By Mayo Clinic Staff

Many people buy wrinkle creams and serums hoping they will smooth wrinkles and prevent or repair sun damage. Do these products work? That depends on what they contain and how long you use them. Because these products aren't considered medicine, they don't go through the same strict testing to prove they work as promised or that they are safe.

If you want results as noticeable as a face-lift, wrinkle creams probably won’t give you that. These products usually only make small improvements.

Moisturizers can make skin look smoother. They temporarily plump the skin, which makes lines and wrinkles less visible. Moisturizers can be lotions, creams, gels and serums. They often contain water, oils and other ingredients, such as proteins, waxes, glycerin, lactate and urea.

Wrinkle creams often are moisturizers with active ingredients that offer added benefits. How well they work depends partly on your skin type and the type of ingredient. Whatever products you choose, read the label instructions before using them.

Common ingredients in wrinkle creams and serums that might improve the look of your skin include:

• Retinol. This ingredient is a milder type of retinoid. Retinoids are made from vitamin A and are used in skin care to help smooth wrinkles and reduce discoloration. Retinol might cause skin irritation. But this often lessens over time. Retinoids, including retinol, should not be used during pregnancy. Skincare products with retinol include The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane and CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). When used daily, vitamin C can help protect skin from damage caused by sun and pollution. It also may improve skin tone. Look for the ingredient L-ascorbic acid on the label. Vitamin C works best when combined with other ingredients, such as vitamin E (tocopherol) and hyaluronic acid, in a serum. It can lose its strength when exposed to light, heat or air. Keep vitamin C products in a cool, dark place and close the container tightly after use. Serums that contain vitamin C include CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum and La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum.
• Niacinamide (NYE-a-sin-a-mide). A form of vitamin B-3 (niacin), niacinamide may help reduce the signs of aging and improve skin tone. It also calms the skin, which may help other ingredients work better. Niacinamide is found in serums, masks, moisturizers and wrinkle creams. Apply it twice a day. Examples of products with niacinimade include Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%.
• Bakuchiol (buh-KOO-chee-all). This plant-based ingredient may help smooth wrinkles and reduce skin discoloration. Bakuchiol works like retinol. But it is gentler than retinol and is safe to use during pregnancy. Bakuchiol is found in serums and moisturizers. It is from the Ayurveda medicine tradition. Apply it two times a day. Skincare products that contain bakuchiol include The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturizer and Herbivore Bakcuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum.
• Tranexamic (TRAN-ex-AM-ik) acid. This ingredient is made from the amino acid lysine. Tranexamic acid can improve skin tone and fade discoloration. Wear sunscreen while using tranexamic acid because sun exposure can cause discolored patches — the very thing this ingredient is trying to improve. Apply it twice a day. Products with tranexamic include Naturium Tranexamic Topical Acid 5% and The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Serum.
• Azelaic (a-zeh-LAY-ik) acid. This gentle, antibacterial ingredient helps smooth rough skin and reduce discoloration and wrinkles. It often works well with other serum or moisturizer ingredients, such as vitamin C and niacinamide. Apply it up to two times a day. Examples of products that contain azelaic acid include The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% and The Inkey List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum.

Many of these ingredients also are available in stronger versions with a prescription from a healthcare professional.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies wrinkle creams and serums that you can buy without a prescription as cosmetics. This means they're regulated less strictly than medicines that require a prescription. Some of these products may be called cosmeceuticals, a term used to suggest they are part cosmetic and part medicine. But they are still considered cosmetics.

Because wrinkle creams and serums don't go through the same safety and effectiveness testing as prescription skin treatments, there's no guarantee they will reduce wrinkles.

Consider these points when deciding to use a wrinkle cream:

• Cost and results. A higher price doesn't always mean better results. An expensive wrinkle cream may not work better than a less expensive one.
• Strength of ingredients. Wrinkle creams and serums you can buy without a prescription often have lower amounts of active ingredients than prescription products. This means they may not work as well and results may not last as long.
• How often you use it. Many products need to be used once or twice a day for up to six weeks before you notice a difference. If you stop using them, your skin will likely go back to how it looked before.
• Side effects. Some products can cause irritation, rashes, burning or swelling. Certain products should not be used during pregnancy. To help prevent side effects, read and follow the instructions carefully. Products labeled "hypoallergenic" may lower the risk of allergic reactions, and those marked "noncomedogenic" are less likely to clog pores, helping to reduce the risk of acne.
• Different skin types. No product works the same for everyone. Something that works for a friend may not work for you.

Wrinkle serums and creams may make small wrinkles less noticeable. Your results can depend on how often you use them, the type and amount of active ingredients, and the kind of wrinkles you want to treat.

If you want more reliable ways to care for your skin, try these tips:

• Protect your skin from the sun. Sun exposure causes skin to age more quickly. Limit your time in the sun and wear protective clothing and a hat. Use sunscreen with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Reapply every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating. Even sun that shines through a window can speed up skin aging, so use sun protection on exposed skin every day, all year round.
• Apply sunscreen to your face. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Apply sunscreen as the last step in your skin care routine, before applying makeup. Choose moisturizers and makeup products that include sunscreen.

  Products that contain physical blockers such as zinc or titanium oxide provide the best protection for sensitive skin. Examples include Eucerin SPF 50, La Roche-Posay SPF 50 and Tizo AM Replenish.

• Use a daily moisturizer. Even though it can't prevent wrinkles, a moisturizer can help trap water in the skin. This may make small lines look less noticeable.
• Don't smoke. Smoking damages skin fibers, causing sagging and wrinkles. Quitting helps improve skin tone and prevents further damage.

A dermatologist can help you create a skin care plan based on your skin type and concerns and how your skin looks. A dermatologist also can suggest treatments for more noticeable results, such as prescription creams, injections, chemical peels, microneedling and laser therapy.

People buy nonprescription wrinkle creams and lotions with the hope that these products can reduce wrinkles and prevent or reverse damage caused by the sun. Do they work? That often depends on what’s in the product and how long you use it. Because these types of wrinkle creams aren't classified as medicine, they aren't required to undergo scientific research to prove their effectiveness.

If you're looking for a face-lift in a bottle, you probably won't find it in nonprescription wrinkle creams. The benefits of these products are usually only slight.

Moisturizing alone can improve the appearance of your skin. It temporarily plumps the skin, making lines and wrinkles less visible. Moisturizers are lotions, creams, gels and serums made of water, oils and other ingredients, such as proteins, waxes, glycerin, lactate and urea.

Wrinkle creams often are moisturizers with active ingredients that offer additional benefits. These added ingredients are intended to improve skin tone, texture, fine lines and wrinkles. How well these products work depends in part on your skin type and the active ingredient. Many of them are available in stronger formulations with a prescription from your doctor.

Here are common ingredients of moisturizing serums and creams that might improve the look of your skin. Whatever products you choose, read the label instructions.

• Retinols. This is a product made from vitamin A compounds. It is weaker than a retinoid, which is in many products that require a prescription. Examples are The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane and CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum. Retinols and retinoids are not safe to use while pregnant.

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Vitamin C doesn't help much on its own but when added to a wrinkle serum and used regularly, it reduces damage from the sun and pollution and reduces skin discoloration. Vitamin C helps your skin produce collagen too.

  Examples of vitamin C serums are CeraVe Vitamin C Face Serum and La Roche-Posay Vitamin C Anti-Aging Serum. Look for the ingredient L-ascorbic acid. Store your vitamin C product away from air and sunlight to make it last longer.

• Niacinamide (NYE-a-sin-a-mide). This substance is related to vitamin B-3 (niacin). It's used in serums, masks, moisturizers and wrinkle creams. It may reduce signs of aging and skin discoloration. And it can have a calming effect on the skin, making your skin more able to benefit from other ingredients in your cream. Apply it two times a day.
• Bakuchiol (buh-KOO-chee-all). This substance is gentler than retinol and is safe to use while pregnant. It's used in serums and moisturizers. It reduces signs of aging and skin discoloration. Bakuchiol is from the ayurveda medicine tradition. Apply it two times a day.
• Tranexamic (TRAN-ex-AM-ik) acid. This substance is derived from the amino acid lysine. It brightens the skin and reduces discoloration and melasma. Apply it two times a day, with a sunscreen. Examples are La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum and Paula's Choice Clinic Discoloration Repair Serum.
• Azelaic (a-zeh-LAY-ik) acid. This is a gentle substance that works well when combined with other ingredients in your wrinkle serum or moisturizer. And it's safe to use while pregnant. Azelaic acid is an antibacterial and skin-lightening agent. Apply it up to two times a day. Examples include The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Serum and The Inkey List Azelaic Acid Serum.

Anti-wrinkle serums and creams may make tiny wrinkles less noticeable. Your results may depend on how often you use a product, the type and amount of active ingredient in it, and the type of wrinkles you want to treat.

But if you want to take the guesswork out of your skin care routine, try these more reliable ways to care for your skin:

• Protect your skin from the sun. Exposure to UV light speeds up the natural aging process of your skin, causing wrinkles and rough, blotchy skin. In fact, sun exposure is the No. 1 reason for signs of aging in the skin, including uneven pigmentation. Protect your skin by limiting the time you spend in the sun and always wearing protective clothing and a hat. Also, use sunscreen on exposed skin year-round when outdoors.

  Even sunlight that shines through windows can increase signs of skin aging such as wrinkles. So it's also helpful to get in the habit of using daily a product containing sunscreen, even if you aren't planning to be outside on any given day. At least use the product on your face, the V of your chest and your hands.

• Choose products with built-in sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Many moisturizers and makeup products have sunscreen built in. So try to pick a morning moisturizer or foundation that already includes sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. And get in the habit of using it every day. Especially when you're outside, apply sunscreen generously. Reapply every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating.

  Products that contain physical blockers such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide provide the most effective protection for sensitive skin. Examples include Eucerin SPF 50, La Roche-Posay SPF 50 and Tizo AM Replenish. Apply it over any other products you're wearing — except insect repellent. Insect repellent goes on last.

• Use moisturizers. Moisturizers can't prevent wrinkles, but they trap water in the skin, temporarily masking tiny lines and creases.
• Don't smoke. Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin. It also damages collagen and elastin. These fibers give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely. You can improve your skin tone and texture and prevent more wrinkles by quitting smoking.

A dermatologist can help you create a personalized skin care plan by assessing your skin type, evaluating your skin's condition and recommending products likely to be effective.

If you're looking for more dramatic results, a dermatologist can recommend medical treatments for wrinkles. These include prescription creams and serums; injections of medicine such as Botox, Jeuveau, Xeomin, Daxxify, Sculptra, Radiesse; chemical peels; microneedling; and laser treatments.