Today's topic is: Retinoids ~ The Gold Standard for Anti-Aging

Retinoids (a group of ingredients including tretinoin and retinol) are Vitamin A derivatives that have been used for decades to treat skin conditions such as acne. Prescription tretinoin’s use for anti-aging was discovered when female patients being treated for acne reported smoother texture and decreased wrinkles after treatment. This spurred research to determine its efficacy treating photoaged skin.

Although retinol is a cosmetic ingredient, in the right formulation and dose, it penetrates the skin effectively and has been shown to exert similar effects as prescription tretinoin on the retinoic acid receptor. Retinol is one of the best anti-aging ingredients you can use for your skin. Second only to sunscreen, it is my favorite way to fight (and prevent) the signs of aging. Anyone looking to up their skin care game should look no further.

Here are a couple of my favorite retinoid options on the market available without a prescription!

1. SkinMedica Retinol Complex 0.25 

2. Replenix Retinol Forte Treatment Serum 3x

 3. PCA Skin Intensive Age Refining Treatment 0.5%

Be sure to add retinol in your regimen slowly (and starting with a lower percentage) to avoid irritation. I recommend starting every third night for two weeks and if tolerated increase to every other night for two weeks. Eventually you should be able increase to every night. For more tips on how to appropriately incorporate retinoids into your skin care regimen check out my IGTV video here!