Beauty

[Katcat1]

I am sure there are several ladies using Retinol.  What I don't understand is it dries your skin and dryness causes wrinkles so it seems to be less than productive to use.  I remember ladies on this board always talking about their skin being dry from Retinol.  So why do you suffer with dry skin using this product?  Seriously, I would like to know.

[Carol Diane]

@Katcat1 , I gradually eased into using Retin-A so my skin could adapt to it and not get dry and irritated.  I also give it a few minutes to seep in and then put a moisturizer on top or some people mix the two together and apply it.  

[Katcat1]

@Carol Diane  So your skin is not dry?  What has it done for your skin?

[Carol Diane]

No @Katcat1 , my skin is not dry at all and it's smooth and free of wrinkles.  I do have some lines under my eyes but I don't apply it there.

[SilleeMee]

I use Retin-A because it slows down the aging of my skin. Retin-A inhibits the naturally occurring skin enzyme, collagenase. This enzyme destroys collagen in the skin and there is more of this enzyme produced as you age. Retin-A also reduces the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for making brown spots and it does this at the cellular level in a very complex interaction with the melanocytes located deep within the skin. With continued use of Retin-A, these melanocytes are reduced in numbers leading to a clearer and more even-toned complexion...a sign of youth. 

Dry skin from using retinoids is a side effect. Extra care and protection of your skin might be necessary when using them. But for me, the end results are worth the extra steps I need to do to have younger looking skin.

[Harpa]

@Katcat1 

I've been using retinol for about 12 years (now 66). I just continue to use a low percentage (.15 - the Alpha), because I don't need or want anything stronger.

All the talk back then was to keep increasing the strength until...until what, I don't know? But most seemed to want the goal of increasing to 1.00, and then finally "graduate" to Retin A. (Retin A was designed to treat acne.)

I am just not a candidate for anything stronger. Steady as she goes, and for me, it's given nothing but positive results. My skin is not dry, although, when I first started using retinol, I did experience more sloughing than usual.

Retinol is not meant to dry the skin, but to help with cell turnover. It can help, though, if you have an oily complexion, and, I believe in time, if you are a bit more dry. (This requires a whole other chapter of explanation...)

Bottom line - I use retinol and really, my skin is perfectly comfortable and balanced. But I also compensate with other means of hydration, and then sealing in that hydration with good moisturizer/s. I do believe retinol is one topical ingredient for me that has kept fine lines, etc. at bay.

[Porcelain]

A Retinoid is just a specialized form of Vitamin A.

The reason to use a Retinoid (which includes retinol, retin A, retinaldehyde, etc--but NOT retinyl palmitate) is because your skin cells have Retinoid receptors all over them. If you stimulate those receptors by sending them Retinoid chemicals (keys) to fit in those receptors (locks), you can wake up your skin cells to get them to behave like young skin cells again.

Those receptors are just sitting there waiting for you to do something with them. So you might as well give them some Retinoids to work with somehow. That's my attitude. I'm not willing to endure dry skin, but I'll do what I can to get some Retinoids to the receptors. It's an additional thing you can do to keep your dermis fresh and awake.

The studies show that after 6 months (or sooner) of using even prescription Retin A type products, the skin stops acting strangely and settles down and even stops being so photosensitive. Even the thickness of the dermis and epidermis goes back to normal. (That was news to me!)

This is the study, which gathers and makes sense of lots of other studies:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/

I've been using the Retinoid Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR) for a little bit, every other night and my skin hasn't dried out or peeled. I'd recommend it as a good way to get the ingredient into your skin without freaking it out.

[Icegoddess]

The only retinol that I have experience with is the Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion, and I have not experienced any drying whatsoever.  

[Naturesbeauty]

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@Katcat1 wrote:

I am sure there are several ladies using Retinol.  What I don't understand is it dries your skin and dryness causes wrinkles so it seems to be less than productive to use.  I remember ladies on this board always talking about their skin being dry from Retinol.  So why do you suffer with dry skin using this product?  Seriously, I would like to know.

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Eventually ones skin does adjust. The peeling and dryness usually is about every 3 weeks when using “Retin-A.” (At least that is in my case)

[Love2Laugh]

Retinol (the entire Vitamin A molecule) and retinoids (Retin A, Tretinoin, Differin, etc. . . .) also known as retinoic acid are the ACID forms of Vitamin A , so, they are similar, but different.

Understanding the chemical process is where they differ.

The reason Retin A is preferred over retinol is because Retin A does not have to go through any chemical conversion to reach retinaldehyde which is the state where the retinoid does its work - improving cell production and addressing wrinkles; once placed on the skin it immediately converts to retinaldehyde. BTW, when you improve cell production, you can improve damaged skin caused by the sun.

Retinol, according to chemists, must go through two conversions to get to the much coveted retinaldehyde which then begins the process of working on the cells. BTW, retinol has been shown to improve skin structure.

However, because retinol has to go through these conversions, it is important to apply retinol to clean skin and leave it there without adding anything over the top for about 20 minutes. It takes that long for the conversion to take place.

So why bother using retinol? Why not go straight to Retin A?

Lots of reasons - some people can't tolerate Retin A at all; remember it's an acid. It is a strong product, and some people are never able to tolerate it.

Also, if after applying Retin A, if irritation occurs when they skin can not handle it, you are actually doing more damage to the skin. I'm not talkng about peeling, I'm talking about irritation. Some peeling can occur with use and that is what people call "dry skin." It an be allieviated with moisturizers and/or buffering the Retin A. Again, this is peeling skin with the use of an acid which is normal, irritation is not. 

Third, by using retinols before beginning to use Retin A, you give the skin time to adjust to the Vitamin A in its acid form, and you give the skin a better chance to succeed.

Last, retinol is easily accessible - you can buy it in a lot of products at drugstores, on-line, etc . . . and although many on the boards here choose to purchase Retin A from out of country pharmacies, there are many people who are not comfortable purchasing it this way, and the only other way is to get a prescription from a dermatologist.

Now, if you can scrub your skin with a pumice stone or if you can apply anything to your skin and you never get any reactions, then you have resistant skin, and can probably start using a retinoid right away.

BUT, and this is big, if you have ever had a reaction to any product on the skin, then it is always wise to err on the side of caution, and use a low dose retinol. 

Irritated skin IS damaged skin, and the skin can actually become even MORE sensitive the more damaged it becomes.

Like Harpa, a low dose of retinol can be suffucient for the skin and it is not necessary to go higher. If your skin can not tolerate the higher dose because it gets irritated, then Retin A is not a good choice.

L2L