Vitamin A (Retinol) improves your skin

Over the next few months, we will be providing in-depth information about vitamin serums – what they are – how they are made – what they do and who should use them.  This week, we are delving into Vitamin A (retinol).

 

What is Vitamin A (Retinol)?

Vitamin A is commonly referred to as a retinoid. This is essentially the blanket term for all the different forms of vitamin A. You may have heard these terms before: retinoic acid, retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene… guess what? All Vitamin A, just different forms and strengths, some natural, some synthetic, some prescription, some over the counter. Vitamin A are Retinoids for your skin that all work to improve your skin’s health, helping it to look and feel younger.

Retinaldehyde is a ‘gentle’ form of Vitamin A, as it is very close to the type our bodies produce naturally. Therefore not much processing of the ingredient needs to occur in the skin, before it can be taken up by our cells. This, in turn, renders it less irritating. Our Osmosis MD Vitamin A serums, plus the CosMedix Serum 16 all contain retinaldehyde as the key ingredient.

Higher concentrations of Vitamin A, or forms that require multiple conversions in the skin before it can be taken up by cells, can leave the skin feeling irritated. It may show feel dry, tight and inflamed, an unnecessary backwards step in any skincare regime.

 

What does it do?

Vitamin A provides a myriad of benefits, so you really do want to be using it.  In short, it normalises skin functions. Tricking it into thinking it’s younger. This is why we’re crazy for Vitamin A here in the clinic!

 

These benefits include:

UV protection – Vitamin A (retinol) is NOT a sunscreen, let’s be clear. What it does do, is reduce the inflammation caused by UV damage. Also it inhibits some of the age related changes that occur due to UV radiation.

Cell renewal – It takes roughly 28 days for our skin cells to replenish themselves, and that is in a healthy, youthful skin. However, as we age, this process usually lengthens. With cell turnover becoming sluggish and the shedding of dead cells being less effective. Old cells, and a build up of dead cells on the surface of our skin, leads to dull, lacklustre skin. This can feel rough and appear mottled. The good news is, Vitamin A is here to help, in two ways. Firstly, it stimulates the turnover of cells, encouraging better skin function. Secondly it acts as a gentle exfoliator, removing the surface build up of dead cells, revealing brighter, more even toned and smoother skin.

Anti-wrinkles – Fine lines and wrinkles, along with a loss of tone in the skin are a by-product of chronological and environmental ageing. These changes occur when the protein in our skin that provides strength and cushioning – collagen, is broken down and not produced at the rate it once was. Vitamin A helps to combat these changes by increasing the number of cells that produce collagen in your skin (fibroblasts), stimulating the existing fibroblast to produce more collagen and inhibiting the enzymes that break down our collagen.

It’s a three-way attack on anti-ageing!

Acne – The irregular shedding of cells is a contributing factor to pore congestion and the creation of acne. The regulating and stimulating effect Vitamin A has on cellular turnover is great news for acne sufferers, as it can help to alleviate these issues. Secondly, Vitamin A works to normalise skin function and encourages uniform arrangement of cells in the epidermis. This prevents the emergence of new pimples being formed.

Pigmentation – Uneven skin tone occurs due to ageing, UV exposure, hormonal changes and/or after the skin has experienced an injury. This can include the inappropriate use of harsh or toxic chemical laden skin care products.  Vitamin A can help to alleviate the appearance of pigmentation disorders by gentle exfoliation and dispersal of pigment. As discussed before, vitamin A encourages exfoliation of cells, with this, pigmented cells may be removed more readily. Also, Vitamin A encourages a more even distribution of melanosomes (pigment molecules) within the skin. Avoiding clumping together of these, which appears as spots or discolouration on the skin.

 

Where does retinol come from?

The retinol that comes in the serums we stock here at The Skin Care Clinic, derives from plants and includes beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene to Vitamin A. Major carotenoids, including lycopene, lutein, and zeaxantuin, have important biological properties, including antioxidant and photoprotective activities.

 

How to choose a Vitamin A

When it comes to choosing which one, stronger, or prescription, is not necessarily better. In fact, studies have concluded that the evidence from numerous randomised control studies all support the fact that Retinaldehyde is the most significant form of Vitamin A.

It’s important to find a good quality Vitamin A that is the appropriate type and strength for your skin. Not all creams and serums are created equal. You want a high-quality ingredient, in the right concentration, that will actually be able to penetrate your skin. Remember our skin is a barrier… so your Vitamin A needs to have delivery systems to get the product to where it needs to go. Once you have found your Vitamin A of choice, you start slow and build up. This avoids any sensitivities with your Vitamin A for your skin, for example:  every other night at first, and then nightly.

 

Who Can Use Vitamin A?

There is a Vitamin A (retinol) to suit everyone, even those with sensitive skins. However, if you are pregnant, thinking of becoming pregnant or breastfeeding, please discuss the use of any Vitamin A serum with your doctor. We recommend that you cease their use during this period, as it is not known conclusively whether a developing foetus will be affected; the research is still happening.

 

Which Vitamin A is best for you?

Please note, if you need further advise on choosing a Vitamin A, you can email us at info@theskincareclinic.com.au.

• Acne: Osmosis MD Clarify.
• Young Skin: Medik8 Retinol 3TR.
• Sensitive Skin: Osmosis MD Calm.
• Normal Skin: Aspect Dr Exfol A, Medik8 Crystal Retinol 6, Osmosis MD Correct.
• Mature Skin: Osmosis MD Correct, Osmosis MD Renew, CosMedix Elite Serum 24, Medik8 Crystal Retinol 10.

 

 

Our Best Vitamin A (Retinol) Recommendations

Acne Prone Skin

Young Skin

Sensitive Skin

Normal Skin

Mature Skin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still not sure?

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