Skin care is high up there in terms of health and appearance priorities for most.
There are so many products and so much money spent. For this year alone, projections are 170 to 200+ billion dollars spent worldwide.
That is a lot of money spent on looking younger and/or taking care of self-labeled issues.
What really works, what is hype, and many other questions arise. Basic health measures like staying hydrated, good gut health, hygiene, balanced and adequate hormones, eating plenty of good antioxidants in fruits and vegetables, and avoiding toxins, all help the skin.
For specific conditions such as acne and fine wrinkles, there is a large list of products to consider. One product that can really do wonders for the skin, that I think is overlooked due to really good marketing and salesmanship of other products, is vitamin A derivatives. These include Retinol, Adapalene and Tretinoin.
How do you choose the correct vitamin A derivative for you?
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that enter the cell nucleus and bind retinoid receptors with different affinities. They are used to clear pores, help hyperpigmentation, and stimulate collagen to help with fine lines and wrinkles.
Retinol is over the counter and is a great starter product. It is better for fine wrinkles than for acne.
Retinaldehyde, also over the counter, is more potent, but can cause more skin irritation. 0.1% Adapalene, a synthetic, is also over the counter or prescription at 0.3%. It does not require metabolic conversion, and works very well for mild acne, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. It is not that great for fine wrinkles, however.
Tretinoin (prescription strength retinoic acid) is great for acne and photoaging.
Tazarotene is another big gun but tends to be harder to tolerate. Its application is important as many people feel they do not do well with these products and that may be simply due to the fact they use too much, too quickly, or used it on the neck or other more sensitive areas.
Proper application is a pea sized amount on dry skin, avoid the eyelids and neck and apply a moisturizer following. Slowly progress from a few nights a week to nightly for best results.
As always, talk to your doctor if you have any questions or want to try the prescription versions.
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