Company settles FTC charges that its anti-aging claims aren't based on science

By Amy Hebert, Consumer Education Specialist, Federal Trade Commission

A “solar-powered” lotion that transforms UV rays into red light to give you the same anti-aging results you’d get from laser treatment in a doctor’s office, or from an FDA-approved at-home red light device?

An eye lotion that works as well on your eyes as a surgical eye lift?  

A body lotion that mimics the effect of a lobster hormone — one that causes their bodies to shrink before molting — to help you shrink, too?

These are some of the claims DERMAdoctor made for its Photodynamic Therapy facial lotion, Photodynamic Therapy eye lift lotion, and Shrinking Beauty products that it sold to people directly and through retailers such as Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta, and QVC.

The problem? The company didn’t have reliable scientific evidence to support those claims. The studies it did rely on, the Federal Trade Commission says, had serious flaws or didn’t support the claims in the ads. DERMAdoctor has agreed to settle the FTC’s charges.

If you’re looking to lose weight, look out for these signs a product is promising more than it can deliver.

Copyright 2014, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

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