Cosmeceuticals: The evidence behind the retinoids

Abstract

A wide range of cosmeceutical products are available on the market currently, but evidence to support their use is often lacking in the literature. Specifically, there is a substantial amount of evidence supporting the efficacy of tretinoin in photoaging, but the evidence supporting retinoid-based cosmeceuticals remains sparse. The authors review the current data in the literature related to vitamin A-derived cosmeceutical products and conclude that cosmeceuticals containing retinaldehyde have been shown in large randomized, controlled trials to have the most beneficial effect on aging skin. © 2010 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.