Do ‘cosmeceuticals’ really exist?
Everyone likes to look their best and there is always some new skin care product or diet on the market that is supposed to make all the difference and leave us all looking radiant and perfect in just a few days. The latest big development in the world of skin care is the development of ‘cosmeceuticals’, products which claim to combine both cosmetic and pharmaceutical benefits to reduce the signs of aging. But can they really work? Could this really be the breakthrough we’ve all been hoping for or is it just yet another empty claim?
It’s hard to tell how much truth there is behind the myth of cosmeceuticals. A quick search for the term on Google brings us to one Dr. Nicholas Perricone MD, a clinical and research dermatologist and founder of one of the largest companies manufacturing cosmeceuticals, imaginatively named NV Perricone MD Ltd. Perricone’s research led him to what he has called ‘the inflammation theory of aging’, the theory being that almost all problems related to aging are caused by inflammation that happens on a cellular level. He claims that this inflammation is caused by a number of external factors and is responsible for all sorts of ailments from wrinkles to arthritis and even Alzheimer’s, but that it can be easily treated by following one of his diet plans, using Perricone cosmeceutical products and taking Perricone ‘neutriceutical supplements’.
The only trouble with this theory is that officially cosmeceuticals do not actually exist – the word ‘cosmeceutical’ is not recognised by any official channels. The concern is that potential buyers might be misled into thinking that a product branded as cosmeceutical would be required to undergo the same rigorous testing as a drug or other pharmaceutical product. In fact they need no further testing than regular cosmetics, and there is no proof that these would be any more effective than those from other leading brands such as Aesop or Dermalogica.
You might prefer to take the word of an acclaimed doctor over a faceless cosmetics brand, and who knows you might not be wrong. But Dr Perricone’s ‘Perricone Prescriptions’ which are ‘designed to restore skin’s youthful radiance, these regimens prevent further signs of damage, helping you control the way you age’ come with a disclaimer stating they are merely cosmetics and not to be used as prescription medications. Apart from the large price tag there’s no real proof that shelling out for a Perricone anti-aging cream would work any quicker or more effectively.
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