There is so much beauty and skincare information out there nowadays, that it’s hard to know what to believe. One ingredient in particular that I see constantly misinterpreted is retinoids. There is so much fear surrounding this amazing, research-backed “anti-aging” ingredient but there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m going to discuss and debunk 6 of the most popular myths and if you want to read more about how I apply retinoids without any irritation or peeling, click here.
Before we start, retinoid is a term for the entire family of vitamin A derivatives. Retinol is a less potent derivative that you can find in drugstores without a prescription while Retin A or tretinoin is retinoic acid which requires a prescription in the U.S.
1. Retinoids will make your skin sensitive to the sun.
No. Retinoids will not make your skin more photosensitive. In other words, it will not make your skin more prone to sunburn but you should still be wearing sunscreen every day. Retinoids can be used all year round but should be applied at night since the sun will deactivate the retinoic acid.
Bonus Fact: Retin A is actually chemopreventative. People who use tretinoin can form fewer pre-skin cancers and it decreases their overall risk of forming skin cancers.¹ ²
2. Retinoids thin the skin.
Retinoids are keratolytic so they help peel off that top layer of skin which will make dark spots appear lighter, prevent clogged pores, and smooth the overall texture of your skin. It actually thickens the dermis and increases collagen production.³
3. If I’m not peeling, it’s not working.
Not true. Everyone’s skin is different and some skin types can handle some ingredients better than others. If you aren’t experiencing any irritation, it could be that your skin is conditioned. If you’re including things like salicylic acid, chemical peels, and other exfoliants into your routine, you just may be able to tolerate that percentage of retinoid. The lack of irritation doesn’t mean that it isn’t effective.
4. You can’t layer anything on your skin with Retin A.
Not necessarily. There are certain active ingredients that you should probably stay away from when using a retinoid such as benzoyl peroxide, BHAs, and AHAs since they may counteract with the retinoid or cause a lot of irritation. Other skincare steps should be applied at least 20 minutes after your retinoid to allow for full absorption and effectiveness.
5. Retinoids, retinols, and Retin-A, are for people who already have wrinkles.
This simply isn’t true. Retinoids and retinols may be advertised more to the older crowd but it’s totally acceptable and encouraged for people in their 20’s to start using it and reaping the benefits. Other than pregnant women, pretty much anyone can use retinoids.
6. Retinols are just as good as Retin-A.
Retinols don’t have the same effect on the skin because it requires an enzyme in your skin to be converted to its active state — retinoic acid. The conversion rate of retinol to retinoic acid is very low since the conversion needs to occur multiple times. On the other hand, a prescription-strength retinoid (tretinoin) is already in its active state. There is no conversion and this is why tretinoin, tazarotene, and adapalene are all in opaque, light-blocking tubes. Therefore, retinoids are going to be much more effective than drugstore retinols and cosmeceutical formulations.
What are some other myths you’ve heard about Vitamin A?
¹Charles N.EllisMDaJonathan S.WeissMDa*Ted A.HamiltonMSaJohn T.HeadingtonMDabAlvin S.ZelicksonMDcJohn J.VoorheesMDa. https://doi.org/10.1016/0190-9622(90)70265-J.
²Okuno, Masataka; Kojima, Soichi; Matsushima-Nishiwaki, Rie; Tsurumi, Hisashi; Muto, Yasutoshi; Friedman, Scott L.; Moriwaki, Hisataka. Current Cancer Drug Targets, Volume 4, Number 3, 2004, pp. 285–298(14). https://doi.org/10.2174/1568009043333023
³Richard M. Niles, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, 1542 Spring Valley Drive, Huntington, WV 25704, USA. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2004.05.020
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