Retinol Is A Scam, Don't Buy It

I use prescription cream Retin A every night before going to bed. The generic name is Tretinoin (tre-ti-no-in), but it's still Retin A. You apply it to you face, and then you apply your moisturizer.

I previously used the .05 percent Retin A, but after using it for a while, I asked my dermatologist to increase the dosage to the stronger .01 percent.

I don't know if I see all that much of a difference, but my dermatologist swears by it, and says I should continue using it. The tube lasts me a few months, and the only cost is my $10 co-payment via my insurance company.

Prescription Retin A is the way to go. Over-the-counter Retin A doesn't have the necessary potency to do anything.

There is a lot of research to back up the use of retinol. OP, your derm is lying to you, probably trying to get you to buy her expensive products instead of buying cheaper stuff at the store.

Why do people think it works?

Apparently the answer to my question doesn't involve looking into the mirror.

R3,

When you use real Retin A it burns. You get read patches that can look a bit like eczema. With time your body adjusts to it. With the vast majority of OTC retinol cream there is little to none of these effects, indicating it is not effective. It needs to burn. It's supposed to burn off the dead layer of skin. If it's not burning then it's too weak and is a waste. I used that Neutrogena intensive deep wrinkle stuff. The only burning I ever got from it was under my eyelids and even then the burning only least a few seconds. This means it's bunk.

If retinol truly did anything, it would be treated like a drug and need a prescription like retina-a.

Has there ever been an OTC anti-aging product or weight-loss product that isn't just snake oil?

R5, that's not true. There are plenty of over-the-counter products that work. Just because they aren't as strong as prescription stuff doesn't mean they don't work on any level.

It is also untrue that a product needs to burn to work.

Yes r6, Olay makes good products. They did a controlled test with identical twins, and used them in an ad campaign.

Bumping, I'm restocking on skincare after putting it off for a year.

If this is true, does that mean collagen products & hyaluronics also do nothing? I was gonna plump for some Shiseido cream and Clé de Peau oil with maybe some Kate S. Goat milk but I guess I should think again? Or?

I'm happy to invest in a $50 jar but only if it will actually help my health & appearance and will last a good long time (like 6 months and I can dilute it). I can't get a scrip for retin-A easily because I took bad vit-A pills as a kid (misprescribed) and they fucked with my growth, so.

Collagen and hyaluronic are fine, because they plump up the skin. You can ingest both in powder and capsule form for added benefit, in addition to applying them topically. Your joints, hair, and skin on your whole body will be grateful to you. Actives like vitamins that boost collagen production (Vitamin C), increase moisture and restore the lipid barrier (Vitamin B3), regulate sebum and decrease pore size (Vitamin B5) etc... are fine as well. Be careful with peptides because they're not really studied that well, and some expensive ones might even lead to sagging. The cheaper ones don't really do that much, if anything.

I stay away from retinol and especially harsher retinoids because they change the functioning of the skin too much in the long run. You can reap the same benefits with direct acids like AHAs and BHAs, or acid precursors, and without the nasty side effects. I had hypervitaminosis A once in my life and I don't really care to repeat that experience.

The most important thing is what you eat and drink. All of that gets mirrored in your skin. Garbage in, garbage out.

Some cannot tolerate Retin-A. The weaker creams may do better for them... especially if they have thin, fair, dry skin. Vitamin C in a cream with Retinol improves its results. That said, I use the Retin-A because I'm still oily at 51, and have thick skin. Retinol is still better than nothing.

I need to learn more about this stuff so I'm typing a reply just to follow this thread. How do you like that?

There's a good reason Retin-A requires a prescriptions and retinol doesn't.

One is a drug that is proven to work and the other is a bunch of bs

Depending on the container it's in, retinol can lose its potency really fast. I've been researching granactive retinoids recently, but people seem to be mixed on that. They don't cause the same side effects, but they're not as effective as retinol, and it takes a long time before you see any result.

Make sure you're supporting your body from the inside with all the nutrients It needs to form new collagen first and foremost. So when you do eventually assault your face with acids or whatever, all the building blocks will be there for your skin to use.

It's imperative to use a good sunscreen religiously with both. Hats are a good idea as well. Always use the tiniest amount, especially starting out. If the irritation and redness is too much, try every other night.

If you still cannot tolerate it after awhile, ask for something milder, like Tazorac, Fabior, Renova, there are others too available by Rx, I just cannot recall.

Lotion companies have been hawking snakeoil forever. retinol is just the next in that line.

Differin (adapalene) is a prescription retinoid that just became available as an over the counter medication. It's the same strength. It's in the acne skincare section. It's not as strong as Retin-A though

Call me when it helps you lose weight and grows hair.

R17, I use differin because it's gentler to my skin than retin-A. Apparently the benefits are the same

Prescription grade Retinol will make your skin thinner, which will age you in the long run. I asked my dermatologist about getting a prescription to maintain clearer skin, and she warned me against it.

Related question: anyone have an under eye cream or gel they recommend that doesn’t cause their eyes to water?

I use retin a religiously. I also wear SPF religiously. When out in the sun, I wear a huge hat or a baseball cap if I’m working out. Obviously, I don’t wear a hat when swimming, but I slather on waterproof SPF.

I’ve done this consistently from my early 20s, and though I know all about the infamous DL trope regarding age, I can personally attest to the fact that I barely have any wrinkles, other than the ones that appear when I smile. I have tried Botox and fillers, which I personally dislike because they don’t necessarily look bad once administered, yet they change the look of my face, which is not the desired result on my behalf. I haven’t had any non-surgical procedures such as these, in over 3 years, or surgical procedures, ever, & I look a LOT younger than my age.

Retin A is amazing, and the shit works like a charm.

It's not related, R21. This thread is about retinol being a scam, not about your drippy eyes.

Well smell you, r23!

Retinol dries out my skin. I do better with bio-retinols, like the ones from REN. However, for me Hyaluronic Acid works better as an ingredient for firmness and anti-aging, along with Vitamin C serum.