(over-the-counter) OTC VS. Retin-A Creams (prescription strength)
What’s the difference?
First, let’s
establish what these creams are used for: Basically, they contain
the only ingredients (retinoids) that have decades of research
proving they can turn around the aging of skin! Only retinoids have
been proven in studies to do everything from smoothing fine lines
and fading dark spots to making pores appear smaller. Dermatologists even agree: retinoids are the best age erasers and acne treatments
Retinoids are vitamin A
derivatives. They are found in prescription, Retin-A creams (Renova,
Avage, or Differin), as well as over-the-counter creams, which
are commonly referred to as retinol creams. Besides their method of
procurement there is one basic difference between the two – retinol
creams are less irritating to the skin than their prescription
cousins.
With over-the-counter retinol creams, the retinol is slowly
converted to retinoic acid, which is the active ingredient in
prescription creams. It may simply take more time (up to 12 weeks)
to notice a difference in your skin than if you’d been using the
prescription variety (4-8 weeks). You will also notice a difference
in your pocket book! Retinol creams are quite a bit less expensive
than the prescription creams.
If after 3 months
you do not see a difference from using an over-the-counter product,
you may want to consider a stronger prescription brand. One
advantage to using a retinol cream before using a prescription
strength cream is that it will help your skin acclimate to retinoids.
Therefore, you’ll be less likely to suffer the side effects of the
more powerful prescription version. Many women who start off with
the prescription creams, give up before they have a chance to get
results, because they cause too much skin irritation. It’s often
beneficial for many to alternate using the over-the-counter and
prescription creams on an every other month rotation.
Retinoic
acid
Retinoic acid is the active metabolite of
vitamin A and is a critical morphogen during embryonic development that must be
available to the fetus at the right level in order for normal development to
occur. It is also an important regulator of development and homeostasis in
tissues, including skin, and is essential for normal skin throughout life.
Importantly, retinoic acid appears to be
involved in the production of collagen. But, with age, functional retinoic acid
levels in the skin decline. Treating photoaged skin topically with retinoic
acid corrects this deficiency.
Retinoic acid treatment blocks this process,
and can prevent the UV-induced breakdown of collagen in the dermis.
Topical retinol, which is metabolized to
retinoic acid in the skin, corrects even intrinsic aging changes when applied
to sun-protected skin of elderly subjects. Over a period of months, retinol
reduces wrinkling and increases collagen and glycosaminoglycans.
An important message here, which is
very consistent with other work being done in the aging field, generally, is
that aging and photoaging have many things in common and will respond similarly
to the same interventions. Things that work to fix photoaging changes can also
fix intrinsic aging changes.
