So, do you ever wonder 'Do I need a retinol or tretinoin?' If you have or you have heard of friends or people you know telling you that they use it and you wonder if you too should be, then read on.
Retinol is a term used to describe a form of vitamin A that is sold over the counter and is related to the ubiquitous tretinoin. Tretinoin is only sold in the U.S. as a prescription because if not used correctly can cause some unpleasant side effects. They are chemically very similar with Retinal being less strong, thus OTC.
What are they used for generally? Well, tretinoin was first used exclusively for acne as it causes the skin to 'normalize' it's skin cell growth so that cells do not clump, and shed quickly and properly. This is a problem with keratinization and occurs in certain skin conditions. One of the 'side effects' noticed after acne patients used tretinoin is that the skin started looking better, younger overall, and so this led to clinical investigation by Dr. Albert M. Kligman, a dermatologist for use as an anti aging treatment. It was released under the trade name Retin-A in 1971.
Tretinoin has many monikers; Altreno, Atralin, Avita, and of course Retin-A. It is still widely accepted as being the gold standard for anti aging, reducing wrinkle depth, lightening pigmentation and generally smoothing the skin. However, it does come with some side effects, which are normal, but some people do not seem to adapt as well to these which include redness, peeling, and sensitive skin. This brings me to the point of which people should try tretinoin as an anti ager? My personal experience is that certain individuals should probably start out or continue to simply use retinol, the gentle cousin or a plant based 'retinol like' ingredient. You will still reap benefits by using retinol, but with a less severe range of the unwanted side effects. In my professional opinion, if you have always had very sensitive skin, or are prone to getting red easily, if your skin texture is very thin and if you do not like flaking or peeling in any way, then stick with retinol or better yet, retinaldehyde! Retinaldehyde is a precursor in the skin the last conversion process in the cell. It remains in the interstitial spaces until needed, not inundating the cells so they do not shed as rapidly. This is great for those who just can't tolerate any irritation or just don't want to.
As of late, although mentioned in the original literature and studies, there have been some concerns about tretinoin thinning the upper dermal layer. This can happen with long term, consistent use, however, the thinning can revert after discontinuation. This is a contested issue as the benefits seem to outway the negative at this point, and isn't going to stop anyone from using it. Best advice, possibly 'cycle' it or decrease to a retinol periodically!
Also, to adapt to the changes your skin will go through, it is best to start out slow, using it only twice a week for the first two to three weeks, and then adding a day in for another 2 to 3 weeks. At that point, evaluate how your skin is doing. If it is sensitive to temperature or flaking a lot, then you might want to stay at this amount for a little longer or even take a day off the regimen. Also, it should be applied to clean, dry skin and wait at least 30 minutes before applying any moisturizer (moisture can speed up how quickly it gets down to the dermis and cause excess irritation.
And although retinols and tretinoin use have traditionally been thought to cause sun sensitivity (strong sunblock was always recommended), this was recently studied and found not to be quite true, however, I still believe using a good sunblock (not sunscreen) is recommended anyway because you do not want to undo the work the retinol did! I also recommend ceramides or oils to counteract some of the effects the retinol's cause and they make the overall experience much more pleasurable!
Lastly, some people want natural ingredients that work like tretinoin does and there are some great ones out there, one being Bakuchiol! Bakuchiol comes from a plant from the Indian sub continent and perform's remarkably similar to tretinoin (in my opinion more like retinaldehyde)! This is a great option for those who want those anti-aging effects but WITHOUT any irritation or thinning! Another plant ingredient that can do similar things, is Sea Fennel. Another very exciting extract is Vigna Aconitifolia or Moth Bean. Moth Bean accelerates cell turnover and provides anti-wrinkle benefits to reveal a younger complexion, comparable to that of Retinol. Moth Bean contains some very exciting anti-aging compounds such as caffeic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, and kaempferol, which all provide POTENT antioxidant properties. Find Bakuchiol and Moth Bean in Plant Renewal Complex, which also contains Boswellia, flax seed extract, Gotu Kola and phosphatidyl lipids for skin barrier restoration and penetration enhancement!
I hope this was helpful and that you feel you can pick a retinol or natural alternative now!
Feel free to reach out if you have a questions!!