12 Fashion Mistakes That Make You Look Older 10 Makeup Mistakes That Add 10 Years The Very Best Haircut for Your Face 8 Surprising Habits That Make You Look Older 7 Dresses That Give You a Flat Stomach The Best Jeans for Every Body Type How to Color Your Hair Like a Pro—For Less Than $15! The Essential Skincare Routine for Every Age 7 Supportive Swimsuits for Big-Chested Women 7 Slimming Swimsuits for Plus-Size Women The Best Way to Cover Grays—Without Going to a Salon How to Find the Most Flattering Swimsuit for Your Body Type 4 Dark-Circle Cures (That Actually Work) How to Get Shiny, Bouncy Hair with Hot Rollers Gym Gear That Slims and Flatters? The Clothes That Make People Wonder if You've Lost Weight 8 Secret Weapons for Beautiful Bright Eyes Which Beauty Products and Treatments Really Work? 7 Ultra-Flattering Swimsuits for Small-Busted Women The One Color That Makes Everybody Look Beautiful
1. You have no idea what a retinoid is. The term describes vitamin A derivatives that unclog pores, boost collagen to reduce fine lines, and speed cell turnover to even out discoloration and smooth the skin—sometimes in as little as four weeks. The first retinoid—tretinoin—was FDA approved (under the brand name Retin-A) almost 40 years ago as a prescription acne treatment. Dermatologists soon noticed that patients on Retin-A experienced not just clearer but softer, brighter, less-lined skin. Today there are three prescription-strength retinoids: tretinoin (brands include Atralin, Avita, Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, Renova), tazarotene (Avage, Tazorac), and adapalene (Differin). Many dermatologists find tazarotene stronger (and potentially more irritating) than tretinoin; adapalene is the gentlest but may be less effective. 2. You don't want to go to the dermatologist. While prescription formulas yield the most impressive results, an over-the-counter retinoid, called retinol, can also improve lines and discoloration.
Because retinol is gradually converted into retinoic acid (the active ingredient in the prescription creams) it is less potent. Count on 12 weeks before seeing results. 3. You think a retinoid will make your skin sun-sensitive. "This is one of the biggest retinoid myths," says Doris Day, MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center (and a Tazorac user herself). "The ingredient itself is sensitive to sunlight, which is why you should apply it before bed at night." A retinoid shouldn't make your skin any more vulnerable to UV rays than it would be after buffing away dead skin with a face scrub. Summer is actually a good time to start a retinoid: Humidity makes your skin less likely to dry out as it adjusts. Of course, apply sunscreen (SPF 30, at least) as diligently as you always do. 4. You're afraid your skin will look worse before it gets better. Retinoids can cause dryness, redness, and flaking—but if you ease in, you can avoid a rough transition.
For the first two weeks, apply a retinoid every third night, says Leslie Baumann, MD, director of the Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute at the University of Miami (who uses Atralin). If your skin isn't irritated, ramp up to every other night for two weeks. Not dry or flaky? Go for it every night. A few other irritation-mitigating guidelines: Wait 15 minutes after washing your face before you apply a retinoid, and use one pea-size dab to cover your whole face. After a few minutes, apply a basic moisturizer to prevent dryness. 5. You think you can't afford it. Insurance coverage of a prescription retinoid, like Retin-A, varies by plan, and a 20-gram tube will cost about $75. But generic tretinoin costs about $40—not bad for a product guaranteed (by decades of science) to work. (For now, only tretinoin is available in a generic version.) Some drugstore retinol products are even less expensive. Look for ones with 0.1 percent retinol packaged in aluminum tubes (to protect the formula from air and light);
we like RoC Retinol Correxion Deep WrinkleNight Cream ($22). Don't use a retinoid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Benzoyl peroxide and alpha hydroxy acids may deactivate retinoids, so don't layer them. Waxing can cause excess redness on retinoid-treated skin; don't use a retinoid for several days before a treatment. A small percentage of people with ultrasensitive skin can never tolerate a retinoid; if you're one of them, use a gentle physical exfoliator twice a week to soften your skin, and be extra-conscientious about sunscreen to prevent collagen loss in the first place. 3 anti-aging products you don't need (plus 3 you really do As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program. Our 7 Favorite New Anti-Aging Products The Skin Treatment Dictionary July Beauty Products We Love 6 Quick Beauty Fixes for All Your Summer Skin Issues Self-Tan Without the Streaks The Best November Beauty Buys
Beauty Favorites for June: No-Shine Blotter Paper, Knockout Nail Polish, and More! Ask Val: In What Order Should I Apply Facial Treatment Products? O's Step-by-Step Plan for Perfect Brows Our Favorite Beauty Products for April 2010 5 Big Fat Beauty Lies Top 10 Skin Myths—A Dermatologist Tells All What Have You Got to Hide? What Are Your Skin Treatment Options? 5 Skincare Ingredients That Reverse Effects of Aging Skincare Secrets for a Glowy Complexion 7 New Tricks for Clearer, Smoother Skin Related to Healthy Beauty Skin Problems & Treatments Retinoids for Anti-Aging Skin What prescription or nonprescription retinoids can do and what to know before you use them. Searching for the fountain of youth? Retinoids minimize the appearance of wrinkles, bolster skin's thickness and elasticity, slow the breakdown of collagen (which helps keep skin firm), and lighten brown spots caused by sun exposure. "For dermatologists," New Orleans dermatologist Patricia Farris, MD, says, "they're a favorite because there's so much science behind them."
"I recommend retinoids to everybody," Chicago dermatologist Carolyn Jacob, MD, says. " It's never too early to start using a retinoid product." Retinoids first came to market in the early 1970s as an acne-fighting drug. Since then, they have also been used to treat psoriasis, warts, wrinkles and blotchiness caused by sun exposure, and aged skin. The Way Retinoids Work Retinoids work by prompting surface skin cells to turn over and die rapidly, making way for new cell growth underneath. They hamper the breakdown of collagen and thicken the deeper layer of skin where wrinkles get their start, Jacob says. It's not true, Farris says, that retinoids thin the skin. They typically cause peeling and redness in the first few weeks of use -- but they actually thicken the skin. For brown spots that give the skin an uneven tone, retinoids slough them off and curb the production of melanin, a darker pigment. Prescription and Non-Prescription Retinoids For aging skin, dermatologists like to prescribe tretinoin and retinoic acid (Retin-A, Renova, Refissa) that is "100 times" as potent as the retinol-containing products sold without prescription, Jacob says.
"Tretinoin works better because it has a stronger capability of preventing the breakdown of collagen," she says. "I prescribe it to my patients because, if they're here, they've already tried the over-the-counter varieties." Retinol, found in over-the-counter products, changes to retinoic acid when you put it on your skin. "For a new patient, I might start with a retinol and build up slowly to prescription strength," Farris says. "Sometimes, retinol is a better choice for a new patient." Makers of the over-the-counter creams and gels don't have to say how much retinol their products contain, and in the short term, the products might not be as effective as tretinoin. But they do smooth out the skin and minimize the effects of sun damage, Farris says. Generally, it takes about 3 to 6 months of daily use to notice a difference. With prescription retinoids, a patient might notice smoother, more even-toned skin in as early as 6 to 8 weeks. Retinaldehyde, another form of retinoid that you can get without a prescription, is highly effective in rejuvenating older skin, Jacob says.
Farris has consulted for several companies that market retinol and retinoid skin care products. Jacob has consulted for the drug companies Medicis and Abbott. How Do You Use Retinoids? You only need a pea-sized amount each day of prescription retinoids or non-prescription retinol-based products, Jacob says. More than that could irritate the skin. Farris recommends starting slowly by using a retinoid every other night until the skin can tolerate it. "Not everyone gets irritation, but most do at first," she says. "That goes away in a couple of weeks." If you're using prescription tretinoin, use it exactly as your doctor prescribed. Ask your doctor if you should avoid using other medications on your skin at the same time. Avoid sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and cover exposed skin with protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a wide-brimmed hat, when you're outside.
"You still have to wear sunscreens when you're on prescription retinoids," Farris says. "You can't be treating sun damage and then not protect yourself from the sun.'' Clean and dry your skin before applying the retinoid. Don't use it with other skin care products made with benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid. The combination can cause severe skin irritation. Using tretinoin with certain medications -- diuretics, antibiotics such as tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, and sulfa drugs -- may also make your skin more light-sensitive. Yes, say Jacob and Farris. But pregnant or nursing women should check with their doctor about using these products. "If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, I like the ob-gyn to say it's OK," Jacobs says. The most common side effects from using tretinoin include burning, warmth, stinging, tingling, itching, redness, swelling, dryness, peeling, irritation, and discoloration of the skin. Rarer side effects include hives, swelling, and breathing difficulty.