WTF are Retinoids?

5 days ago

3 min read

This weeks blog is going to nice and short. I am hoping that I can explain the difference between different retinoids on the market, what they do, and what makes them different.

Retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A. They are one of the most studied topical ingredients in skincare, and are well known for acne, signs of aging and even pigmentation.

Retinoids as a whole do these things:

Each type of retinoid eventually turns into “retinoic acid”
Force the skin cells to “turnover” which helps shed the top layers of skin cells (corneocytes) from the stratum corneum. This process helps both acne, pigmentation, and aging skin. This process slows down as we age. Corneocytes tend to just hang out for longer, and then your other products may not penetrate as effectively. the skin may feel textured, dry, and flakey.
They have shown to stimulate collagen production by activating fibroblasts in the dermis.
They also stop exsisting collagen from breaking down, they do this by blocking enzymes that degrade collagen and elastin known as “MMPs” Matrix Metalloproteinases.
The skin typically feels smoother, and more even tone when using retinoids consistently.

If you want to learn more about our skin layers, and key components of the skin, make sure to take a look at this blog. I break down & created some visuals to help better understand your skin!

Types of Retinoids:

Retinoic Acid - This is your prescription strength retinoid. It is known as Retina A, Tretinoin, Tazarotene, and Adapalene. This would be your strongest form of retinoid, and can come with the most side effects. Typically lots of peeling, redness, or irritation can occur. Some skin types can never tolerate this, but if your skin can. This would be a great option for you.
- Isotretinoin - Otherwise known as “Accutane” is also a prescription strength retinoid, but this is an oral medication used for extreme cases of acne. This one has many side effects, and is very dangerous to use during pregnancy as it causes severe birth defects. (fun fact! I used this in my mid-20’s and didn’t work well for me at all). This is also really why most doctors say to stay away from any form of retinols during pregnancy, but other forms of over the counter retinols are never going to dump this amount of vitamin A into your blood, but nobody wants to test things on pregnant people so they just say stay away.
Retinal or Retinaldelhyde - This is one conversion away from retinoic acid. So this sometimes is tolerated better for most people. It is more potent than retinol, but helps avoid some of the side effects of a prescription strength retinoic acid. I prefer this type of retinoid for acne skin, or sensitive skin. It really depends on the formulation and delivery system of the product though. Retinal is easily oxidated, so this one the formulation really is key. Versus the percent of the product.
Retinol - This form takes two conversions in the skin to turn into retinoic acid. This is what you will see most often in over the counter products. It is easier to formulate with, and is tolerated for most people. (Sometimes I believe the actual conversions in the skin cause side effects in some people.) Even though it is a bit further from retinoic acid, it still is shown to show all the same benefits in regards to cell turnover and collagen stimulation. It is widely available, and there are tons of formulations out there. Easier to base what you use on the percent of retinol in the product. Best way to see how much retinol is actually in the product is to look at the ingredient list.
Retinol Esters - Retinyl Palmitate & Retinyl Acetate - These are the most gentle, but least effective form of retnoids. It is a Vitamin A “ester” and it takes 3 conversions in the skin to become retinoic acid. It is great for very very sensitive skin, or somebody who already has a bunch of actives in their routine and wants a small boost. It is easy to formulate with, so you will see it added in to many products and may not even know! You may not see a big difference on it’s own, but paired with some other ingredients it can be a great helper! BUT BE CAREFUL! Many products are marketed as super effective and strong retinols that will create great change in your skin, and it may even say “retinol” on the bottle. However, if you look at the actual ingredient deck, retinol will be nowhere in sight. There is not as much evidence to show anti aging claims, but can be a good place to start to help build up tolerance in the skin over time.