Q: What is the difference between Retinol, Retin-A, and Retinoids?
A: Retinols and Retin-A are retinoids. They are derived from vitamin A.
1. What are Retinoids?
Retinoid is a group of compounds that are derived from vitamin A. Retinoids can increase collagen production, and some evidence shows they may increase elastin production as well. They also speed up cell turnover rates and can help unblock pores.
All in all, they are effective in anti-aging and are used to prevent and reverse signs of aging. They are also used to treat acne.
2. What is Retinol?
Retinol is a #natural form of vitamin A.
Retinol itself doesn’t actually affect the skin directly. Enzymes within the skin must first convert retinol into retinoic acid. It’s only when it is converted into retinoic acid that it becomes effective. The conversion process can take a long time. Because of all of these factors, retinol is a slow worker. You might not see much in the way of results for up to six months or longer. Results are cumulative, so the longer you use it the better results you will see. Retinols can cause side effects like mild redness, stinging and dryness, but they’re typically less bothersome than Retin-A.
3. What is Retin-A?
Retin-A is actually the brand name for the medication tretinoin. Retin-A is a #synthetic form of vitamin A.
Retin-A is used to treat acne, fine lines and wrinkles, brighten the complexion, and fade hyperpigmentation.
Retin-A is retinoic acid. Because you don’t have to wait for the skin to convert it (to retinoic acid), Retin-A works faster and is more powerful than retinol products. You may see improvement in six to eight weeks. The added strength of Retin-A does come with a downside. You’re more likely to notice side effects like dryness, redness, burning, peeling and flaking, while using Retin-A as compared to retinol products.
We will compare the effects of Retinol vs. Retin-A next week.
