For aging skin, dermatologists like to prescribe tretinoin and retinoic acid (Retin-A, Renova, Refissa) that is "100 times" as potent as the retinol-containing products sold without prescription, Jacob says. "Tretinoin works better because it has a stronger capability of preventing the breakdown of collagen," she says.
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.
Medically known as tretinoin, prescription-strength retinoids work quicker because they're formulated as retinoic acid, so the body doesn't need to convert retinol into retinoic acid. Retin-A has been the standard for aging skin, but it's strong, and a lot of people can't tolerate it, so we recommend to use it slowly.
Prescription (Rx) vs.
Retinoic acid is many times stronger than retinol, and therefore found in far lower percentages. For example, a product that includes 0.05% retinoic acid is faar stronger than a product containing 0.5% retinol.
Retinoic Acid. As mentioned earlier, retinoic acid is the most potent form of retinoids. “This is the end point molecule that is biologically active on skin, and is therefore the strongest,” says Dr. Rabach.
“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.
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. They are both good quality anti-aging skin care products.
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.
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.
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.
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 a gentler derivative of vitamin A and can be found in lots of over-the-counter skin care products (i.e. moisturizers, serums, eye creams). Because retinol is milder, the enzymes in our skin must first convert it into retinoic acid. Once it's been converted, then it will be become effective.
Tretinoin (also known as Retin-A, Renova): “This is a prescription topical retinoid. In its mildest forms, it's used for its anti-aging properties.
Begin in Your Mid 20s or Early 30s
"Your mid-twenties are a great time to start using retinol," says Ellen Marmur, M.D. "Many patients who have used it for years swear by it."
It's best to apply Vitamin C before Retinol, as Vitamin C has a lower pH than Retinol. Once your skin absorbs the Vitamin C serum, your skin will return to its regular pH levels after 30 minutes or so. (You want your skin to return to its normal pH levels so vitamin C doesn't lower the pH of retinol.)
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.
Retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, they should be used at night because some types are deactivated by light and air. It's important to start slowly and allow your skin time to adjust. Using too much too quickly can cause redness, dryness, and irritation.
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.
“This is different from traditional retinol because it causes less skin dryness, irritation, and flaking, which makes the product more tolerable.” This technology also creates a more stable product with a prolonged shelf-life, adds Dr. Marie V.
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream contains a concentration of 1% retinol, making it one of the more potent over-the-counter formulas on our list.
Available by prescription only; all Obagi tretinoin formulations are fragrance free. Prescription required. Contact your healthcare provider to purchase, or find a nearby physician who offers this product.
Tazarotene 0.1% gel (once daily) is more effective than tretinoin 0.025% gel (once daily) in reducing the numbers of papules and open comedones, and achieves a more rapid reduction in pustules in mild to moderate facial acne. Alternate-day tazarotene 0.1% gel is as effective as once-daily adapalene 0.1% gel.