After 12 weeks of testing products available in the United States on the faces of more than 200 women, we concluded that wrinkle creams make little difference, on average, in the skin’s appearance.

Our top-rated products did smooth out a few fine lines and wrinkles, but even the best performers reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 percent. That’s a magnitude of change barely visible to the naked eye.

Luxury-priced skin-care offerings didn’t work any better than drugstore brands. Better at wrinkle reduction was Olay Regenerist, whose “enhancing lotion,” “perfecting cream” and “regenerating serum” combination – the company recommends all three be used together – are available for $57.

Other products that, like Olay, proved “slightly more effective” than average were Lancome Paris Renergie ($176 for night and day creams) and RoC Retin-Ox+ ($135, also for night/day applications, from www.roc-care.com and www.beautynet1.com).

Every product performed better than average for at least some test subjects and failed completely for others.

You might need to try more than one wrinkle cream to find something that works for you.

Some of the better wrinkle creams on the market come from Olay Regenerist, Consumer Reports testing showed. But even the best performers reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 percent, a change that's barely visible to the naked eye.

If you want dramatic, visible changes, you’re probably going to need products available only from your doctor. Retinoids (the stronger, prescription version of the retinol that’s found in RoC Retin-Ox+) remain the only proven topical prescription remedy for wrinkles. Studies show that retinoids smooth out a few fine lines and wrinkles, but don’t banish them completely, nor do they affect frown lines and other deep wrinkles. Retinoids are irritating and can leave skin dry.

In low concentrations, hydroxy acids are ingredients in some over-the-counter wrinkle creams and home exfoliators. They strip away the top layer of skin cells; whatever effect they have ends when the cells grow back. Much stronger acids are used in doctors’ offices to do chemical peels. As the skin heals, the theory goes, it will grow back smoother and more evenly pigmented. And no reliable studies have shown that these peels are consistently effective.

Bottom line: Whether you seek remedy from an over-the-counter jar or under a doctor’s supervision, don’t expect wrinkles to miraculously disappear.