Retinoids Reduce Wrinkles

Vitamins don't generally reduce wrinkles, with the exception of the topical vitamin-A-based drugs called retinoids. Tretinoin, marketed as Retin-A and Renova, is the most common retinoid used in skin care. Others are undergoing clinical trials. Introduced in the 1970s as an acne treatment, tretinoin demonstrated an ability to fade actinic keratosis (scaly red patches that appear on sun-exposed older skin) and to speed the turnover of superficial skin cells. In 1996, the FDA approved Renova, which contains a 0.05% concentration of tretinoin, as the first drug to treat wrinkles.

Tretinoin reduces fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of new collagen. It also stimulates the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading "age spots" or "liver spots" (lentigines) and softening actinic keratosis. It takes 3 - 6 months of regular use before improvements in wrinkles are apparent, with best results after 6 - 12 months.

Because tretinoin can cause skin irritation, experts often recommend that it be used only every other day at first, with a gradual increase to nightly applications. Wear a sunscreen during the day when using tretinoin, because it increases skin sensitivity to sunlight. Tretinoin has to be used continually to maintain its benefits.

Several over-the-counter products containing retinoids, such as retinol, are now available. They may not be as effective in reducing wrinkles as tretinoin, but they do improve the appearance of photoaged skin. Tretinoin can be used with alpha hydroxy acids for additional skin-smoothing effects.
Source: LHJ.com - Ladies’ Home Journal online