In episode 289, James and Mike slip into the quagmire of moisturizers and anti-aging creams. We look at what ingredients are in moisturizers and the evidence behind the anti-aging products. At the end they both feel like they’ve aged 5 years and there’s not a cream on the market that will save them.

Show notes

1) Use Cream That’s Cheaper – a parody of the Blue Oyster Cult song Don’t Fear the Reaper

2) Deception in cosmetics advertising

J Glob Fas Mark 2015:6:194-206

3) Consumer Reports April 2012

4) Which? August 2009

5) Ingredients essential to all moisturizers

80% WATER

10-30% Oils/lipids/fats (emollients) – Decreases Evaporation

Typically from plants and animals – PETROLATUM (petroleum jelly), beeswax, lanolin, mineral oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, squalene

5% Emulsifiers – Allows Oils to Mix with Water

Beeswax/borax, cetearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, PEG-150 stearate, steareth-20, lecithin, glyceryl monostearate

0.5% Preservatives  

Parabens, phenoxyethanol, MCI/MI

5% Humectants – Attracts Water

GLYCEROL (glycerin), propylene glycol, butylene glycol, alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, lactic acid), urea

1% Silicones

DIMETHICONE

2% Herbal extracts – Most added with no clinical evidence they do anything and often the reason for allergic reactions

0.2% Fragrance – 100s used

Often the reason for allergic reactions

6) Interventions for photodamaged skin

CD001782

In episode 288, James and Mike continue discussing their experiences evaluating and interacting with the media. We talk about a few examples of spin – UKPDS spin, Dr Oz/The Doctors spin and so on. At the end we quote Jon Stewart who said “The best defence against bullshit is vigilance. So if you smell something, say something.” We implore you to not complain about the media, but rather become the media by writing and publishing.

Show notes

1) Press Releases by Academic Medical Centers: Not So Academic?

Ann Intern Med 2009;150:613-18

2) Seeing what you want to see in randomised controlled trials: versions and perversions of UKPDS data. United Kingdom prospective diabetes study.

BMJ 2000;320:1720-3

3) Televised medical talk shows -what they recommend and the evidence to support their recommendations: a prospective observational study

Brit Med J 2014;349:g7346 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g7346

In episode 287, James and Mike discuss their experiences evaluating and interacting with the media. We talk about the stories, the spin, the science and especially the BS. At the end, to make a point, we put a whirlwind of spin on all our research and send it off to the Land of Oz.

Show notes

1) Jon Stewart  – BS is everywhere

Starting at 32.26

“The best defense against bullshit is vigilance. So if you smell something, say something.”

2) Drugs in the news: an analysis of Canadian newspaper coverage of new prescription drugs. 

CMAJ 2003;168:1133-7

3) Translation of highly promising basic science research into clinical applications

Am J Med 2003;114:477-84

4) Misrepresentation of Randomized Controlled Trials in Press Releases and News Coverage: A Cohort Study

PLoS Med 2012 9(9): e1001308. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001308

5) The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases: retrospective observational study

BMJ 2014;349:g7015 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g7015