London, Apr 28 : Women's prayers have finally been answered - scientists have confirmed that a bestselling face cream available on the high street can visibly reduce wrinkles.

What's more, the miraculous lotion can reduce the damage caused by the sun.

The Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Beauty Serum became a household item after it sold out after an Horizon programme on BBC Two in March 2007. The programme claimed that it was as effective at combating sun damage - the most noticeable sign of ageing on the skin - as products that can be prescribed only by a doctor.

Now, Chris Griffiths, Professor of Dermatology at the University of Manchester, is going to present further findings of a clinical trial to examine whether the cream could achieve effects that are visible to the naked eye, reports The Times.

In a year-long double-blind clinical trial, which involved 60 volunteers and funded by Boots, 30 people used Portect & Perfect on their faces and a placebo group of 30 used a normal moisturiser.

The results of the research will be published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

The findings are expected to show significant differences between the two groups, judged from a comparison of "before" and "after" photographs and examining participants' faces for signs of sun damage such as wrinkles and moles.

The cream contains chemicals called pentapeptides which are considered the active ingredient. (ANI)