retinol Flashcards
what is retinol
a form of vitamin A
what is the purpose of retinol
helps promote cell turn over, which is when your body sheds dead skin cells and turns them over with young new skin cells.
improved fine lines and wrinkles, discoloration, and skin texture
vitamin A is the
fountain of youth
what is the chemistry behind retinol
when retinol comes into contact with your skin, the body enzymes convert retinol into retinoid acid, which is the active form of vitamin A.
in addition to protection of skin and repairing damaged cells, what else does retinol do
resets your cell turnover, making it ideal for treating acne and wrinkles
does the use of retinol give instant results
no it is not instant, patience is key because it takes time and must use often to see results. usually about 6-8 weeks for results.
what are the 3 types of retinol
OTC
medical grade
prescription strength
why not just buy drug store retinol?
because it is the lowest level of retinol, will take longer to see results, and only treats the top layer of skin and does not penetrate into deep skin layers where you want cell turnover
why buy medical grade retinol and where can you get it
found in doctors offices and high end med spas. these are stronger than over the counter retinol but not as concentrated as prescription. won’t leave you with as much irritation as prescription strength
where can you get prescription strength retinol and why is this not the first go to?
prescription strength, aka retinoids, is available only by prescription and picked up at pharmacy. (tretinoin/ retinol-A)
this is not first choice because of how concentrated this form is, more irritation is seen, such as very red and peel most of the time and difficult for patient to be religious in application and continue treatment.
why is prescription strength strong
our enzymes do not have to convert this type of retinol because it starts off as retinoid acid and does not have to convert.
what would a true retinol product look like
yellow in color (cream or serum)
always packaged in aluminum tubes or dark airtight bottles because light and air degrades retinol effectiveness
when using retinol what is most important to use in conjunction
sunscreen because retinol makes skin more sensitive (think removing top layer of skin gradual to build new skin)
when should you use retinols
only at night and not during the day
how often should you use retinol
first timers start off with low strength 2-3x week, gradually increase to daily
bump up to higher strength use 1-2x week, work yourself up to daily. end goal is to be used every night once tolerated.
it may take time to get your skin acclimated to retinol, so build up usage based on how well skin is handling the new product
