What Doctors Don't Tell YouDon’t look for the fountain of youth in wrinkle creams containing tretinoin or you may be disappointed.
According to a new review, such creams will barely work, especially on sun-damaged skin, and they may have serious adverse effects. In trials, tretinoin has been shown to cause peeling, dry skin and stinging in more than half the subjects who used it. More than a quarter experienced itching and irritation, and 40 per cent developed rashes. The review also warned that there is still a question mark hanging over whether tretinoin causes birth defects (Prescrire, 1999; 8: 139-40).
It seems that the better (and cheaper) advice, if you want to keep your skin looking nice, is still to purchase a big hat and wear it in the sun.
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD
