How it works

Retinol is a type of retinoid, which is made from vitamin A. It does not remove

dead skin cells, as many other products for mature skin do. Instead, the small

molecules that make up retinol go deep beneath the epidermis (outer layer of

skin) to your dermis.

Once in this middle layer of skin, retinol helps neutralize free radicals. This

helps boost the production of elastin and collagen, which creates a “plumping”

effect that can reduce the appearance of:

• fine lines

• wrinkles

• enlarged pores

While retinol is also sometimes used to help treat acne as well as related scarring, severe acne is usually treated via a prescription

retinoid along with other medications that help target inflammation and

bacteria. Finally, retinol has an exfoliating effect on the skin’s surface that

can help improve texture and tone.

 

What it treats

Retinol is primarily used to treat the following skin conditions:

• fine lines

• wrinkles

• sun spots and other signs of sun damage, sometimes called photoaging

• uneven skin texture

• melasma and other types of hyperpigmentation To achieve the best results

from your retinol-containing skin care product, try using it every day. It may take several weeks until you see significant improvements.

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Tretinoin is a medication used to treat acne and sun-damaged skin. It can’t erase deep wrinkles, but it can help improve the appearance of surface wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots.

Tretinoin is also known as retinoic acid. It’s the generic name for synthetic vitamin A. It’s sold under many different brand names. Retin-A is one of those brand names, which shouldn’t be confused with retinol.

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It may sound counterintuitive, but tretinoin works by irritating the skin. Tretinoin is able to speed up the life cycle of skin cells. It makes them divide faster and die faster, so newer, healthier cells can take their place.

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What’s the difference between tretinoin and retinol? 

Retinoids are a group of compounds derived from vitamin A. Tretinoin and retinol both fall under this umbrella.

Both tretinoin and retinol are topical skin care products that can treat the same conditions. They both promote rapid exfoliation and stimulation of collagen and elastin, which leads to smoother-looking skin. But they’re not quite the same.

Retinol is:

• a natural form of vitamin A

• milder and less irritating to sensitive skin

• available without a prescription

• found in many over-the-counter cosmetics and skin care products

Tretinoin is:

• a synthetic version of vitamin A

• stronger than retinol

• only available with a prescription

• not as well tolerated by sensitive skin

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Tretinoin,  is a prescription medication that is about 20 times more potent than retinol. It is stronger because retinoic acid is a form of vitamin A that acts directly on the skin-boosting cell renewal, turnover, and DNA damage repair