What You Should Know About Retinol
If you follow me (and other dermatologists) you have likely heard about retinoids and retinol as a “holy grail” of skincare. Quick retinoid explainer… All topical retinoids are derived from Vitamin A and have similar properties that can help improve skin texture and tone, and minimize the appearance of dark spots, fine lines and improve acne. Some will have stronger effects, often those by prescription. For people seeking general “anti aging” benefits over the counter retinol (or retinal) products are easy to access and less likely to cause irritation. But for some people prescription retinoids may be the way to go (and less expensive if the prescription is a covered benefit).
Retinol vs retinaldehyde (retinal): These are related molecules that get converted to retinoic acid (tretinoin = pure retinoic acid). Retinaldehyde is one step closer in the conversion process so may be more potent than retinol, yet less irritating than tretinoin. That said, when choosing retinol vs retinal it can be hard to do an apples to apples comparison.
If you have highly sensitive skin or a condition such as rosacea then you may not be able to tolerate even milder retinols (I posted recently some other ingredients to consider) but many people can find a product that works for their skin if you follow best practices for use (e.g. pea sized amount, with moisturizer, don’t need to use every day).
Here are some over the counter products I like (at a variety of price points):
🔹 Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair and Pro+ (higher strength)
🔹 Olay Retinol 24 offers a number of products in this line
🔹 RoC Retinol Correxion is another good line (my husband loves the capsules)
🔹 SkinMedica and SkinCeuticals offer retinols at various strengths which is convenient to level up if you are using and tolerating well
🔹 Skinbetter AlphaRet is another fave
🔹 Kiehl’s Microdose Retinol Serum has been one of my go-to’s and is a great option for those with sensitive skin
🔹 If you want to try a retinal Avene offers a number of options