No guarantees: Assessing safety and effectiveness

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies creams and lotions as cosmetics, which are defined as having no medical value. So the FDA regulates them less strictly than it does drugs. This means that cosmetic products don't undergo the same rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness that topically applied medications undergo.

Because the FDA doesn't evaluate cosmetic products for effectiveness, there's no guarantee that any OTC product will reduce your wrinkles.

Consider these points when judging the merits of using a wrinkle cream:

• Cost. Cost has no relationship to effectiveness. A wrinkle cream that's more costly may not be more effective than a less costly product.
• Lower doses. Nonprescription wrinkle creams contain lower concentrations of active ingredients than do prescription creams. So results, if any, are limited and usually short-lived.
• Multiple ingredients. A product with two or three active ingredients is not necessarily more effective than a product with just one of them. Likewise, using several anti-wrinkle products at the same time may irritate your skin rather than benefit it.
• Daily use. You'll likely need to use the wrinkle cream once or twice a day for many weeks before noticing any improvement. And once you discontinue using the product, your skin is likely to return to its original appearance.
• Side effects. Some products may cause skin irritation, rashes, burning or redness. Be sure to read and follow the product instructions to limit side effects. It may help to select products that don't cause allergic reactions (hypoallergenic) or acne (noncomedogenic). Choose products that offer a consumer hotline in case you have questions.
• Individual differences. Just because your friend swears by a product doesn't mean it will work for you. People have different skin types. No one product works the same for everyone.