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SALT LAKE CITY -- So why are thousands of women applying a "stretch mark" reducing cream all over their face? To get rid of fine lines and wrinkles, of course. Sound crazy? Well, it's the year's most remarkable cosmetics story and it just keeps getting better. Klein-Becker, maker of StriVectin-SD stretch mark cream (or is it an anti-aging cream?), has just announced an agreement with Nordstrom to begin offering StriVectin in the retailer's cosmetic department as well as on its website www.nordstrom.com. Until recently, this anti-wrinkle phenomenon was only sold in maternity boutiques and high-end specialty stores as a stretch mark cream. In fact, the formula is still labeled as a topical cream to reduce the depth and discoloration of stretch marks. But in a strange turn of events -- surprising even the formula's manufacturer -- an underground "movement" took shape as women shared their success stories about StriVectin's ability to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and crow's feet. Further fueling the phenomenon was a positive report on StriVectin from a Baltimore TV station. WBAL-TV tested StriVectin against Tazorac, a prescription drug that's supposed to work on wrinkles. A volunteer used both products on her face in a side-by-side comparison. One month later, StriVectin was the clear winner. According to both the volunteer and Dr. Adrienne Rencic, a dermatologist with Mercy Medical Center, the skin on the StriVectin "looked nicer." Fine lines were reduced and Dr. Rencic reported an improvement in skin texture with StriVectin but no visible improvement with the prescription cream. "To be honest, I was shocked. I really expected the Tazorac to have a better effect than the StriVectin," Rencic said. (See the results at www.thewbalchannel.com/health/2003601/detail.html.) It's no surprise that StriVectin helps smooth the complexion -- after all, it makes sense that a product designed to reduce the depth of severe stretch marks can also work to remove fine lines. "Not only did StriVectin get rid of the lines around my eyes, it did more -- it gave me an even, consistent complexion," said Tiffany Strobel, fitness specialist and editor of MyFreeDiet.com. "My skin just glows like a young girl's ... without the imperfections and discoloration that come with age." Such results are not surprising to Dr. Nathalie Chevreau, Director of Women's Health at Basic Research, the cream's exclusive distributor. "The evenness of skin tone and color is understandable. StriVectin was designed to not only build collagen and smooth stretch mark scarring, but also to reduce discoloration so often associated with post-partum stretch marks." "Clearly, people are seeing results," said Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey, Klein- Becker's Director of Scientific Affairs. "And surprisingly, the scientific basis for these results was confirmed last summer at the 20th World Congress of Dermatology [Paris]. During the dermatology meeting, a series of studies was presented detailing the superior wrinkle-reducing properties of a patented oglio-peptide called Pal-KTTKS. Coincidentally, this peptide is StriVectin's key active ingredient." Mowrey continued: "Based on the incredibly positive reports from users and the Paris reports, I started using StriVectin myself ... as an aftershave in the morning and before I go to bed at night. And let me tell you -- no one has ever accused me of being handsome, but now I'm happy to say that I look young and ugly rather than old and ugly. For me, that's a big improvement." "Frankly, Nordstrom carries so many lines of fine cosmetics we were shocked when they called us," said Basic Research. "But, as we understand it, they were getting bombarded with so many requests for StriVectin they felt compelled to bring it in. We are very glad they did."
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