Chapter 22 Wrinkles and Fine Lines
This chapter deals with those ingredients that are marketed for the purpose of improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The ingredients have been divided into several categories based on function: botanical antioxidants, vitamin antioxidants, and cellular regulators (Tables 22.1, 22.2, 22.3). These ingredients represent the most popular cosmeceuticals placed in moisturizers designed to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It is important to remember that the effects of the moisturizing ingredients cannot be separated from those of the cosmeceutical active in most cases. Nevertheless, moisturizers are the most common cosmeceutical wrinkle treatment currently available.
Table 22.1 Botanical antioxidants
| Cosmeceutical | Effects on skin physiology | Patient selection comments |
| Soy | Flavonoid antioxidant with estrogenic effect, genistein and daidzein | Improves skin thickness |
| Curcumin | Polyphenol antioxidant with tetrahydrocurcumin, used as a natural preservative | Slight burning sensation possible on application |
| Green tea | Polyphenol antioxidant with epigallocatechin | Must be used freshly brewed or stabilized with BHT as oxidizes to brown color rapidly, useful as a photoprotectant |
| Silymarin | Flavonoid antioxidant with silybin, silydianin, and silychristine | May be useful topically in photosensitive individuals |
| Pyncogenol | Phenol and phenolic acid antioxidant | Useful in supplementing antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E |
| Lutein and lycopene | Carotenoid antioxidant | Best consumed orally in fresh picked ripe tomatoes |
| Rosmarinic acid | Polyphenol antioxidant | Found in high concentration in fresh rosemary leaves |
| Hypericin (St John’s wort) |
