“Clinically Tested” Skin Care Products Cannot Be Tested at All
Lotions and other skin care products often boast of being “clinically tested” or “dermatologically tested.” These terms do not refer to the same types of clinical trials that a drug can undergo, and in many cases, they probably mean nothing.
Skin care products that actually have any effect on your skin are called medicines and are regulated accordingly. (Think of the benzoyl peroxide acne cream that has the Drug Facts label, or any prescription skin care product.) On the other hand, a lotion that promises to do something vague, such as “ revitalize your skin is not suitable.
Timothy Caulfield explains at The Atlantic that very few independent scientists are doing research on skin care products, and testing is weak to nonexistent:
Phrases such as “clinically proven” or “dermatologist-approved” do not really matter because they can apply to just about anything. For example, what research has led to the claim that a given product has been clinically proven? The manufacturers just asked a couple of buyers? Don’t be fooled by such phrasing, especially when … a critical analysis of the statements [unlikely].
Likewise, he writes, beauty advice given in the media is a “science free zone,” with no evidence of implied claims that the products will help your skin in any way. Read the full article to find out why the claims of the skin care companies are not questioned.
Pseudoscience About Cosmetic Products | Atlantic Ocean
Photo by Sean Campbell .
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