Retinoids
There is no product available that is stronger or more effective than vitamin A for fighting acne and the signs of ageing. But it's not always easy to navigate the different terms, strengths and claims. And trust me, if you don't have a retinoid in your daily skin care routine - you should!
Vitamin a is the true superpower of skincare. You may know it better as retinol or Retin-A or tretinoin, but whatever the name, it is the most effective ingredient you can get for anti-aging benefits.
Retinoids are an umbrella terms for all products derived from vitamin A. They’re known by a lot of names – retinol, retinyl palmitate, Retin-A and they’re often used interchangeably (even though they’re quite different). The main difference is defined by how quickly it does its job.
It was originally created for acne patients but it was discovered through clinical trials that it also had positive long-term effects on aging skin.
This is truly the gold standard. It:
- Increases cell turnover
- Builds collagen and thickens your skin
- Reduces, reverses and prevents wrinkles
- Lightens and prevents age spots
- Improves texture of your skin
TYPES OF RETINOIDS
Prescription
Retinoic Acid
The most effective is retinoic acid - which is prescription strength - and can only be administered by doctors in the US, UK and Ireland. It can be obtained at lower levels (up to .05%) in countries such as Spain, Portugal and Mexico but we’ll talk more about that later.
Also known as tretinoin or brand name Retin-A, it’s bio-available to your skin, which means your skin knows what to do with it and it starts working straight away. It generally comes in strengths .025, .05, .1%. And this stuff is strong (hence the need for doctor supervision) and can be highly irritating to skin. If used too quickly or aggressively it can cause burning, stinging, peeling and severely dry skin. This is commonly used for anti-aging and what I use every night.
(Adapalene) Differin
This is mostly used for acne patients but also has anti-aging benefits. It has fewer side effects and is less irritating, so often prescribed for those with sensitive skin. This has recently become available in American without a prescription.
Over the counter
Retinaldehyde
This is the strongest of available ‘cosmetic’ products however your body has to convert the retinaldehyde into retinoic acid at a cellular level. It’s one conversion away, which makes it approximately 10x weaker than tretinoin. It comes in strengths .05-.1%. It also has antibacterial properties so it’s good for acne-prone skin.
Retinol
This is the next strongest and most commonly used. It is two conversions away from retinoic acid, making it approximately 20x weaker. A solution around .3% ideal for sensitive skin.
Retinol Esters (Retinyl palmitate, retinyl propionate)
These products are 3 conversions away, much milder and even easier to tolerate. However, there are questions around how effective they are.
My journey
Personally, I’ve always been a ‘go big or go home’ kind of gal. I jumped straight into tretinoin after a visit to my GP. I started on .05% but did so ever-so-slowly because I knew how much it could irritate my skin. The first month I only used once a week, on Sunday. The second month I added Wednesday, Friday the next month and so on. It took 7 months to reach daily application. I had no side effects or difficulty whatsoever. I piece of cake.
I used it regularly for 4 years, without incident. But while on a work trip, I decided to stock up on tretinoin from a local pharmacy in Lisbon, where you can get without prescription. I couldn’t tell you why but pretty much straight away, my face told me it wasn’t happy. I developed pretty unstoppably peeling around the corners of my nose and my mouth. I knew these were relatively common side effects for new users, but I’d been around the vitamin a block a few times. I tried to ride it out, I tried a plethora of products to stop it. In the end the only thing I could do was stop. I gave up tret altogether (sad face). It certain means I’ll never use products not prescribed by a doctor again.
It took me another 1-1.5 years to try again. I started with Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules because I’m obsessed with ceramides and they’re super kind to my skin. Then, my favourite became Pestle & Mortar Superstar. It’s packed with oils that make my face think it’s on vacation rather than getting a dose of vitamin a (which can be drying, for sure). It’s truly divine.
Pestle & Mortar Retinol Night Oil
Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules
But about 3 months ago I went back to tret, but it’s even better. I discovered Dermatica – a subscription prescription service that creates a formula specific to my needs. It’s shipped to my door every month and I’m never without. Heaven. I’ve just increased from .05% to .1% (the strongest you can get) and it’s combined with 4% hydraquinone, which fights hyperpigmentation. It’s a double whammy!
Dermatica
New to retinoid?
Here are a few pointers:
- It’s best to use at night and apply to clean, dry skin. Super dry in fact, as it doesn’t play nicely with water. I’d recommend leaving 20-30 minutes after cleansing
- You can apply directly under the eyes but avoid eye lids and corner of eyes, nose and mouth
- Use only a pea size amount for face, neck and chest. Don’t overdue it, more is not better.
- Do not mix with acids like vitamin c, AHA/BHAs, benzoyl peroxide (use these in the morning instead)
- Start slowly – no more than twice a week as your skin acclimates
- Go low (concentration) and slow
- You MUST wear sunscreen every day. All the good vitamin a is doing for your skin will be completely undone by not protecting it. Never less than SPF30.
When to start?
NOW. I wish I’d started with low levels in my 20s. Ah well. And it’s never too late.
There is no product available that is stronger or more effective than vitamin A for fighting acne and the signs of ageing. But it's not always easy to navigate the different terms, strengths and claims. Hopefully this video will help make more sense of it! And trust me, if you don't have any vitamin C in your daily skin care routine - you should!
