subject: Retinol Products Versus Botox: Who Wins? [print this page] Retinol Products Versus Botox: Who Wins? Retinol Products Versus Botox: Who Wins?
Retinol creams and lotions seem to be in every store across the country. Walk into any local pharmacy or Macy's and you're guaranteed to see quite a few. But are these products really all that effective? To be honest, most over-the-counter (OTC) wrinkle products on the marketplace are less than spectacular. Yet people continue to buy them, most likely due to publicity, convenience, and sometimes cost.
But none of the companies that formulate these products tell you that their claims of efficacy do not have to be proven. That is to say, companies can make all sorts of claims about how well their products get rid of wrinkles, but don't have to present any scientific substantiation that this is, indeed, true. That being said, a number of readily available retinol products can do away with wrinkles, at least to some extent. As supporting substantiation of this, lots of of these products have been used successfully for years by hordes of women.
It should be noted that all retinol products contain vitamin A due to the fact that retinol is, indeed, vitamin A. As a result, every vitamin A product on the market will contain, as its active ingredient, retinol. For decades, scientists have known that retinol causes increased cellular turnover. This is an advantageous mechanism because "increased cellular turnover" means you are getting rid of the old, wrinkled skin and replacing it with new, younger (and less wrinkled) skin cells.
As far as I'm concerned, retinol is a great product to apply to your skin every day. It is much milder than prescription-based tretinoin products (Renova, Atralin, etc.), so it can be applied to the whole face without irritation. The truth is, I endorse retinol, but there is one inescapable fact:
Its immediate effects on wrinkles are subtle.
From a scientific perspective, it is not all that robust. That's why it's non-prescription and obtainable as an OTC product at any drugstore. And let's face it: If it really worked as efficiently as the manufacturers say it does, women wouldn't be on the continuous hunt for the next great wrinkle cream. Nevertheless, they are non-irritating and cause changes in skin cells that are exceptionally beneficial to maintaining young-looking skin. One of the main things that dermatologists and other skin care professionals try to do with their patients is replace old skin with new, fresh, and young-looking skin.
Prescription products, such as the aforementioned tretinoin-based creams and gels, are exceptional in this regard. They work extremely well and can lead to considerable improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the eyes and on the forehead. But although they work well, people often grumble about skin irritation after a few days or so of use. Retinol, on the other hand, isn't as effective, but doesn't cause nearly as much irritation.
Considering this, retinol products are essential for any healthy skin program, and dermatologists frequently propose that women add them to their daily regimen.
