Overview
Prevage MD is a topical anti-wrinkle cream that is only available with a dermatologist’s prescription. It is developed and sold by Allergan, a large pharmaceutical company that manufactures many other prescription health treatments, as well as Botox. Prevage goes about fighting wrinkles by offering the user’s skin heavy protection from environmental factors. This stands in contrast to many other wrinkle products on the market, which focus on correcting skin damage that has already occurred. Possible environmental factors that contribute to skin damage include UV rays, tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide.
The product manufacturers claim that the primary active ingredients found in Prevage are all antioxidants. Antioxidants are a common wrinkle treatment ingredient, and are frequently derived from fruits or other botanical sources. Antioxidants prevent cell death due to oxidization caused by environmental pollutants. Prevage is not recommended for use with other, harsh skin cleansing routines such as chemical peels. However, it is perfectly safe to use this product with your gentle facial cleanser of choice. Consult your dermatologist if you have any questions about what may be safe and what’s not.
Product Details
Prevage is an antioxidant based topical wrinkle fighting treatment. The key active ingredient found in Prevage is an enzyme marketed under the name Idebenone. Idebenone is a potent antioxidant that, the manufacturers claim, breaks down skin stressing agents like oily buildup from environmental pollutants. Prevage also claims that this “miracle” ingredient will help to fight off future skin stressing elements. The scientific name for Idebenone is Coenzyme Q10, and it appears to be a third party license that is used by several rival anti-wrinkle treatments on the market today. The concentration of Idebenone cream found in Prevage is 0.5%.
The full list of ingredients found in Prevage is as follows: Purified water (aqua), glycerin, cetyl ricinoleate, isohexadecane, ceresin, glyceryl stearate, water. titanium dioxide (C177891), propylene glycol, styrene acrylates copolymer, hydrolyzed corn starch, ammonium hydroxide, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethyl-paraben, butylparaben, propylparaben, isopropyl lauroyl sarcosinate, sericin, hydroxydecyl ubiquinone (idebenone), sodium PCA, steareth-2, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, PEG-100 stearate, glycosaminoglycans, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, tocopherol, millet (panicum miliaceum) extract, cholesterol, ceramide III, dimethicone, PEG-50 dipolyhydroxystearate, magnesium aluminum silicate, xanthan gum, cetyl hydroxy-ethylcellulose, disodium EDTA, BHT, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben.
The Good
- Official website offers a physician finder so users can ask an industry professional about this product.
- Product concentrates on antioxidants.
- Product appears to be highly potent.
The Bad
- Product is only available with a prescription.
- Product contains parabens, which can result in contact dermatitis for some users.
- Users should be careful of what other skin care products they use with Prevage.
- No information given on product price points.
The Bottom Line
Your physician should probably be the one to decide if Prevage is right for you or not. If a trusted dermatologist recommends this product, they probably know what they’re talking about. Prevage looks like pretty serious business though, and users should definitely avoid ordering it from a disreputable online retailer (we found at least one site that was offering it.) Users who want a more casual—or just a more gentle—skin care treatment should probably keep looking.