For more than two decades, acne sufferers have turned to the potent drug isotretinoin to control severe, unrelenting acne lesions. Even though reports of side effects like suicide and depression have plagued isotretinoin, this blockbuster drug still has an appeal in the anti-aging market.
Much of isotretinoin's age-fighting capacity found root in laboratories. One group of researchers discovered that oral dosages of isotretinoin could actually enhance surgical procedures used to reverse the signs of aging like wrinkle and blotchy skin coloring.
According to a report in Dermatologic Surgery , investigators gave 60 patients that ranged from 35 to 65 years old oral doses of isotretinoin three times a week for two months, while the patients underwent cosmetic surgical procedures. The control group of 60 women, with the same age range did not receive isotretinoin while undergoing aesthetic surgery.
At the conclusion of the isotretinoin testing, researchers examined the skin of the women and found that persons who took the acne drug witnessed increased skin thickness, reduced pore size, increased skin firmness and tone, and reduced hyperpigmentation spots.
While you may not be eager to take prescription strength drugs to enhance the look of your skin, you can consider slathering on a layer of isotretinoin instead.
In fact, investigators have found that a 0.05% isotretinoin gel can increase the skin's thickness.
Similarly, a study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment found that treatment with a 0.05% isotretinoin cream coupled with sunscreen reduced wrinkling around the eye area. In the trial, researchers cave 172 women the isotretinoin cream along with the sunscreen, while 174 participants used only the carrier cream. The volunteers used the creams once a day for six months and then stopped using the creams for three months.
Examiners observed the participants' skin for wrinkles and fine lines three, six and nine months after the experiment started. The group using the isotretinoin combined with the sunscreen showed a substantial reduction in the signs of photo aging.
Because isotretinoin has multiple remedial applications, some doctors are now more willing to prescribe reduced doses for off-label uses like combating aging skin. Alternately, if oral isotretinoin is out of the question, you can also ask you doctor about topical isotretinoin gels to help reverse wrinkles and uneven skin coloring.
Sources:
Griffiths, CEM, S. Maddin, O. Wiedow, R. Marks, AE Donald, G. Kahlon. Treatment of photoaged skin with a cream containing 0.05% isotretinoin and sunscreens. Journal of Dermatological Treatment ; April 2005, vol. 16, no 2, pp. 79-86.
Hernandez-Perez, E., HA Khawaja & TYM Alvarez. Oral Isotretinoin as Part of the Treatment of Cutaneous Aging. Dermatologic Surgery ; July 2000, vol. 26, no7, pp. 649-652.
Tadini, KA, LR Gaspar, PMBG Maia Campos. Epidermal effects of tretinoin and isotretinoin: influence of isomerism. Pharmazie; May 2006, vol. 61, no 5, pp. 453-456.
Source by Naweko San-Joyz
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