Skincare ingredients recommended by cosmetic dermatologists: A Delphi consensus study

Gabriella V Alvarez¹, Bianca Y Kang², Alexandra M Richmond³, Elika Hoss², Ronald Sulewski⁴, Kira Minkis⁵, Suzanne S Rozenberg⁶, Diana Antonovich³, Alison Boucher⁷, Eric F Bernstein⁸, Vince Bertucci⁹, Anne M Chapas¹⁰, Joel L Cohen¹¹, M Laurin Council¹², Jeffrey S Dover¹³, Roy Geronemus¹⁴, Katherine M L Given¹⁵, Hayley S Goldbach¹⁶, Mitchel P Goldman¹⁷, Deirdre Hooper¹⁸, Joely Kaufman¹⁹, Girish Munavalli²⁰, Theresa R Pacheco²¹, Anthony M Rossi²², Sarah Wilson²³, Murad Alam²⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Services Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
² Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
³ Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
⁵ Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian, New York, New York.
⁶ Department of Dermatology, St. John's Episcopal Hospital & SRS Dermatology, New York, New York.
⁷ Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
⁸ Main Line Center for Laser Surgery, Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
⁹ Division of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Dermatology, UnionDerm & Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York.
¹¹ Department of Dermatology, University of California Irvine & AboutSkin Dermatology and Aesthetics, Greenwood Village, Colorado.
¹² Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Creve Coeur, Missouri.
¹³ Department of Dermatology, Skincare Physicians, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Yale University School of Medicine, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
¹⁴ Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, New York.
¹⁵ Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California; Given Dermatology Institute, Menlo Park, California.
¹⁶ Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
¹⁷ Cosmetic Laser Dermatology: A Platinum Dermatology Partners Company, San Diego, California.
¹⁸ Department of Dermatology, Audubon Dermatology, Louisiana State University, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
¹⁹ Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami & Skin Associates of South Florida, Coral Gables, Florida.
²⁰ Dermatology, Laser, & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte, North Carolina.
²¹ Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado.
²² Department of Dermatology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center & Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
²³ West Georgia Dermatology, Carrollton, Georgia.
²⁴ Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: m-alam@northwestern.edu.

PMID: 40233838
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.04.021

Skincare ingredients recommended by cosmetic dermatologists: A Delphi consensus study

Gabriella V Alvarez et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025.

. 2025 Apr 14:S0190-9622(25)00612-7.

doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.04.021. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Services Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
² Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
³ Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
⁵ Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian, New York, New York.
⁶ Department of Dermatology, St. John's Episcopal Hospital & SRS Dermatology, New York, New York.
⁷ Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
⁸ Main Line Center for Laser Surgery, Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
⁹ Division of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Dermatology, UnionDerm & Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York.
¹¹ Department of Dermatology, University of California Irvine & AboutSkin Dermatology and Aesthetics, Greenwood Village, Colorado.
¹² Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Creve Coeur, Missouri.
¹³ Department of Dermatology, Skincare Physicians, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Yale University School of Medicine, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
¹⁴ Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, New York.
¹⁵ Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California; Given Dermatology Institute, Menlo Park, California.
¹⁶ Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
¹⁷ Cosmetic Laser Dermatology: A Platinum Dermatology Partners Company, San Diego, California.
¹⁸ Department of Dermatology, Audubon Dermatology, Louisiana State University, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
¹⁹ Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami & Skin Associates of South Florida, Coral Gables, Florida.
²⁰ Dermatology, Laser, & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte, North Carolina.
²¹ Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado.
²² Department of Dermatology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center & Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
²³ West Georgia Dermatology, Carrollton, Georgia.
²⁴ Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: m-alam@northwestern.edu.

PMID: 40233838
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.04.021

Abstract

Background: There is ambiguity regarding the topical cosmetic ingredients preferred for common skin complaints.

Objective: To determine which topical ingredients are frequently recommended by cosmetic dermatologists for fine lines and wrinkles, acne, redness, dark spots, large pores, dry skin, and oily skin.

Methods: Literature review to develop long list of ingredients. Reduced by expert panel to most salient ingredients. Two rounds of Delphi consensus survey with second expert panel of clinicians and teachers. Comparative literature review to summarize published evidence supporting each consensus ingredient.

Results: List of 318 ingredients reduced by a panel of 17 dermatologists to 83. Two Delphi rounds completed by 62 dermatologists at 43 centers. Consensus achieved for 23 ingredients, including the following: azelaic acid (acne, dark spots); benzoyl peroxide (acne, oily skin); glycolic acid (acne, dark spots); mineral sunscreen (fine lines and wrinkles, redness); niacinamide (redness, dark spots); retinoids (fine lines and wrinkles, acne, dark spots, large pores, oily skin); salicylic acid (acne, oily skin); vitamin C (fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots). Most consensus ingredients supported by level 1b or 2b evidence.

Limitations: Some ingredients based on expert opinion.

Conclusion: Consensus exists among expert cosmetic dermatologists regarding ingredients most useful for common dermatologic concerns.

Keywords: Delphi; consensus; cosmetic; dermatologist; ingredients; recommended; skincare; study.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest Dr Cohen is or has been a consultant or clinical trial participant in the past 2 years for Revision, Sente, Biopelle, Alastin, Elta, PCA, Allergan, and Merz. Dr Council is a consultant and investigator for Castle Biosciences and a consultant for Sanofi/Regeneron. Dr Goldman owns stock and participates on the Advisory Board of Pomega and Cell Research Corporation; consults, receives honoraria from, and conducts medical research for SkinCeuticals, SkinMedica, and Isdin. Dr Hooper is a consultant for and participates on the Scientific Advisory Board for Revision Skincare. Dr Rossi is a consultant for Evolve CME, Almirall, Merz, Dynamed, Canfield Scientific, Evolus, Biofrontera, QuantiaMD, Lam Therapeutics, Regeneron, and Cutera; has traveled with Mavig and L’Oréal; is on the advisory board for Allergan and Skinfix; is founder of DAR Companies. Drs Alvarez, Kang, Richmond, Hoss, Sulewski, Minkis, Rozenberg, Antonovich, Boucher, Bernstein, Bertucci, Chapas, Dover, Geronemus, Given, Goldbach, Kaufman, Munavalli, Pacheco, Wilson, and Alam have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Skincare ingredients recommended by cosmetic dermatologists: A Delphi consensus study

Affiliations

Skincare ingredients recommended by cosmetic dermatologists: A Delphi consensus study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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