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. Your skin is affected by more than what you put on it.
Retin- A (Tretinoin)
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. As such, many users of Retin-A experience notable improvements in as little as 4-8 weeks.
Tretinoin and Retinol Have Different Strengths
As the stronger substance, tretinoin is a more effective substance when treating conditions such as acne and is an ideal choice for those with oily or highly-tolerant skin. It also has substantial anti-wrinkle properties.
Second, adapalene has a more stable chemical structure than tretinoin, making it okay to use alongside other acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide. Studies show that adapalene is effective at treating acne.
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.
The strongest of topical retinoids is tazarotene (also known as Tazorac), a retinoid that binds to both the beta and gamma retinoic acid receptors in the skin. It's used to address concerns such as acne, psoriasis, and photo damage of the skin.
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.
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.
In addition, several over-the-counter products containing retinoids, such as retinol, are available. Because they're not as strong (and thus less irritating), they are not as effective in reducing wrinkles as tretinoin; but they do improve the appearance of photo-aged skin.
Once your skin has fully adjusted to high-concentration retinol products, you should be able to transition to the gentlest tretinoin without much irritation or peeling. When your Retin-A prescription no longer causes unwanted reactions, consider talking to your board-certified dermatologist about a stronger one.
Retinaldehyde. This is an OTC retinoid that's stronger than retinol. If you have sensitive or delicate skin, but still want to see more effects without a prescription, this may be a good option for you.
"You can use tretinoin or [over-the-counter] retinols forever."
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.
It may seem surprising, but even small percentages of retinol can benefit your skin. Percentages of 0.01% retinol or greater are proven to be effective at improving multiple signs of ageing, reducing pore size and improving the overall health of your skin.
So, is retinoid better than retinol? If strength is your main concern—typically the case for mature patients with moderate to severe skin damage, says Shah—then, yes, retinoids are better than retinol.
Retin-A is a brand name for the drug tretinoin. 1 Tretinoin is the name of the active ingredient in the brand-name medication. The brand Retin-A has become the most popular term used when referring to topical tretinoin. Many people use Retin-A and tretinoin interchangeably (even healthcare providers).
“Studies suggest you need to use at least 0.25% retinol or 0.025% tretinoin to be effective, so I recommend using a product that specifies the percentage.” When choosing a retinol product, Dr. Rogers says it's best to start with the lowest concentration before moving up.
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.
“Studies suggest you need to use at least 0.25% retinol or 0.025% tretinoin to be effective, so I recommend using a product that specifies the percentage,” Dr. Rogers explains. When choosing a retinol product for the first time, it's best to start with the lowest concentration before moving up.
If you stop using the medication or are inconsistent with your treatment, any improvements you see may disappear over time. Always use the product as prescribed by your healthcare provider (Rodan, 2016).
Tretinoin is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. Tretinoin is classified as a "retinoid." (For more detail, see "How Tretinoin Works" section below).
You may notice tretinoin starting to work within 2 to 3 weeks, but it can take 6 weeks or more to experience the full benefit. If you don't see improvement within 12 weeks, or if you have significant improvement and wonder if you should start using it less frequently, talk to your doctor.
To maximize your results from tretinoin and reduce your risk of side effects, it's best to pick a moisturizer that's 100 percent free of alcohol, benzoyl peroxide, artificial fragrances, salicylic acid or any other peeling agent or ingredient that has irritated your skin in the past.
Tretinoin gel, cream, or lotion requires a prescription because it's more powerful than retinol. Doctors prescribe tretinoin to treat skin conditions like: Acne. Psoriasis.