Beauty

[Stargazer77]

How does the strength of Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol compare to prescription Retin-A?

I've been using Paula's Choice Clinical Retinol for a few months now and I like it.  I've never used Retin-A before, but am curious about it.  

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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@Stargazer77 wrote:

How does the strength of Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol compare to prescription Retin-A?

I've been using Paula's Choice Clinical Retinol for a few months now and I like it.  I've never used Retin-A before, but am curious about it.  

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@Stargazer77  No matter the brand of retinol, it is always going to be weaker than Retin-A.  The further down an ingredient list, the less of it there is in a preparation. Some things have it so low on the list I wonder why they even bothered to include it.  Retinol and Retin-A are both in the retinoids family. However, that doesn’t make the equal players. The skin receives both in the form of retinoic acid.  Retin-A is already retinoic acid on its own.  Retinol has to go through some conversion steps to become retinoic acid but it becomes weaker with each step.  Retin-A is far stronger and one’s use needs to be carefully eased into, to help stave off any initial over drying, irritation, and peeling/flaking skin. Both will make your skin sensitive to the sun so it’s always best to use retinoids at night but still use sunscreen during the day. 

[SilleeMee]

Most 1% retinol products will affect your skin similar to using a 0.025% Retin-A.  Retinol takes longer to work than Retin-A  because of the conversion factor*.  Both retinol and Retin-A act on the same skin (retinoid) receptors found within the skin (alpha, beta and gamma).

* The ability to convert to retinoic acid varies from person to person as well as how many receptors are found in the skin. The older you are the fewer receptors you have.

[Goldengate8361]

@Stargazer77 I tried PC 1% product and I can tell you that it’s VERY potent. I have normal skin and I can only use this powerful product from time to time. Every day was toooo often for me. The good news is that it really works.

[henderson]

I've used Retin-A before and it's very strong.  My face usually gets red and flaky.  It's best if I mix moisturizer with it.  I do use some of Paula's retinol products and it's strong enough that if I apply too many times during the week I get the same redness/flakiness as the prescription product.

[wilma]

PC retinol did nothing for my skin. I tried other OTC retinol products before hers and none of them did anything for me either.

I have been using prescription strength Retin A for 4 years. I started with the lowest % in cream form, but now I am on the strongest strength in gel form. I never had any redness or flaking the first 3 years. I get a tiny amount of flaking with the strongest % that I have been using about a month now. For the record I am in my mid 50s and have very oily acne prone skin. 

[beauty0125]

I love PC clinical retinol so much start slow then I am using retin a now as it is stronger and I love them both but it is a process over time ... I also use PTR retinol fusion underneath and it is excellent

[Stargazer77]

Thank you for the very informative replies, everyone!  It's appreciated.  I haven't had any dryness from the PC 1% retinol.  I started slow like the directions said, just to be safe.  I've been curious how my skin would react to prescription Retin-A and if it would be drying on me.  Maybe I would do well on it.  I think I'll go through winter and see how my skin does with the PC 1% retinol.  Sometimes I get a little dry during winter, even though my skin is normally slightly oily.