Anti-aging product improves wrinkles

MANCHESTER, England, April 29 (UPI) -- British scientists say a cosmetic anti-aging product can reduce wrinkles and improve the appearance of skin damaged by sunlight.

Dermatologists at The University of Manchester carried out a clinical trial on 60 volunteers with typical signs of sun-damaged skin and found that the cosmetic, No.7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum, could improve some clinical features.

The study, published online in the British Journal of Dermatology, showed that 70 percent of individuals using the beauty product had significantly fewer wrinkles after 12 months of daily use compared to volunteers using a placebo.

Study leader Chris Griffiths, reported last year that the original No.7 Protect & Perfect Beauty Serum stimulated the production of fibrillin-1, a protein that promotes elasticity in the skin.

"Very few over-the-counter cosmetic 'anti-aging' products have been subjected to a rigorous, scientific trial to prove their effectiveness," Griffiths said in a statement.

"Although prescription retinoids can have a reparative effect on photo-aged skin, there is scant evidence that any of the plethora of cosmetic 'anti-aging' products can produce similar effects."

The clinical trial, funded by Boots, the makers of the No.7 product range, was carried out using standard scientific protocols, Griffiths said.

The 60 volunteers -- 11 men and 49 women ages 45-80 years -- were supplied in identical, coded packages, so neither investigators nor volunteers were aware who got the treatment and who got the placebo.