Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Peel Pads ($45.00, Amazon.com) claim to “gently exfoliate skin and stimulate cell turnover, while protecting skin from environmental damage and boosting moisture.” Based on the formulation, is this product as effective as it claims? Furthermore, do Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Peel Pads make a visible difference in the skin after a month of use? To answer that question, FutureDerm has teamed up with the very awesome Beauty411 blog to give an in-depth, ingredients-and-trial analysis. For more, read on…
An incredible source of AHAs
Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Peel Pads contain two alpha hydroxy acids in high concentration: glycolic acid and lactic acid. Glycolic acid is the most common of all the alpha hydroxy acids in skin care products. Used in concentrations 20 to 70 percent at the dermatologist and up to 10 percent over the counter, glycolic acid peels exfoliate and smooth the skin, quicken the rate of cell turnover (which is reduced by up to 7% every ten years), decrease small wrinkles and increase the fibroblast proliferation of collagen. Treatment with glycolic acid peels has also been shown to increase expression of Type 1 Collagen mRNA and hyaluronic acid content in the dermis of the skin. Although the percent glycolic acid in the product is not provided, its location on the ingredients list suggests a high concentration (my best guess would be 8-10%, but again, this is only a guess).
The second AHA, lactic acid, is usually used to treat dry skin, not signs of aging. For anti-aging treatments, glycolic acid is usually preferred to lactic acid because it is smaller and penetrates the skin more easily, and also because glycolic acid has been found to increase the thickness and firmness of the skin, but lactic acid does not. At any rate, this product is an excellent source of AHAs.
May not be right for sensitive skin
This product certainly takes an aggressive approach against wrinkles and rough skin, including not only a high concentration of alpha hydroxy acids, but also retinol. Although the exact concentration of retinol in the product is not provided, based on the ingredients list, my best guess (please note this is only a guess!) would be <0.025%, similar to the level of retinol in Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15 or RoC Anti-Wrinkle Treatment for All Skin Types. Again, however, this is only a guess. 🙂
While this is a relatively small amount of retinol compared to other sources on the market (Skinceuticals 0.5 and 1.0 contain 0.5% and 1.0% retinol, while Green Cream Level 6 and 9 contain 0.6% and 1.0% retinol, respectively), this still may upset those with sensitive skin. In fact, dermatologists consulted for the December 2007 issue of Allure magazine recommended alternating use of AHAs with retinol rather than using them together. If you have concerns, talk to your dermatologist about use of this product with your specific skin type.
Antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C, and green tea
This product also contains a fair concentration of antioxidant vitamin E as tocopheryl acetate, which has been found to have a high antioxidant capacity compared with kinetin, ubiquinone, vitamin C (as L-ascorbic acid) and lipoic acid. Again, not the highest antioxidant capacity in skin care (think CoffeeBerry, green tea, idebenone) but still good. The product also includes vitamin C as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, and a low concentration of antioxidant green tea. I think I’m falling in love…
When do I use this product? What other products should I use it with?
According to Amazon.com, the product is a “daily” treatment. However, considering that the product is very strong, with both alpha hydroxy acids and retinol, I personally use the product once/week at night (in place of my normal retinol cream) and before my moisturizer. Nancy from the Beauty411 Blog has chosen to use the product 2-3 times/week, with excellent results. As with most products, if your skin is red and irritated after use, it is generally advised for you to wait until the symptoms clear and then to try again, gradually building up use of the product to the desired frequency. However, in some cases, a product is not right for your skin, in which case an application of the product never fails to induce redness. As always, if you have concerns, consult your dermatologist.
In addition, I would not use this product during the day because both AHAs and retinol have been found to make the skin more photosensitive, i.e., more susceptible to sun damage. In fact, a study conducted by Tsai et. al found that pre-treatment with 10% glycolic acid caused an increase in UVB sensitivity in white and Asian subjects, and an increase in UVA sensitivity in Asian subjects.
As such, whether used during night or day, this product should definitely be used in conjunction with a broad-spectrum, UVA/UVB sunscreen.
How soon should I see results?
Check out the Beauty411 Blog for a glowing review from a fellow blogger who has been using this product 2-3 times a week for a full month!
Overall opinion?
One of my all-time favorite products – however, due to its potency (AHAs and retinol) and the need for sunscreen to be used in conjunction with it, I use it only once/week at night and before special occasions for a smoother look. A great exfoliating treatment – just be careful if you have sensitive skin, and don’t keep using it if the product irritates your skin. Product rating: 9/10 (I wish there weren’t AHAs and retinol, which is a strong combination! At any rate, a superb peel.)
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate (Lactic Acid), Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Linolenic Acid (Vitamin F), Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Retinol (Vitamin A), Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D), Alanine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salicylic Acid, Caprylic/Capric, Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea.