Anti-Aging Cream - Term Paper Example

 Anti-Aging Cream Introduction There are concerns in society that there could be a scenario occurring in which women are exploiting themselves in areas of finance as they pursue anti-aging creams to help them reach a pre-conceived or socially-mandated youth and beauty ideal. Companies that market anti-aging products rely on consumer-driven revenues to support ongoing research and development, and in order to make this a reality they must advertise in order to expose consumers to product availability and function. This type of advertising is geared toward connecting with either product quality or its functional relationship within the target buyers most likely to purchase anti-aging products. Costs for these products vary depending on complexity of formula or the development and production processes required for its manufacture. The ideal standard of beauty is a social principle, driven by current norms, therefore it would be difficult to label all anti-aging cream users as having similar demographic buying trends. However, there is clearly a trend that is driving consumers to seek anti-aging creams and they are willing to absorb the varying costs of these products in the pursuit of, at least, their own version of ideal youth and beauty. The formulation of these products generally involves complex steps, many of which will be identified in this paper, therefore each variety of anti-aging cream on the market maintains a unique function. Backed by scientific data, it should be said that anti-aging creams have, at least, a moderating effect on aging that is measurable through health studies. Research indicates that anti-aging creams have some level of effectiveness in relation to their chemical structures and blend of ingredients. Different delivery systems for intended active ingredient outcomes are blended into unique compounds that distinguish one cream from another competitor on the market. However, the cosmetics industry has not instilled any beauty standard in the pursuit of economic exploitation in consumer markets, they are providing valuable products that provide physical and/or emotional satisfaction from buyers in multiple market segments. Beauty is in the eye of beholder when it comes to anti-aging products. Should Such Creams be Regulated? Anti-aging creams are already regulated by the Food & Drug Administration in multiple areas, including research and development and marketing based on the level of risk posed to buying consumers (fda.org, 2010). One study identified nearly 9800 different products that maintained what is referred to as nano-delivery systems by which the active ingredients are supplemented with the ability to penetrate deeper into skin through these systems. Many of these products were anti-aging creams and serums. Though the science behind the formulation is not what is important, since it represents a complex chemical compound requiring illustration. However, Figure 1 represents a sample of the complex anti-aging chemical compound model for active and complementary ingredients within anti-aging creams. Figure 1: N-(2,5-dioxo-4-imidazolidinyl)urea found in grooming products Forces with the ability to regulate products based on chemical compound need to have considerable scientific background in order to make assessments regarding what is safe and what should be taken off the market. The Food & Drug Administration requires ongoing scientific support literature from reputable studies and the consultive expertise to determine health and human safety concerns. It is a highly regulated industry in which manufacturers must routinely report on their pharmacology studies and research and development practices against set industry standards. The complex dynamics behind chemical composition are supported by hard data learned through experiments and observational studies over time. Nearly all of the active ingredients in these anti-aging products are subject to scrutiny by those in specialized fields with the knowledge of chemical reaction and human anatomy in order to provide guidance as to their acceptability on the consumer market. Research studies will generally indicate whether a substance is toxic or causes long-term damage or at least provide guidance on new formulation or abandoning the principle behind the product. In any event, from development through marketing, these efforts are followed by regulatory officials in multiple federal and state-level auditing and legislation. Consumer protection laws and laws pertaining to advertising also drive ongoing compliance measures in science and product development. False Advertisements There is no evidence that false advertisements are occurring when product manufacturers attempt to gain financial support from their target consumers. The Advertising Standards Authority is another regulatory agency that provides strict codes for advertising claims. Under these codes, “ads must not mislead either by act or omission, and advertisers must hold robust evidence to substantiate their claims – the stronger the performance claims, the better the evidence has to be” (Nettleton, 2010, p.17). This agency, as a stakeholder in the regulatory process, ensures an additional blanket in terms of protecting consumer rights and safety. Advertisers who use celebrities to promote their products must have evidence that the celebrity has used the product and embraces its purpose as a spokesperson for promotion. Olay Regenerist uses this evidence in its television advertising, showing improvement in appearance visually with real human skin to remark on the outcomes of the cream on photo-damaged skin (Matthews, 2003). This is an effort toward complying with ASA and FDA regulatory presence and also to satisfy consumer needs related to product function to make the product innovative against competition or desired for a lifestyle enhancement tool. This is a case study approach that illustrates the quality assurance testing and regulatory compliance efforts being undertaken by manufacturers and the government in relation to securing the protection of the buyer. The high presence of regulatory influence absolutely prevents false advertisements from being distributed. It would be nearly impossible to conduct a large-scale publicity or promotional campaign that served a transparent agenda of exploiting finance from buyer markets. The ASA prevents these activities and social outcry could lead to internalized national protest from concerned agencies about exploiting others without hard scientific study results that showed a measurable effect from these products. Even if there is an intention of this, on an individual corporate basis, it is transparent to regulatory committees and is essentially irrelevant since safety issues have been addressed and consumers actively pursue these products. The ideal standard is not what consumers are looking for, they are searching for cost-effective alternatives to cosmetic surgical procedures to remove visible signs of aging from the body. The search for youth has been a universal trait, supported by Ponce De Leon and the commonly-known folktale of the fountain of youth. This is what anti-aging products offer: hope that the ingredients and trusted name of the manufacturers understand how to change skin texture and improve elasticity for a more youthful appearance. There can be no liability considered for effectively attempting to use marketing ideals to elicit higher sales revenue through any misleading or false advertising system. Chemical Ingredients and Health Effects Chemical compounds vary by anti-aging cream brand and function, as these are competitive tools for outperforming other industry leaders. However, common base products include Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, and refined moisturizers. The intensity of knowledge within each organization varies as well as the resources required for ongoing chemical studies and examination. One high dollar product on the market, Platinum, is $1,000 for a 1.7 oz supply, blended with peptides, vitamins, and negatively-charged microscopic particles of platinum suspended in water (Household & Personal Products Industry, 2008). L’Oreal products consist of Pro-Retinal A, and different engineered peptides intended to improve tone and firmness in skin (Dang, 1996). Offered is a regular process methodology for creating anti-aging creams as conducted in a controlled research environment: “Normal human skin was aseptically isolated from a circumcised neonatal foreskin at Chung-Ang University Hospital. The donated foreskin was immersed in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium containing antibiotic and antimycotic agents” (Jung, Seo, Youn, Park, Song & Park, 2009, p.862). This foreskin was submerged in penicillin and sulfates in this process and then was stripped of its epidermis via mechanical means and submitted to further scientific manipulation for another 15 minutes at a controlled 37 degrees Celsius (Jung et al). Complex development occurs for most steps of the anti-aging cream manufacture requiring remodulation of chemical structure of common organic elements or non-organic compounds to achieve a desired result on living tissue (where appropriate). The scientific engineering of peptides is one of the key selling features of the Olay anti-aging product line and is supported by scientific data, even at the microscopic level, to indicate whether noticeable changes had occurred with human tissue. Sometimes dozens of clinical trials are conducted in order to ensure that there are no lingering, undesired effects on skin that is conducted under a variety of processes such as UV intensification, micro-analysis, or chemical reactivity studies. Each of these functions are unique to the product and its listing among controlled substances, however risks to human safety are minimized through these efforts. Brand like Olay stand by their results and the impact of their products within certain buyer segments, careful not to use language that suggests a preventative or curative formula for wrinkle remover. There was no evidence produced that long-term health effects are present in anti-aging creams as no research studies supported these claims. The influence of regulatory agents prevents, by design of these systems, for a product to remain on the market if it poses a known risk to human health. Some of the science for these products involves complex knowledge of vitamin half-life and its relationship to bodily absorption either orally or through epidermal transfer. It is an environment that supports ongoing trial-and-error to determine whether there are redundant chemicals in the formula or whether the addition of new or modified ingredients would improve the functionality and purpose of its consumer intention. Health risks are minimized in this fashion. Do Anti-Aging Creams Work? The evidence says that anti-aging creams are effective, at least minimally, in removing visible signs of aging. A double-blind study of 62 patients with a mean age of 45 identifying corrections and improvements in the number of wrinkles on the face as well as minimizing the appearance of deep wrinkles (Dermatology Times, 2007). This product is Alyria Intense Wrinkle Correction, yet another example of a company that promotes its confidence in research and is willing to support the final marketed product. This is something that the anti-aging cream manufacturers must consider: Products that are expected to show visible changes to aging skin are going to be rejected by consumer audiences if they do not live up to guarantees or claims made about the product. The price tag for even some over-the-counter products is substantial in relation to other creams and vitamin-rich moisturizers, therefore price selection will be measured with actual experience with the product against a known skin texture assessment conducted by the buyer. There must be some measureable change to skin texture or appearance. This is something that the anti-aging cream manufacturers consider, careful not to create misleading information for buyers. These products never claim to completely reverse the aging process, only the appearance of wrinkles, thus reducing corporate liability and also to illustrate that it is intended to be a cosmetic product. Herman (2001) identifies that loss of elasticity and thickness is skin is driven within the dermis, the secondary layer of skin rather than what is exposed to elements on the outer layers. Previously it was recognized that some anti-aging creams have nano-delivery systems by which to ensure a smoother transition, or faster, from epidermis to dermis in an attempt to combat deep-set wrinkles and mass loss within the dermal layers. Other products are absolutely intended for surface repair and will not make claims of having a composition capable of entering the more substantial dermal layers where the aging process begins. The question of their effectiveness is dependent on the level of consumer needs associated with the product’s purchase. Younger consumers are buying these products to fill a preventative need to remain young and vibrant with youthful skin. Under-30 people are drawn to different time-release formulas, nanosphere bursts or heat activation formulas with different delivery systems of active ingredients, as sales are expected to achieve 11 percent annual sustained growth (Global Cosmetic Industry, 2005). This is a market where 59 percent of sales are attributed to skin care. Consumers are experience-driven in equal proportion to their knowledge of advertising content, therefore if there were no noticeable benefits which occurred rapidly or over a prolonged period of time, this would be an obtuse market opportunity and eventually abandoned in favor of new research and development. Consumers with vanity purposes for purchasing anti-aging creams would reject the product immediately if it did not prove some sort of value either in texture enhancement, color reduction, or wrinkle appearance reduction. The scientific studies support that many anti-aging skin creams are effective in making changes to appearance or, for some, in rejuvenating the epidermis or the dermal layers of the skin. In conditions involving UV exposure and product reformulation based on results with living tissue, human or animal, results must be justified at the corporate level, regulatory level, and as a needs fulfillment tool for consumers that will defect eventually without results. Since 59 percent of the market is attributed to skin cream, it would be illogical to believe that all consumers like to waste their money with repeat product purchases thus the science that supports them must be accurate at least in some fashion. The level of improvement or change in appearance demanded by each consumer segment will be measured in relation to attitude or need fulfillment process. None of the anti-aging creams suggest a repair or long-term rejuvenation of skin, again a tactic of deception on a market of buying public that would recognize failure or deception with minimal product use. The idea of removing appearance of wrinkles creates a consumer connection with youth and therefore gives them a psychological benefit if they believe the skin cream can prolong the aging process. Whether it works effectively is dependent on specific objectives for the consumer purchase and the complexity or relevance of the ingredients chosen for the product by the innovation of research and development and experimentation. Conclusion The risks associated with anti-aging cream purchases are minimal and would, in most instances, be a product of new learning based on scientific results that replaces a lack of education associated with consumer health and safety. The systems and regulatory parties are in place to scrutinize process in ingredient methodology and also to regulate the distribution and promotion of these products in various consumer marketplaces. The functionality of the skin creams is backed with scientific experience and knowledge regarding certain chemical formulas and their lasting impact on human flesh. It is coupled in support with a consumer audience that does not spend frivolously with repeat purchases on products that do not leave some form of lasting or temporary result. All of the evidence including speculative assessment of individual consumer needs indicates that these products are, at least, effective on changing color, texture or external wrinkle appearance by their unique competitive formulas. False advertisements are not allowable by law, certain chemicals are known to cause human harm, and are therefore on the market with very little known risk to the buying audiences both young and old. These fulfill a psychological and physical need and if the costs are willing to be absorbed by the buyer, the manufacturers have no liability once the product is sitting on the shelves as it was forced to pass through rigorous quality and regulatory processes to get there. There is no beauty standard being instilled by the cosmetics industry as it pertains to anti-aging creams. The products on the market are limited to establishing this form of objective in the face of the very visible regulatory community. The goal of marketing is to find a key scientific outcome associated that outperforms other competitors, therefore this industry is not driven by consumer sentiment as much as it is sustaining more advantageous formulas over other skin cream products. The beauty ideal for each consumer is quite unique, however anti-aging creams represent a different market where most buyers are all seeking the same end result: youth preservation. Unlike the more concrete market of cosmetic surgery where aesthetics are considered heavily in the consumer decision making process, anti-aging creams are vanity supplements and most consumers understand these practical limitations. References Dang, K.V. (1996). “L’Oreal’s Revitalift Encore (Company introduces Revitalift Eye Anti-Wrinkle & Firming Cream), WWD. 171(126), p.6. Dermatology Times. (2007). “Anti-Aging Cream with Matrixyl Helps Repair Deep Wrinkles”, Advanstar Communications, Inc. 28(4), p.104. Fda.org. (2010). “About FDA Product Approval”. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Retrieved November 30, 2010 from http://fda.org/index.php?article=about-fda-product-approval Global Cosmetic Industry. (2005). “Technology, Youth Lift Skin Care Sales”. New York. 173(8), p.42. Herman, Steve. (2001). “In Search of Eternal Youth”, Global Cosmetic Industry. 168(3), pp.14-16. Household & Personal Products Industry. (2008). “Luxury skin care company La Prairie has unveiled Cellular Cream Platinum Rare, a new anti-aging cream representing the apex of science and luxury”. 45(1), p.39. Jung, S., Seo, Y., Young, M., Prk, C., Song, K. & Park, J. (2009). “Anti-aging and anti-inflammation effects of natural mineral extract on skin”, Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering. Vol. 14, pp.861-868. Matthews, Imogen. (2003). “Aging solutions”, Global Cosmetic Industry. 171(11), p.40. Nettleton, Kate. (2010). “Do cosmetic ads mislead the public?”, Campaign. Jan 15, p.17. Read More