Strivectin is an anti-wrinkle cream manufactured by Klein-Becker research laboratories. Strivectin initially was marketed as a stretch mark cream, but employees of Klein-Becker began using the product as a facial cream and found it helped reduce wrinkles and signs of aging in some cases. As with all products, consumers should be cautious when believing claims made by companies with unconfirmed medical studies. But Strivectin does have positive effects in some people. (See References 1 and 3)
Ingredients
A full ingredient list is available on the official Strivectin website for Strivectin, but not for Strivectin-HS, a hydrothermal wrinkle serum. Without a full ingredient list, some consumers may be risking an allergic reaction. Strivectin contains an active peptide Klein-Becker refers to as Pal-KTTKS. While peptides can help skin heal and promote collagen cell production, it is difficult for scientific research to support the effectiveness of the peptide used in Strivectin because of limited information about the peptide. Strivectin also contains parabens, an artificial preservative linked to cases of contact dermatitis in some consumers. (See References 1, 2 and 3)
Price and Guarantee
Strivectin is one of the most expensive anti-aging creams on the market. As of December 2009, a six-ounce bottle of the original Strivectin sold for $135 on the company's official website. Strivectin-HS is the company's most expensive product. A 0.9-ounce bottle sold for $153 on the company's official website as of December 2009. Other products containing pentapeptides similar to Strivectin, such as Olay Regenerist and the Anew Clinical Line and Wrinkle Corrector, sell for about half the price or less of Strivectin. Klein-Becker does offer a 30-day money back guarantee on Strivectin, but does not offer a free trial or product sample.
Effectiveness
Although Klein-Becker often makes statements comparing Strivectin to Botox and other anti-wrinkle injections, the two cannot really be compared in the face of medical and scientific evidence. While the pentapeptides and vitamins in Strivectin may have anti-aging properties, the effects of pentapeptides on the surface of the skin are minimal, according to Dr. Sumayah Jamal, a professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine. Pentapeptides work within the body to promote wound healing, but transferring that effect outside the body on the surface of the skin does not work as well. Botox destroys the proteins that allow neurotransmitters that keep muscles tight to be released. Pentapeptides in creams like Strivectin can help prevent the protein from connecting to the cell, but they cannot destroy the protein like Botox. (See Reference 3)
