The global cosmeceuticals market was valued at USD$64 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach a value of USD$138 billion by 2032.
Companies continuously develop new products. This is done for many reasons, including to keep current with the latest social trends and consumer preferences. It is almost impossible for anyone to keep up.
However, the most likely reason why your Dermatologist has not heard of this “magic cream” you mentioned is because it has not been proven to work.
What is a Cosmeceutical?
There are three broad types of skin products that are available to consumers:
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceuticals
- Cosmeceuticals
Cosmetics are the broadest group and includes moisturisers, lotions, cleansers as well as make-up. Regulators restrict the ingredients that may be included in cosmetics.
Pharmaceuticals are products that have undergone rigorous testing to confirm a beneficial effect. Their quality control processes have also bee validated.
Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products with ingredients that may have a biological effect on the skin (& body). However, they have not been through a regulated process to confirm that they have a beneficial effect.
Cosmeceuticals sit in between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The term was popularised by Albert Kligman, who recognised that even water could alter the structure and function of skin.1Amer M, Maged M. Cosmeceuticals versus pharmaceuticals. Clin Dermatol. 2009;27(5):428-430. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2009.05.004
Why hasn’t my Dermatologist heard of a Treatment?
The short answer is, if the treatment works it must be tested in a randomised controlled trial. If your dermatologist is unaware of a treatment, it is likely that the treatment has not been proven to work. It is simply not worth your Dermatologist’s time to research a never-ending array of gimmicks.
Medical trials help to protect you and society as a whole. A published study will:
- Confirm whether or not the treatment actually works
- How well the treatments works (often in a percentage improvement)
- Likely be listed on PubMed – a database that includes reports of medical trials.
- Ensures that the treatment is not a gimmick.
- Discover potential side effects of treatment.
The other benefit of a proven treatment is that you know how much you are paying for a certain amount of improvement.
What About Social Media Endorsements?
Social-media influencers get paid for endorsements and producing engaging content. This does not mean that the treatments they endorse are effective.
Such testimonials are not considered adequate evidence to prove that a treatment is effective. Ideally a treatment would be tested on numerous people in an environment that controls for other potential influences such as age, gender, skin colour and ethnic background.
What is the Harm of Using a Non-Evidence Based Treatment?
There are several potential harms that can result from using treatments that are not proven to work:
- Wasting money on a treatment that does not work.
- Delaying effective treatment. For example, allowing acne to continue untreated can result in further scarring.
- Adverse effects from unregulated treatments such as scarring and allergic dermatitis.