# Do anti-aging products - creams, etc. - work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090 "2010-12-22T18:27:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/21 "2016-01-12T02:20:47Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > If it works it will help billions of people that have thin hair or are bald or getting bald. > > The makers of the device say it works. I’m sure it does. Why would anybody lie about a thing like that? ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/22 "2016-01-12T02:34:37Z")
Waiting for a product that comes in a tube that gets squeezed out like toothpaste and when you look at an inch or so of the stuff it says, “Getting old is hell. Get over it.” ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/23 "2016-01-12T02:43:43Z")
There were commercials in the 50s for creams that make the same level of claim, in much the same way, as we see today. And when you look into it, there’s not much more to back up the claims as there was then. It’s actually pretty interesting how so much money could have been spent on R&D in this area and basically come up empty. There are few anti-ageing _drugs_ being trialled that are causing a lot of excitement – not because of spectacular effects, but just the first sign of _some_ effect, so watch this space (for a few decades). But it does seem the cream approach is basically, and sometimes literally, snake oil. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/24 "2016-01-12T13:08:20Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > When people get older collagen begins to run out, the skin becomes thinner and your skin sag and you get wrinkles. > > As we age the collagen is degraded. As we age are cartilage begins to loosen up and sag. > > The anti aging creams will have to work on collagen. > > I’m not sure but there may be some new anti- aging creams that are better than the older creams that come out in 2014 and 2015 that still being tested to see if it will work or not. Aging-related skin changes are related to numerous things other than collagen (which does not “begin to run out” as you get older, though apparently it may diminish somewhat and/or appear in different proportions of collagen types). If all you had to do was increase collagen production in skin to look youthful (and there was a product that could do this, which there isn’t), the results might be really bad - people with extensive scarring, for instance, have _plenty_ of collagen. Diminished/altered elastin, blood vessel alterations and loss of subcutaneous fat are among factors making your skin look old. There was a hilarious article in the Wall St. Journal a few days ago on the “beauty” regimens practiced by certain women in an effort to stave off aging. I especially enjoyed hearing about what a couple of women in their 40s were doing (for a total annual bill running to about $20,000). A partial list from one of them: Shen Beauty LED Light Treatment $56 x 8 a year = $448\* Brazilian wax $65 x 8 a year = $520 Green juices $24 a week = $1,248 Holistic doctor and intravenous vitamin therapy $500 x 4 a year = $2,000 Energy healing $150 x 4 a year = = $600\* Directional non-force chiropractor $105 x 2 a year = $210 Bikram yoga One year unlimited = $999.20 [http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-high-price-of-beauty-4-women-reveal-their-annual-costs-1452198160](http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-high-price-of-beauty-4-women-reveal-their-annual-costs-1452198160) In the realm of anti-aging products, one growing sales area has been in “dietary supplements”, like resveratrol and NAD. Promoters can point to positive findings in “research studies”, which unfortunately mostly reflect cell culture and rodent findings. ☹ Metformin (a diabetes drug) is also being trialed in connection with claims that it is a potential “anti-aging miracle drug”. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/25 "2016-01-12T15:25:42Z")
Does it make zombie skin look nicer? After 4 or 5 years they’re usually pretty rank looking as well as smelling. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/26 "2016-01-12T16:03:27Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What’s the Straight Dope? Do these things really have an effect or are they just placebos? Tretinoin and tazarotene have been shown effective in treating photodamaged skin: [http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/733085\_5](http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/733085_5) > **[A review of tazarotene in the treatment of photodamaged skin - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18488880/)** > > Chronic sun exposure leads to photodamage, which is characterized clinically by fine and coarse wrinkles, dyspigmentation, telangiectasia, laxity, roughness and a sallow appearance. Many treatments claim to reduce the signs of photodamage, however... > **[\[From the Cochrane Library: Improvement of photodamaged skin with retinoid...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16463616/)** > > A Cochrane systematic review of 30 randomised clinical trials assessed the effects of current treatments for adults with mild-to-severe changes in facial and forearm skin that occurred as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun ('photodamage').... > **[Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/)** > > Aging of skin is an intricate biological process consisting of two types. While intrinsic or chronological aging is an inevitable process, photoaging involves the premature aging of skin occurring due to cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation.... ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/27 "2016-01-16T23:00:05Z")
Yes it is funny we spend billions on anti-aging from the 60’s to now and we still don’t understand what makes people look old and what causes aging that alone treatment or products that make people look 20 years younger. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090/29 "2016-01-24T01:16:18Z")
Some people say pharmaceutical companies are holding back on anti-aging. Site saying pharmaceutical companies may be holding back anti-aging. [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-02-12/does-a-real-anti-aging-pill-already-exist-](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-02-12/does-a-real-anti-aging-pill-already-exist-) Some people say anti-aging drugs and anti-aging creams to make people look 20 years younger it already is here in hands of the richest ruling class!!!:(:(☹ Well the pharmaceutical companies are holding back anti-aging drugs and creams to make people look 20 years younger. The creams make you skin and face look younger well the drugs or pills make your body younger. Well they say the pharmaceutical companies are holding back technology for 99% of the people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-anti-aging-products-creams-etc-work/565090.md?page=1)