Retinol: One of the Best Over-the-counter Anti-wrinkle Ingredients

Dermatologists praise Retinol as an excellent over-the counter anti-wrinkle ingredient. Retinol creams work to soften lines and fade age spots.

WHAT IS RETINOL?

Retinol is the technical name for Vitamin A. Research suggests that topical Vitamin A can help build collagen fibers and exfoliate the skin, thereby minimizing the appearance of fine lines.

There are several forms of Vitamin A found in the body. Retinol is one of them; other forms include retinyl palmitate, retinal and retinoic acid. Renova and Retin-A® are retinoic acid, also known as tretinoin.

WHY USE A RETINOL CREAM?

Regular use of a Retinol cream increases cell turnover and exfoliation by stimulating cell production and new collagen production. As we age, this process normally slows down and layers of dead, sun damaged skin cells build up on the skin. This causes our skin to look dull and thick; pores look large and we see the visible effects of sun damage such as age spots, uneven skin tone and less elasticity.

Using a retinol cream will encourage the exfoliation of these dead skin cells so healthier cells can surface. Skin will appear softer and smoother and pores will appear smaller. Skin will look younger and healthier. With the stimulation of collagen production, skin cells will be plumper, more like they were in our youth.

The cell rejuvenation caused by vitamin A has also been shown to be helpful on acne patients because the exfoliation unclogs pores and helps fade acne scars.

When looking for a vitamin A or retinol creme product, look for one with a high enough level of retinol to be effective.

POPULAR RETINOL-CONTAINING PRODUCTS

Vitamin A or Retinol is the main ingredient found in the skin creams and lotions of several popular product lines including DDF, SkinScience, and M.D. Forte.

Do Pore Strips Work?

Among the most heavily promoted products for acne care is the pore strip. A pore strip is a piece of cloth with some kind of sticky glue on it. You put them on your face, wait a few minutes for them to dry, and then pull them off, hoping you also pull off a blackhead. But do pore strips really work?

Many people are favorably impressed the first time they use pore strips. The hairspray-like ingredient on the back of the strip latches on to the black, oxidized top layer of sebum that clogs the pore and makes the blackhead black. The problem is, pore strips make skin look better without solving the literally underlying problem.

Even worse, most brands of pore strips warn that if they get stuck on, you should wet them to loosen. Stuck on? Doesn't that mean that they could pull off healthy skin? Unfortunately, it usually does. And there are even worse side effects for skin affected by disease.

It is tempting to use pore strips wherever you have a skin breakout. That's especially true if you have invested hundreds or even thousands of dollars in acne treatment with Accutane, Retin-A, Renova, Differin, AHAs, BHAs, or facial peels. But the simple fact is, pore strips are too dangerous to use on skin that has been treated with any prescription acne drug, with AHAs, with BHAs, or with peels. You also risk serious and disfiguring skin damage if you use pore strips on skin affects with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or seborrhea, or if you have naturally thin skin.

Wrinkle Treatments - Review of Popular Prescriptions

How Do Wrinkles on the Face Form?

Wrinkles are a by-product of our aging bodies. Wrinkles are inevitable as we age. Most wrinkles are generally found around the eyes, necks, and cheeks. How do we define wrinkles? Wrinkles are fine lines or creases in the skin, primarily in the face, that usually result from a combination of factors, including sun and weather damage, smoking, and natural aging.Wrinkles cannot be prevented, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, they say that proper care of your skin can help delay and reduce wrinkles. You may find it interesting that wrinkles can be hereditary, and some families are more prone to wrinkles than others. According to the Mayo Clinic website information, Wrinkles are classified into three classes.

Class I: Fine wrinkles

Class II: Fine-to-moderately deep wrinkles and moderate number of lines

Class III: Fine-to-deep wrinkles, numerous lines, and possibly redundant folds

Treatments

There are an abundance of treatments marketed today, both for in-home use as well as in spas and clinics, which aim to be highly effective at treating skin. Treatment for deep wrinkles tends to be a little more complex than that of fine, thinner lines, but wrinkle injection treatments, as well as laser and radio wave based procedures, are making any type of wrinkle removal increasingly manageable. Treatment options include dermabrasion, chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing. Treatment with the Erbium laser stimulates the production of collagen which results in a tightening and smoothing of the skin. Despite great demand, most such products and treatments have not been proven to give lasting or major positive effects. Besides its cosmetic application, Botox is used in the treatment of other conditions including migraine headache and cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck). Therefore, if you still want to reduce wrinkles, explore your treatment options.There are various creams and lotions to treat wrinkles available over-the-counter. Prescription treatments, including the retinoid cream renova, are also an option.

Collagen

Collagen is what supports the skin. Elastin is what gives the skin its flexibility. Collagen and keratin leave a protein film and temporarily stretch the skin. Collagen is what keeps your skin tight and toned, so using collagen targeted products can help you fill in wrinkled areas of your face. Collagen or hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Hyalaform, Captique, for example), may be injected under wrinkles or folds to elevate them. Collagen Replacement Therapy is a wrinkle therapy that provides Collagen treatment on a localized basis in salons.

Botox

Botox injections have become very popular in recent years. In fact, many ENT Doctors have re-invented their medical practices to market Botox and anti-aging medicine, supplements, and wrinkle products. Botox is another technique available to help minimize wrinkles. According to the manufacturers of Botox, BOTOX® is a medicine made from a highly purified, naturally occurring protein which has the ability to very precisely relax the muscles to which it is applied. BOTOX® does not affect the nerves responsible for sensation, so there is no numbness in the treated areas. BOTOX® relaxes the muscles which cause many facial lines and unwanted facial expressions. BOTOX Cosmetic™ is very affordable even for those with modest incomes, but some people need to budget for it just as they would for buying accessories like shoes and having their hair styled. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments provide a safe, quick and remarkably effective way to markedly decrease wrinkles. BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are best on the upper third of the face.

Restylane

Besides wrinkles, Restylane is supposed to also fight fine lines and folds. According the the manufacturers of Restylane, the types of skin folds Restylane targets are "Nasolabial Folds," or the ridges that some people have from the base of their nose to the corners of their mouth. Restylane® is a wrinkle filler used to treat "laugh lines" (the lines between the nose and the corner of the mouth), vertical lip lines, and folds in the skin for both men and women.

Other Wrinkle Reduction Products

Retinol, a natural form of vitamin A, could not, until recently, be used in skin products because it was unstable and easily broken down by UV radiation. The FDA warns that over-the-counter retinol skin products are unregulated; the amount of active ingredients is unknown, and some preparations, in fact, may contain almost no retinol. Retin-A, Renova, Avita (drug name tretinoin) and Tazorac (drug name tazarotene), prescribed by your doctor or dermatologist, are still the gold standards among topical prescription products for improving the appearance of sun-damaged (wrinkled and discolored) skin.

Wrinkles in the face can unfortunately cause a person to appear older than they truly are, or simply reveal their true age. If your wrinkles are bothering you, you have more options than ever to help eliminate or at least diminish their appearance.

The Basics of Anti-Aging Skin Care

The very first question most people have when exploring the realm of anti-aging skin care is, "What skin rejuvenation products have been proven to be effective"? What are the secrets for younger looking skin? Please tell me!

Accurate information regarding the multitude of anti-aging treatments flooding the marketplace is the best way to make informed decisions for developing your own skin rejuvenation regimen which incorporates the anti-aging skin care techniques, strategies and treatments that best address your personal aging skin issues.

The basics of effective skin rejuvenation begin with the facts on anti-aging skin care treatments. There are several active ingredients that have been clinically proven to be effective skin rejuvenators.

One of the most effective treatments is vitamin A derivatives such a retinol or retinyl palmitate.

The Retin A or Renova vitamin A treatments are the strongest although the most irritating treatments of the vitamin A options and are only available by prescription. If your skin needs major rejuvenation attention, ask your Doctor if you are a candidate for the prescription vitamin A treatment of Retin A or Renova.

If not, including one of the other retinol alternatives in your skin care routine is an excellent strategy. The concentration of over-the-counter retinol products can range up to 1%. The basic rule of thumb is, the higher the concentration, the stronger the treatment. Be forewarned though, read the directions carefully because the stronger retinol products can be quite irritating to the skin. Starting slow and gradually working your way up to higher concentrations will allow you skin to adjust to the treatments better. The vitamin A derivative, Retinyl Palmitate, is the less irritating of the Vitamin A options and is considered to have quite effective rejuvenating qualities.

The next most beneficial anti-aging skin rejuvenation treatment is a chemical exfoliant such as an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) or beta hydroxyl acid (BHA) product.

The most popular of these acids is an AHA glycolic acid. Glycolic acid should be use in concentrations of 8% to 15% depending on your skin's sensitivity. Start out with a lower concentration and gradually move up to a 10% then 15% concentration depending on your skin's tolerance in order to avoid irritation.

The last consideration is including an antioxidant to contain the skin damaging free radicals as well as to encourage overall skin repair.

Products containing Vitamin C Ester, Spin Trap, or CoQ10 are all good options to explore. Then, of course, there are other viable anti-aging treatments which can be incorporated into your regimen depending on your particular skin rejuvenation needs which include DMAE, Kinerase or Kinetin, and GHK Copper Peptides.

Finally, the most critical and essential aspect to any successful skin rejuvenation regimen is sunscreen, at least once a day, each and every day!