Technically, retinol and Retin-A do the same thing. But retinol is much weaker than Retin-A because it first has to be converted into retinoic acid in order to be used by the skin. Retin-A is retinoic acid, so it can be used directly by the skin as soon as it's applied.
Retinol is found in numerous over-the-counter (OTC) skin care products. The difference between them is depth and speed! Retin-A penetrates immediately and into deeper layers of your skin to repair instantly. Retinol takes a while to penetrate and repair.
Additionally, Retin-A comes in a variety of strengths such as 0.25% (the lowest), 0.5% and 1.0 % (the strongest). You'll definitely want to start using the lowest dose once or twice a week.
For the purposes of skin care, tretinoin can be thought of as a more concentrated version of retinol. This means that tretinoin is stronger than retinol. This difference in strength can help guide your decision-making when it comes to choosing a skin care product.
Retin-A is referenced as being 100 times stronger than retinol. It also has a more immediate effect because it is formulated as retinoic acid; unlike retinols, no conversion by the body is required.
Retin-A Micro is a costlier, time-released version that is available only as a gel. It is less likely to cause irritation and dryness and can be applied immediately after cleansing. However, it may not be as effective as Retin-A cream for anti-aging treatments and may be better suited than creams for oilier skin types.
1% tretinoin. Most anti-aging studies show that the best results usually come from moderate strength tretinoin creams, such as those that contain . 05% tretinoin.
You may be wondering if using both Retin-A and retinol will help reduce your acne more quickly than using either one alone. But that's unlikely to be effective because they work on your skin in the same way. Combining them can also increase your risk of side effects.
1. SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream. Formulated with the highest concentration of 1.0% pure retinol, this night cream is enhanced with the latest stabilization and delivery technologies to ensure maximum efficacy and stability.
Tretinoin is the more potent of the two, so it will show results faster. Retinol is an over-the-counter (OTC) retinoid that doesn't require a written prescription. It's the precursor to tretinoin and goes through several conversion steps before it becomes pure tretinoin. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr.
The results showed that, after eight weeks, the retinol moisturizer was significantly more efficacious than the vehicle in improving lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness and overall photodamage. Many of these differences were significant at week 4, with a progressive improvement to week 8.
These two anti-aging ingredients aren't entirely different. In fact, retinol is a type of retinoid. However, retinoid most often describes more powerful prescription products, while retinol generally refers to weaker over-the-counter (OTC) formulas. As board certified dermatologist Dr.
Introducing Retin-A Micro 0.06%
Tazarotene. This is the most powerful retinoid, available by prescription only.
Both Differin Gel and CeraVe retinol serum are retinoid products. Their retinol percentage is at 0.1%, which dermatologists recommend for all skin types.
Absolutely. The skin should always be protected during the day and restored at night. Since retinol is reparative, you should apply at night.
Use Retinol Only at Night and Wear SPF Every Day
"Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product," explains Bowe, who instructs patients to only use retinoids at night and be diligent about applying a daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher during the day.
RETIN-A Cream, 0.1%, 0.05%, and 0.025%: store below 80°F.
Later studies evaluated Tretinoin 0.05%. While both were equally effective over a one year period, Tretinoin 0.1% was able to achieve cosmetic improvement in 6 months while 0.05% required closer to 12 months. Finally, 0.025% was compared to 0.1% and it was found that both produced similar improvements in photoaging.
Do not use this medicine in or around the eyes or lips, or inside of the nose. Spread the medicine away from these areas when applying. If it accidentally gets on these areas, wash with water at once. Before applying tretinoin, wash the skin with a mild soap or cleanser and warm water by using the tips of your fingers.
Retin-A and Retin-A Micro are both brand names for tretinoin. The big difference between these two medications is how they deliver the tretinoin to your skin. Retin-A Micro delivers the medication more slowly, over time, so it's less irritating than Retin-A.
Retin-A Micro is available in four strengths: 0.1%, 0.08%, 0.06% and 0.04%.
Generally, it is fine to use tretinoin every night, but you may not want to because of the initial side effects, especially when you first start. You should only use tretinoin as prescribed to avoid significant skin irritation, redness, and other side effects.
Retinal + Retinaldehyde
Retinal is stabilized and is known to help provide clearer looking and feeling skin. “Retinal is more effective than retinol and less irritating than a prescription Rx, which makes it reliable at delivering swift results,” says Cline.