Quote of note:

"After six weeks of product use, a 26% reduction in skin roughness/dryness was observed, a 29% reduction in fine lines and wrinkles was obtained, a 33% overall global improvement in the appearance of the skin and up to a 37% increase in skin hydration was observed," according to Allergan marketers.

Neither study has been published in a scientific journal, a common yardstick that doctors use to weigh the validity of medical research.

Also, the clinical trial did not compare Prevage with any other product. Joseph A. Lewis II, Pharma Cosmetix's president and chief executive, said the company planned further tests.

"We compared antioxidants," said Lewis. "Now we will compare Prevage against other well-known products in the marketplace."

Forget Botox; there's a new star in the wrinkle war
Allergan claims Prevage helps diminish wrinkles. But some doctors say its effectiveness has not been proven.
By Hilary E. MacGregor

Times Staff Writer

January 24, 2005

All over this youth-obsessed city, beauty junkies in search of the next miracle skin-care product are rushing to their dermatologists' offices on a quest: Find Prevage.

Launched just this month by Allergan Inc., the Irvine-based pharmaceutical company best known for its blockbuster Botox product, Prevage contains idebenone, an antioxidant that the company claims reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

At $115 an ounce, the cream is expensive. And there is a catch: Although Prevage is not a drug and does not require a prescription, it is only available through doctors' offices. The exclusivity has given the product more cachet, and articles in beauty and fashion magazines have heightened the appeal.