Vitamin A aka Retinoids

Vitamin A is the ultimate anti-aging ingredient because of its ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and to promote smooth skin by stimulating collagen and increasing skin cell turnover. It should be a part of every mature woman’s nightly skin care routine. In skin care, Vitamin A, and its derivatives, are known as retinoids and they have varying strengths and side effects. The most active form is retinoic acid, also known as Tretinoin or Retin-A, which requires a prescription. This medication is often used to treat acne and has the highest irritation potential due to the side effects such as dry skin, redness, flaking and burning. Any other retinoid will require the body to first convert the derivative into retinoic acid to be used within the body, which reduces the effectiveness somewhat, but also greatly reduces the negative side effects. The more conversions the body must make, the gentler and less potent the retinoid is.

Vitamin A used in skin care products are formulated to minimize the side effects while maximizing the results. Retinal (Retinaldehyde) is the strongest over the counter retinoid, with Retinol coming in as a close second. Retinyl esters (such as retinyl palmitate, etc.) require the body to go through three steps to convert into retinoic acid which is a slow and ineffective process resulting in milder benefits which are in turn very gentle on the skin. The most effective over the counter retinoid may cause initial irritation, but as your skin gradually becomes acclimated, you’ll notice the side effects diminish while the benefits remain. Using Vitamin A in your skin care routine is a marathon, not a sprint. The molecule goes deep into the dermis and continues to produce lasting results that you’ll enjoy for years. However, you must wear sunscreen when using a retinoid due to the new skin cell’s susceptibility to sunburn. If you aren’t going to wear sunscreen, you’ll negate the benefits of any product and increase the likelihood of more fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. So if you want to age gracefully, you’ll need BOTH retinol AND sunscreen to keep that youthful glow.