Pass any cosmetic counter and you are enticed with the promise of beauty. The choices for skin care products are virtually overwhelming. We are assured that all include ingredients that will erase the tell-tale signs of aging. Posters feature young, beautiful models artfully made up. Sales girls are skillful with make up application and convincing with their fervent sales pitch. We want to believe there is truth in these messages. Often we impulsively purchase a product hoping that this time, maybe, cross-your-fingers, it will actually be effective. We apply as directed, check the mirror daily and wait to see the transformation. The wait is always in vain because wrinkle reduction, sunspot erasure and skin hydration does not occur. It can’t and never will. These are cosmetics and so are, by definition, products that enhance the appearance of the skin without altering structure or function. True reversal of skin aging requires the up-regulation of the function of the skin cells themselves; a function which has been steadily declining since our thirtieth birthday. If only we’d known this before spending hundreds of dollars and accumulating a cupboard full of disappointment!

So is it possible to improve the quality of the skin? We’ve rained on the Lancome parade, but is there any product out there that can recreate the flawless skin of our youth? Quite by accident, researchers developing a drug to treat acne discovered just such a product. Retinoic Acid (also known by its trade name Retin A) can reverse skin aging. It exerts its effects at the level of the skin cell itself. Cellular functions are boosted back to their original activity and skin health is restored. Visually what is appreciated is firm, smooth, moist, even-toned skin. It’s not the appearance of fine lines that are reduced, but the presence of them. This astounding revelation propelled Dr. Cohen into the field of Aesthetic Medicine over ten years ago. Armed with a solution to the problem of skin aging, and able to thoroughly educate patients about proper use of Retinoic Acid, she has helped hundreds of patients achieve clear skin: Skin that has the resiliency, glow and health of youth.

Tired of waiting for your cosmetics to fulfill their promises? Are you ready for a program that actually does something for your skin? If you’re going through the motions of skin care, make them count. Call 560-4460 today for your consultation. Be prepared for the compliments that follow.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2011 issue of Lancaster County Woman