£3.99 serum outperforms expensive anti-aging treatments, say experts

A groundbreaking study comparing expensive and cheap anti-ageing skin serums has found a preparation that's sold for as little as £3.99 came out on top. 

The trial, conducted by experts at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, was paid for by a firm who make high price skincare products.

The scientists has been tasked with testing a luxury serum made with human platelet extract (HPE) — taken from donor blood samples — which costs from £200 for 15ml.

But when it was pitted head-to-head with a widely available beauty product — a Vitamin C serum — the researchers had to admit the budget option was superior. 

Versions of Vitamin C serums can be purchased for as little as £3.99 — and Boots, Superdrug, and supermarkets such as Tesco all sell options for under £20.

When applied to the hands, the low-cost product was more effective at reducing common signs of aging, including age spots, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone.

After six months of daily use the effects of Vitamin C serum were significantly more noticeable.

Lead researcher, dermatologist Dr Saraya Wyles, added: 'Both serums might work better than laser treatments for reducing age spots.'

To test the serums, the research team recruited 60 participants — the majority women — with an average age of 52 years.

Each participant was instructed to apply HPE serum — Plated Skin Science Intense Serum — to their right hand twice daily.

They were instructed to apply Vitamin C serum to their left hand.

During the trial, the researchers used SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, which contains 15 per cent Vitamin C, costing roughly £125 for 30ml.

However there are a number of more budget-conscious options with the same concentration of the key ingredient. 

The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum, available in Boots, costs £15 for 30ml. Revuele Vitamin C 15 Percent Serum is available online from £3.99. 

Rather than relying solely on before-and-after photos or the participants' subjective opinions, researchers used high tech imaging technology to measure changes in the skin. 

They tracked several markers of aging, including brown spots, wrinkles, skin brightness, and colour evenness.

Evaluations were made at the start of the trial and at six, 12, and 26 weeks. 

The results were 'impressive' for both treatments, they said. 

After 12 weeks, participants showed roughly a 27 per vcent reduction in brown spots with HPE and a 32 per cent reduction with vitamin C. 

Both treatments also improved wrinkles by about 15 to 17 per cent. 

These improvements surpassed those typically seen with more invasive treatments like intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, which only showed a 7.5 per cent reduction in brown spots in previous studies. 

Prices for IPL may range from £800 to £1,500 and even more for premium packages and additional services. 

Brown spots, also called age spots, appear on the skin due to long-term sun exposure.  

Vitamin C works on reducing them by interfering with the action of tyrosinase, an enzyme that's responsible for the production of melanin, the compound that gives skin pigment.

It's found in a wide range of skincare products, such as serums, cleansers, moisturisers and masks however experts suggest a concentration of between 10 per cent to 20 per cent Vitamin C is most effective for reducing hyperpigmentation.