation between | | | | should be looking at the ingredients rather |
| price and effectiveness," a spokeswoman for | | | | than just at the packaging," she said. |
| the magazine said. | | | | |
| | | | Still, some women said they would continue to |
| For its tests, Consumer Reports chose several | | | | use anti-wrinkle creams if only because it |
| popular brands priced from $19 to $355. The | | | | gave them the illusion of being beautiful. |
| creams were used by 17 to 23 women aged | | | | |
| between 30 and 70. The services of a European | | | | "I've never really believed these creams |
| laboratory were used to recruit the women and | | | | would stop wrinkles, but they make me feel |
| evaluate the products. | | | | and smell good," said Amira Thoron, a |
| | | | 36-year-old New York teacher. |