Modistmoz asks…I’ve just begun looking into starting an anti aging regiment for my skin (I am 30 with very fair skin). I’m working hard to research products to find the best fit. I was wondering what the Beauty Brains has to say about the new Oil of Olay Professional Pro-X line. Is it any good?

The Right Brain replies:

Is Pro-X any good? According to one study, it’s as good as prescription anti-aging from a dermatologist. Maybe.

Doubtful data?

According to Cosmeticsdesign testing done by Procter Gamble, makers of Olay, shows that its Pro-X line performs as well as a tretinoin-based prescription treatment. (Tretinoin is also known as Retin-A.) Now, we can guess what you’re thinking: Yeah, but it’s P&G’s test that shows that it works! Can we trust them? The answer is yes, if the study was designed and executed properly. The real question is exactly what was the test designed to prove? Test data can be used to support many different conclusions depending on the study design.

X-rated action

In this case, P&G had expert graders look at pictures of the panelists after treatment with both product regimines and rate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. After 6 months the graders rated both products as performing similarly. But since the Pro-X treatment regimen is moisturizing while the tretinoin treatment tends to be irritating, the tretinoin dosage started low and was ramped up over time. One could argue that this methodology gave the Pro-X product a head start in the treatment, but P&G points out that this application process is consistent with how people actually use tretinoin in real life to help reduce irritation. So, their conclusion is that “prescription efficacy for improving fine lines can be achieved with a cosmetics regimen as well as being better tolerated by patients.”

The Beauty Brains bottom line

If you like the way tretinoin makes your skin look but you find it irritating, you might have better luck with the Olay Pro-X line. But don’t expect miracles.

What do YOU think? Have you had luck with any wrinkle fighting anti-aging skin treatments? Leave a comment and share your experiences with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Source: British Journal of Dermatology

2010, Issue 162, Pages 647 – 654
A randomized, controlled comparative study of the wrinkle reduction benefits of a cosmetic niacinamde/peptide/retinyl propionate products regimen versus a prescription 0.02 percent tretinoin product regimen
J.J.J. Fu, G.G. Hillebrand, P. Raliegh, J. Li, M.J.Marmor, V. Bertucci, P.E. Grimes, S.H. Mandy, M.I. Perez, S.H. Weinkle, J.R. Kaczvinsky