Taking care of your skin whether you’re in your 30’s or 70’s is a labor of love, a commitment to keeping your skin healthy and knowing what to use in order to achieve the best results.
One of the most highly recommended class of anti-aging compounds used by dermatologists and estheticians alike is Vitamin A. Also termed “retinoids” (preformed Vitamin A) these ingredients essentially regenerate tissue. As such, prescription Retin-A, now referred to as Tretinoin, was originally promoted to resolve acne through its anti-inflammatory properties, regulating the sloughing off of skin cells as it reduces the likelihood of clogged pores.
How it works
Studies ultimately confirmed retinoids’ benefits to extend to anti-aging by stimulating collagen production and reducing wrinkles. It is in fact this cellular turnover activity that evens out skin tone and increases blood flow to the skin, promoting a younger-looking complexion. Retinol in essence communicates with your cells and helps not only the damaged cells get back their normal healthy function but protects the good cells. Retinol allows the damaged cells to retain more healthy collagen and elastin, which keeps wrinkles from forming.
Prescription retinoids are very strong and can be extremely irritating to skin, with resultant dryness and flaking. Because retinoids stimulate cell growth, they can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. Covering skin during the day or using sunscreen is essential to minimize the risk of burning.
Retinol- the kinder, gentler retinoid
Retinol is a form of retinoid, a derivative of vitamin A. Strengths in retinol vary and can be found in serums or creams. The increasing popularity of retinol is significantly due to its non-irritating side-effects compared to prescription grade, allowing it to become an integral party of a daily (and even twice/day) anti-aging regimen. Since the benefits from using Vitamin A are cumulative (it needs to build up in the skin to show significant improvement), daily use is critical.
My experience with clients who chose to use a prescription retinoid are confirms that most women are not able to use the prescription form daily due to its drying, irritating effect (flakiness, redness). They therefore cut back on applying it 2 or 3 times a week only- barely giving the cell regeneration activity to synthesize and improve the skin. Retinol on the other hand, can be used daily to achieve those results consistently and without the “ugly” phase that Retin-A requires before the skin finally (if ever) acclimates to it.
Our choice of retinol
I quote from Jan Marini, a leader in skincare technology whose products I have been recommending to my clients for over 20 years:
“Age Intervention RETINOL PLUS from Jan Marini Skin Research provides unparalleled skin rejuvenation benefits. The strongest levels of stabilized all-trans-retinol are synergistically combined with advanced topical agents to maximize efficacy while simultaneously decreasing or even eliminating acclimation/irritation concerns. Acclimation with prescription retinol can include redness, drying and visible peeling of the skin, leading many to discontinue its use. Retinol Plus delivers the equivalent skin-smoothing and brightening results without the downtime associated with prescriptions, while providing anti-aging and collagen boosting peptides, antioxidants, hydrators and skin soothing ingredients. Retinol PLUS truly separates itself from the pack.”
Those are the facts- your skin will ultimately show the results.At A French Touch, we recommend incorporating Retinol Plus into your regimen with the Jan Marini Skincare Management System customized to your particular skin, and strongly encourage the use of this regimen before, during, and after any peel series to maintain and enhance the rejuvenating effects of our peels.
