You Don’t Know Retinol!

There is an awful lot of talk these days about retinol and retinoids, Retin A® and Retinyl Palmitate. What is the difference in these ingredients and how exactly do they help your skin?

Both retinols and retinoids are the precursors to Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin.  Retinoids, such as retinoic acid (tretinoin), are the most active form of Vitamin A and are prescription ingredients found in the topical medications Retin A and Renova®. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an oral retinoid used mainly to treat cystic acne by reducing inflammation and oil secretion. Topical retinoids are thought to stimulate cell growth and differentiation, promote drainage of existing acne, and prevent the development of new acne lesions in the skin. Tretinoin has been approved for use in the treatment of acne and for improving photodamaged skin.  Specifically, tretinoin has been shown to reduce wrinkles and create a smooth skin texture by increasing dermal collagen production and decreasing melanin (skin pigment).

Retinols, on the other hand, are less irritating than retinoids and are found in a wide variety of over the counter products. Once retinols penetrate the skin, they are ultimately converted to retinoic acid and become active.  Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A palmitate) is known to normalize skin and readily penetrates into the epidermis and dermis. Products containing retinyl palmitate are substantially more stable than those containing retinol.

 Like retinol, retinyl palmitate must be converted by enzymes in the skin in order to become active. However, the metabolic pathway to convert retinyl palmitate to retinoic acid is longer. Because the conversion rate of retinol to retinoic acid is low and even lower for retinyl palmitate, a larger amount of these ingredients are needed in order for the cells to increase retinoic acid levels and produce effective results. Okay, so all we have to do is look for skin care products with high levels of retinol, right? Not necessarily! The following factors must be considered when selecting/using a retinol product:

1.    Skin care products with high concentrations of retinol may cause skin irritation, especially individuals with sensitive skin. If you can’t use the product due to irritation, it can’t possibly give you any benefits!

2.    Conversion rates of retinol and retinyl palmitate differ among individuals. The same product having the same concentration may benefit some people, but deliver little to no results in others.

3.    Retinol can degrade from oxidation if it is not formulated, stored, or used properly.

Considering all of this information, what is the best Vitamin A form for your skin? Well, the best way to get all of the skin rejuvenation benefits of retinoic acid is to actually use retinoic acid at an optimal concentration. However, this may not be a viable option for two reasons: 1. Retinoic acid requires a prescription and is relatively expensive. 2. Tretinoin tends to cause skin irritation, especially in sensitive individuals or if used incorrectly. However, well formulated products containing retinol and/or retinyl palmitate provide an additional alternative that may be cheaper and, at least for some people, less irritating.

Ideally, it is important to find a stable, sufficiently concentrated formulation that does not irritate your skin. Consult your skin care professional as to which retinol product will work best for you.