What are Cosmeceuticals and Can They Have a Positive Effect On the Skin

Featuring Dr. Jason Rivers, MD, FRCPC

Duration: 1 minute, 31 seconds

Cosmeceuticals is a whole class of topically-applied agents that go on the skin, which may have some medical effect.

The American FDA doesn't recognize the term cosmeceuticals. They recognize either cosmetics or pharmaceutical agents. But, in recent years it's become clear that certain agents put into moisturizing creams or even moisturizing creams themselves can have a positive effect on the skin.

So for example, a moisturizer is really the cornerstone of treatment to various types of eczema. And in acne, where our treatments can dry the skin, moisturizers are very important in maintaining the normal homeostasis of the skin.

There are a number of different botanical extracts that are now put into these agents, vitamin A derivatives that are put into these agents, vitamin C, and various other compounds which can have a positive biological effect on the skin.

The problem with many of these cosmeceuticals is that people are really left in the dark. They don't know which ingredients are to be used on their skin, they don't know which product should be used during the daytime, the night time, should a serum should be used.

So really, the solution to this is to seek out somebody who has the knowledge base on cosmeceuticals and cosmetic ingredients so you can get better advice as to what would be appropriate for your skin.

Presenter: Dr. Jason Rivers, Dermatologist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Dermatologist