Normally I wouldn’t mention the dead in a skin care blog but this is an exception. Albert Kligman, MD, PhD, died at age 93. And who is Albert Kligman? He was a botanist, a cosmetic chemist, a dermatologist and the genius behind Retin-A, the potent form of vitamin A that was initially used to treat acne and then as acne patients aged and their skin continued improving, Retin-A (or tretinoin, as it’s generically known) became the gold standard of anti-aging cosmetic formulations.
Retin-A, Renova, retinol, retinol palmitate…there are many variations of topical vitamin A that have an anti-aging effect on the skin, all attributable to Dr. Kligman’s original research in the 1960’s. Dr. Kligman also coined the term “cosmeceutical” in the early 1980’s. He published more than 1,500 articles on acne, rosacea, eczema, contact dermatitis and skin agin. He and his wife generously endowed the University of Pennsylvania with research grants to further the study of vitamin A and other cosmeceutical ingredients. At his 90th birthday, hundreds of his former students came from around the world to honor him.
So as we’re applying our daily anti-aging skin care routine, we have Dr. Kligman to thank!
