Retinoids, Retinols, Retinyls, and Vitamin A Explained.

Retinoids refer to Vitamin A and its derivatives.  These chemical ingredients found in many skin care cosmetics perform important functions to help maintain healthy skin.  Their many faceted job description helps repair photo damaged skin, reducing or ridding of acne, improves aging, and skin with sun damage or hyperpigmentation.  I won't say for anti-aging or for more youthful skin, because I believe in pro-aging and for one am tired of being reminded that aging is a negative.  Vitamin A when reduced down and mixed with chemistry, this fantastic ingredient also promotes cell turnover, collagen and elastin growth for skin rejuvenation.  

Retinoids used in cosmetics have a few common names.  Retinol, retinal, retinyl palmitate, and retinyl acetate.  Here is a quick snap shot of what these names mean.  

Retinol - Alcohol

Retinal - Aldehyde (an organic compound containing a group of CHO -formed by the oxidation of alcohols) I used my school book to look this one up.

Retinyl Palmitate and Retinyl Acetate are esters.  Esters are an organic compound made by replacing the hydrogen of an acid by an alkyl or other organic group.  Esters can be natural fatty acids as well.  

You can experience irritation when using a form of a retinol.  It is advised to skip one to three days for application until the skin becomes accustomed.  It is also advised to step up the sun screen protection as you will be more susceptible to the damaging UVA and UVB rays.  Even when driving.  

The use of a retinol and getting the best results is to pair it with a cleanser containing an alpha hydroxy acid.  The marriage of a quality aha cleanser and the retinol provides optimum results.  Of course followed up by a moisturizer and SPF.  

Retinoids for acne have been around for a while and are still being perfected via the pharmaceutical/chemistry world. Retinoids provide a healthy pathway for abnormal follicular keratinization.  Meaning, when comedones (pimples, zits etc.)  form in the follicles with an extra layer of dead skin cells, the retinol increases the cell turnover by essentially ungluing the adhered dead skin cells and sloughing off.  

In our early twenties we start losing collagen and elastin growth.  Another great reason to start incorporating a retinol in to your skin routine.  

Estheticians have many options in our tool belts to best navigate which retinol would be a good fit for you and your skin.  If you are seeing a dermatologist and are experiencing irritation from a retinoid, you can also see an esty for a consultation on how to relieve any discomfort and provide a solution to buffer a sometimes aggressive ingredient.  


xo

Ashley

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