Tretinoin (all-trans retinoic acid, the acid form of Vitamin A)
- Retin-A Micro
One of the more significant problems of sun damage is abnormal and mutated cell growth. Tretinoin is the topical, prescription-only medication that can improve skin cell production after skin has been damaged. In skin, tretinoin is the acid form of vitamin A that can actually affect cell production by binding to the tretinoin receptor sites on the cell. There is a great deal of research establishing that tretinoin is effective in improving cell production in skin that has been damaged (often by exposure to sunlight). Tretinoin affects and improves actual cell production deep in the dermis, far away from the surface of skin. Tretinoin is a valid method for addressing wrinkles and, overall, for improving cell production. Applying tretinoin does not produce miraculous results, but the positive outcome in terms of skin health is indisputable. However, it is highly possible that applying tretinoin to the skin will cause irritation, which is a major drawback of this drug.
Photoaging pathophysiology studies have produced significant evidence suggesting that topical tretinoin (all-trans retinoic acid), the only agent for prescription medication approved so far for the treatment of photoaging, also works to prevent it.
Retin-A, Renova, Retin-A Micro, Tazorac and Avita are the trade names of several prescription-only Vitamin A (Tretinoin) drugs that contain tretinoin (all-trans retinoic acid), which is the acid form of vitamin A, as the active ingredient. Retin-A was introduced to treat acne more than 30 years ago. While the medication produced remarkable results fighting acne, patients also noticed significant improvements in their overall facial appearance. As a result, Retin-A was approved by the FDA for cosmetic use. Today the medication is considered an anti-aging solution for the treatment of a variety of skin conditions.
There are numerous Tretinoin medications on the market. Some of these medications may contain other ingredients to provide additional benefits. The medication may be micro-encapsulated with time-release action. Tretinoin is a topical medication that may be gel or cream based. Tretinoin medications are offered at numerous concentration levels, each designed for a specific skin type.
Retin-A chemical peel is used to provide a light chemical peel , usually before the application of other chemical peel or other skin rejuvenation procedures such as laser resurfacing techniques, that speeds the natural exfoliation process and enhances collagen production.