HWN Suggests

Retinoids are not a fad

While it may seem like the latest must-have ingredient of the moment, a type of retinoid was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a topical acne treatment back in 1971. It was tretinoin, which prevents pores from clogging, as well as reduces and prevents acne scars. It didn’t take long for dermatologists and their patients to notice that this retinoid had potent anti-aging properties. As it spurs faster turnover of surface skin cells and boosts collagen, it also improves skin tone and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Today, the term "retinoids" is a catch-all for an array of vitamin A-based products used on skin. For acne treatment, adapalene comes in both prescription…

read full article

Featured

 The Ultimate Guide To Understanding The Hierarchy of Retinoids

Because retinol is just the tip of the iceberg… But here’s the deal: No matter what type of retinoid you apply topically, your skin can only use its most biologically active form, which is retinoic acid.

Articles of Interest

A Clinician’s Guide to Topical Retinoids

Retinoids are defined as molecules that bind to and activate retinoic acid receptors to influence the proliferation and differentiation of cells. Topical retinoids have evolved over the past several decades, being used in multiple dermatological conditions. This review aims to differentiate between synthetic and natural retinoids, discuss the pharmacology behind topical retinoids, highlight clinical applications, and categorize all the commercially available agents, including combination products.

Do retinoids really reduce wrinkles?

Topical vitamin A–based drugs called retinoids—the most used and most studied anti-aging compounds— may reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Tretinoin, under the brand name Retin-A, was the first retinoid. It was used as an acne treatment in the 1970s, but researchers later discovered that it also fades actinic keratosis spots, evens pigmentation, and speeds the turnover of superficial skin cells. Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen

Oral retinoids

Oral isotretinoin is approved for the treatment of acne. It is also used for other severe follicular conditions, such as rosacea, seborrhoea, hidradenitis suppurativa, and scalp folliculitis.

Retinol vs. Retinoids: Which is Better?

The words "retinol" and "retinoid" are often thrown around interchangeably. But as is often the case, there are some subtle—but crucial—differences between the two. Think of retinol and retinoids as cousins, not clones; they're related but different.

Retinol: Everything You Need to Know About the Buzziest Skin-Care Ingredient

Considering it's one of the buzziest and most expert-recommended ingredients available in skin care today, there's still a lot of mystery and confusion surrounding retinol. Beauty shoppers know it's touted as one of the most-effective and proven ingredients.

What's the Difference Between Retinoid and Retinol?

Retinols are in the retinoid family, and are one of several forms that retinoids can take. Like retinoids in general, they are vitamin A-derived products that have powerful restorative effects when applied to the skin. Retinols are found in many OTC cosmetic skin products and while their potency varies from one product to another, they are usually less potent than retinoid medications.

Your Comprehensive Guide to Using Retinoids

Retinoids are a very well-studied group of ingredients. They have been shown to target multiple skin concerns. They belong to the vitamin A family and while many forms of vitamin A are found in nature, retinoids in skin care are synthetic molecules which are used for their ability to target the look of multiple skin concerns that commonly appear over time, as skin ages.

Resources

9 Essential Things to Know Before Using Retinol and Retinoids

To bring it back to the basics, retinol—alongside other retinoids, such as retinoic acid and retinyl palmitate—is essentially a derivative of vitamin A, which is one of the body’s key nutrients for boosting cell turnover. Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology explains the retinols must be converted to retinoic acid, which means it can take longer than those prescribed retinoids and can be a less irritating option for the skin that has many benefits.