1. Better Health Over 55

278. Don’t Be Duped by Antiwrinkle Creams

Don’t be misled by over-the-counter skin care products that claim to get rid of wrinkles. There’s no such thing. The closest thing to a wrinkle-removing cream is retinoic acid, a synthetic form of vitamin A. Applied to the skin surface, retinoic acid increases blood flow and stimulates skin cells called fibroblasts to produce new collagen (a protein that keeps skin smooth). This process can help to reduce tiny wrinkles and make deep wrinkles less noticeable. Retinoic acid also speeds up the rate that your skin’s cells move to the surface and die off to be replaced with new cells, so your skin looks younger.

Retinoic acid is available as Retinol in over-the-counter products and by prescription under the trade name Retin-A. Regular vitamin A has no effect on wrinkles, whether it’s taken orally or applied directly to the skin.