Vitamin A Derivatives (tretinoins)

Vitamin A, or tretinoin, has long been recognised as an essential ingredient for the skin. Originally, tretinoin was used in the anti-acne cream Retin A. It was noted that apart from getting rid of acne, the skin also improved in appearance and texture. While Retin A is used for acne and hence is also designed to dry the skin, new formulations are available in a moisturizing base, e.g. Retinova, ReTrieve.

Tretinoins have a similar effect to AHA’s, However they also have the ability to bind to a specific retinoid receptor in skin cell nuclei. Because of this they have a direct effect on cell function and an enhanced ability to stimulate collagen and improve cell quality.

While AHAs and Viamin A have some overlap in their use, it is sometimes said AHA’s work from the outside (getting rid of dead skin cells and maintaining moisture) while the tretinoins work from the inside at a cell level to stimulate repair of cells and production of new ones. The two products can be used together in order to enhance their effects.

Possible Complications with Vitamin A derivatives

Tretinoins are now a prescription medicine: because tretinoins work at a cellular level, they are now starting to be categorised as medications rather than cosmetics and should be treated with respect.

Sun sensitivity: treatment with tretinoins will increase your sensitivity to the sun, making you more likely to burn. They should be applied at night and always used in conjunction with sun protection.

Pregnancy: the safety of using tretinoins during pregnancy is not yet known. If you are trying to become pregnant, are pregnant, or breast feeding, you should not use them.

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Alternative Treatments 

• Chemical Skin Peels: Skin peels are cosmetic procedures used to make the surface of the skin look smoother, younger and more evenly pigmented.

• TCA Peels: Trichloracetic acid peels are relatively aggressive chemical peels typically used for moderate to deep peeling.

• Laser Resurfacing: Laser skin resurfacing uses a laser to remove the outer layers of skin.  As the wound created by the laser heals, the skin becomes smoother, firmer and less pigmented.

• Dermal Fillers. Dermal fillers typically replace levels of collagen or hyaluronic acid in order to plump up the skin, ad volume and restore a more youthful appearance.

• Collagen Injections: Collagen injections are used to remove crow’s feet, smile lines, nasolabial folds (under the nose) and frown lines.

Related Treatments

• Facelift Surgery
• Browlift Surgery
• Eye Lift Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
• Nose Reshaping / Nose Job (Rhinoplasty)
• Dermal Fillers
• Collagen Injections