Hi All. I'm new to this site (which is fab) and although I'm no authority, I'd like to offer what I've experienced personally regarding the use of Retin-A. By no means am I disagreeing with anyone & I apologize in advance if much of the same has already been posted. That said, I feel very strongly about this medication & I just want to re-emphasize the potential benefits Retin-A has to offer. Personally, I attribute the confusion surrounding the subject of Retin-A to the more recent availability of other vitamin A derivatives, such as Renova. I have been using Retin-A for many (& I do mean many - eek!) years. Initially, I was prescribed Retin-A for acne. It worked beautifully as an acne treatment; cleared up my skin & prevented future problems. The reason I still use this drug is to help combat the aging associated issues. My results on both counts have been terrific. Retin-A absolutely does treat sun damaged & other age-related skin issues, in addition to acne. To date, Retin-A is recognized by the FDA only for the treatment of acne. The effects Retin-A has on the skin related to fine lines, discoloration, etc. was discovered (as so many fine things are) by accident. From what I've read, patients using the medication for acne began to notice substantial improvements in their skin related to improved texture, fine lines, etc. Apparently, the changes were significant enough to generate further research. I don't understand the jargon in the journals well enough to sum up any conclusions. Suffice it to say evidence supported the connection between topical tretinoin & improvements in the appearance of skin. Besides the antioxidant effect, there are actually studies describing a type of cell "communication" between retinoic acid & skin cell receptor sites. All the medical lingo is over my head & too much for my little beaner to grasp. Simply put, it seems retinoic acid has the ability to influence skin cells to maintain a normal (healthy) status. Rather than becoming damaged.
It is a little complicated, but the FDA only approved Retin-A for the treatment of acne. Renova, on the other hand, was approved for the treatment of aging related issues such as wrinkles. I have never used Renova, but I think the difference may be Renova's delivery system - a much more emollient, moisturizing base (obviously wouldn't be too compatible for the treatment of acne.) Unfortunately, Retin-A has gotten a bad rap because it can cause severe irritation if misused. It's definitely to be used with caution. I have a fairly high tolerance because I've used it for so long, but even now I often go through periods of peeling & flaking. It's not pleasant but the trade off has been worth it for me. Unfortunately, I'm a member of the ancient generation who foolishly spent hours baking in the sun (Yikes!!!) To make matters worse, I had way too much fun & indulged in too many no no's - all of which must have taken a toll on my skin. Yet, despite all this abuse & neglect, my skin looks incredibly good - a fact I contribute almost entirely to the consistent use of Retin-A throughout the years (and maybe decent genes). That's why I'm so passionate about Retin-A as a real weapon when it comes to skin defense. I've had such great results and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the same benefits. Although I've never used it, Renova may be equally effective (same vitamin A derivative). With my acne-prone skin, I don't know that I'd be a viable candidate for Renova's richer, moisturizing base. The most important thing to remember when using tretinoins is: SPF!!! You've heard it a million times, I know. We should be using sun protection every day regardless, but you really have to be diligent about using SPF 15 or higher when you're using this stuff. Tretinoins do cause the skin to be much more photosensitive & all the benefits you've gained using Retin-A or Renova will go out the window (& then some) if you expose yourself to any UVs. (Stinks! I miss being a tanned beach bum. Seems like everything that feels good, looks good, tastes good, etc. is usually bad for us?!)
However, when those are gone, I will be needing an alternative. I sure will check out Avon when that happens.
