Retinol – Why it’s important for Skin Rejuvenation

What is Retinol? Retinol is another name for vitamin A. For skin rejuvenation, Retinol is a superb ingredient for connecting to almost any skin cell and initiating the process to tell it to act like a healthier, younger skin cell.

Retinol is also an antioxidant, so it interrupts the free-radical damage process that causes your skin to look and behave older. It helps with prevention of wrinkles and increases production of collagen.

Other benefits:

It is also effective for managing acne and eczema, improving skin discoloration and minimizing wrinkles from sun damage.

The science behind Retinol

Retinol can be broken down into more potent compounds, which are referred to as retinoids. Although vitamin A, retinol, and retinoid are often used interchangeably, each of them has diverse actions. Some forms of retinol can be used freely in cosmetics, while others (retinoids) are only available by prescription.

To help clarify it for you:

• Retinol is a cosmetic ingredient any cosmetics company can include in its products, meaning it doesn’t require a prescription. Other forms of cosmetic-grade vitamin A that you see in cosmetics include retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, and retinaldehyde.
• Retinol is effective because it breaks down and is converted into retinoic acid after it has been absorbed into your skin. Retinoic acid is the compound that has the ability to affect skin cells and their behavior.
• Both the cosmetic forms and the prescription forms of vitamin A may result in skin irritation, but the highest risk of irritation is with the prescription forms (retinoids) because they are stronger.
• You can reduce or eliminate the irritation caused by retinol by using effective skin-care products without irritating ingredients.
• Prescription retinoids contain retinoic acid (also called tretinoin), the active ingredient in Retin-A and Renova, adapelene, the active ingredient in Differin, and tazarotene, the active ingredient in Tazorac.
• All forms of retinol have similar, although not identical, roles and provide impressive benefits for skin rejuvenation, which is why they are so widely used in skin care products.

You need a combination of products

Retinol has many benefits, but it’s important to remember that no single ingredient can take care of all your skin’s complex needs. To provide the best care for your skin, you need a well-formulated sunscreen, an exfoliation product, a gentle cleanser and a serum or moisturizer loaded with antioxidants.

Keeping skin looking healthy and young requires combined ingredients and products to work together to create a powerful skin rejuvenation routine.