Also called tretinoin, retinoic acid It is the most bioavailable retinoid. In other words, a board-certified dermatologist; Avant Dermatology & Aesthetics. As such, it is typically only available by prescription, primarily as Retin A, Dr. Chan said.
According to Dr. Chan, retinol is technically an alcoholic formulation of vitamin A, which is, of course, the version most commonly used in skin care products. “Retinol has been shown to improve tone and texture, pigmentation, dryness, and fine lines,” she says. But there’s a catch. “It’s less irritating than tretinoin, but it’s also 20 times less potent because it has to be converted to retinoic acid.”
However, that doesn’t mean over-the-counter retinol isn’t effective. “Retinol can benefit the skin at levels as low as 0.01 percent to the maximum recommended level of 1 percent,” Robinson says. allure — Good news for beginners looking to start at a lower level and work their way up to retinol strength.
Retinyl palmitate, an ester of retinol and palmitic acid, is also commonly used in skin care. In general, retinol esters are precursor molecules for retinol, so they must first be broken down to retinol and then to retinoic acid. “Therefore, they are less powerful than retinol,” says Dr. Chan.
And finally, there is retinaldehyde or retinaldehyde. because “[retinal] can Directly converted to retinoic acid More stable than retinol. ” david kima board-certified dermatologist at Idris Dermatology in New York City, explained that the efficacy is closer to retinoic acid than retinol.
What can retinol do?
You’ve probably heard that most people can benefit from using retinol, and that’s no exaggeration. ”[Retinoids] “It is a keratolytic drug and is known to increase skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen synthesis,” says Dr. Farhan.
So what does that mean for your skin care concerns and goals? If you want to smooth out your skin texture and evening skin tone and reduce common signs of aging and sun damage, try retinol. The use of the product is highly recommended by experts. “It helps reduce wrinkles and leaves skin smooth, even, and firm,” says Robinson. allure.
