Understanding Vitamin A and how it improves your skin
Vitamin A is certainly nothing new. But over the last several years in particular, the market has been saturated with options which may be causing you some confusion or perhaps you haven’t as yet understood its phenomenal capabilities and the fact it should definitely be included in your skin care regime.
Start by listening to your therapist and her knowledge when she is speaking about the wonderful effects of Retinol (aka Vitamin A). There are huge benefits for your skin and choosing the right products or derivatives of Retinol for your skin can become confusing, as not all Vitamin A derivatives are created equal! And here’s why……
Where it began
Vitamin A was the first vitamin to be named – hence the vitamin title of ‘A’. The derivatives of Vitamin A are known as retinoids (those found in animal-based foods ) and Carotenoids (found in plant-based foods, most famously in Carrots).
Vitamin A is essential for the health of your skin, as it is an important element of the production of enzymes that build your collagen. It is also essential for the overall health of your vision, your immunity and is an important antioxidant.
Back in the 60’s dermatologist, Dr. Albert Kiligman M.D. PhD began experimenting with a form of Vitamin A (now known as tretinoin with a brand name Retin- A) as a form of topical treatment for acne. Dr Kiligman noticed his acne patients also had fewer lines and wrinkles when compared with his other patients and with this finding came the subsequent patent for Retin – A, the cure for so many unwanted skin conditions.
How it works
Whatever skin concern or issue you may have, Vitamin A has a place in your skincare regime. Acne, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, when treated with the correct formulations, can deliver exceptional results. This clever nutrient can communicate with damaged cells to encourage them to function normally again. This is often referred to as DNA repair. Cellular turnover will increase as well as switching on the youth enzymes that produce and stimulate collagen synthesis.
Vitamin A Derivatives
Vitamin A is a lipid-soluble vitamin and refers to the family of ingredients known as Retinoids, renowned for having powerful anti-ageing properties when used in skincare.
When it comes to Vitamin A derivatives, there is a conversion that must take place for the cell to accept the source or derivative of Vitamin A. See the conversion diagram below. Once it is converted to Retinoic acid it will do its magic and start to repair the cell structure.
Retinol is the most common form of Vitamin A, while Retinoic Acid is generally used in prescription skincare and not available for cosmetics as it can be very irritating and reactive on the skin. Retinol Esters are also very commonly used in skincare but are very weak. Trans-Retinol is the optimal configuration of Retinol, so make sure you look out for this when choosing the right skincare products for you.
Choosing the right one for you
Retinoids – also known as the generic term of tretinoin or by brand names such as Retin-A or Differin are only available with a medical prescription. When applied topically it is accepted directly into the skin cell without any conversion, which makes it a highly effective ingredient for the treatment of lines, wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and acne.
However, there is a downside. It can be very irritating to the skin. Redness, irritation and peeling of the skin are often experienced and so Retinoids are just mainly used to treat severe acne.
Retinyl Palmitate – This is a combination of retinol and palmitic acid, which although it
converts to retinoic acid, the path is long and by the time it has converted has lost much of its ability to make any difference to the DNA of the cell. You would need a high concentration of retinyl palmitate for it to be significantly effective and most skin care brands who use retinyl palmitate as their sole source of Vitamin A rarely put enough in the cream or serum. Unless retinyl palmitate is combined with other derivatives of Vitamin A, then just adding it to the list of ingredients is inadequate if it appears so far down the list as to render it almost useless.
Retinol –is an over the counter alternative. This is the form of Vitamin A that most cosmeceutical and cosmedical skin care companies will opt for. The conversion to retinoic acid is a two-step process, but despite this, retinol still packs a great punch and I have seen exceptional results when including retinol in-home care regimes and skin treatments modalities like mesotherapy and skin needling.
Retinol, though used most commonly in skincare, is also not a particularly stable ingredient, which means that it is highly susceptible to chemical change when coming into contact with other compounds, including water and oxygen. It’s important to use a range of skincare that offers methods of encapsulation to ensure the Retinol remains stable and delivers the results. Cheaper ranges may not offer this kind of technology, and the Retinol contained within may lose its effectiveness before it even hits the skin.
Last, but absolutely not the least.
Retinaldehyde – This is an important and potent form of Vitamin A, as it requires minimal conversion and causes very little – if any – irritation to the skin. In fact, as you can see by the diagram above, it only requires a one-step conversion and is seen by many as the closest to retinoic acid without all the irritating side effects or need for a prescription.
But again, you will need to take note of where it appears in the ingredient list. For retinaldehyde to be effective it needs to be in a concentration of 0.05% to 0.1% which is equivalent to a 0.025% tretinoin topical cream. This means it should appear towards the top of the active ingredients list in most topical creams.
Unfortunately, retinaldehyde is an expensive ingredient so you won’t find it in most skin care formulations and if so, it will be on the high-end in price (unless they’ve only included the tiniest amount) in which case it would hardly be as effective.
What else
Like many vitamins, Vitamin A is not stable and can lose its potency when interacting with sunlight. So best to use your creams or serums at night when your skin is in a state of repair and there is no risk of exposure to UV light. Store any tubes, droppers or bottles away from your windows so that UV light doesn’t damage the product before it even gets to your skin.
Getting advice
The best place to start when looking for effective beauty solutions is with a skin care professional who can recommend the best option for you. Sure, you could skip this and head to your local supermarket, but it is doubtful you will find any brand with enough of what you need to do anything more than (at best) provide you with antioxidant protection. Your skin care professional (aka Museo Therapist!) will go through any precautions you should take if you are pregnant or have any other allergies or conditions that would prevent you from using topical Vitamin A.
Staying out of the sun.
As with any skin care regimen where the goal is to fight the signs of ageing, you must ensure you are using a well-formulated SPF 30+ sunscreen. No point going to all this effort just to ruin it with more sun damage, right?
Why should it be used in teens, 20s or 30s?
As well as addressing deep-set wrinkles, stimulating the production of collagen, accelerating healing, improving hydration and regulating the melanin responsible for pigmentation (often associated with ageing) Vitamin A can absolutely be used in your 20s and 30s to address fine lines and prevent future wrinkles that occur due to collagen destruction. Vitamin A also controls acne-causing Propionibacterium bacteria, as well as regulating sebum production – both often problems for younger clients.
So that’s it for now. If Vitamin A is not in your skin care routine then I highly recommend commencing soon, no matter what age. In fact, when it comes to lines and wrinkles the sooner the better.
Museo Retinol hero products
Of course, here at Museo, we are ultra fussy about our form of Vitamin A and potency of our retinol formulations. If you haven’t as yet incorporated The O Cosmedics Potent Retinol Serum (0.5%) or stronger Retinol Concentrate (1%) into your skincare regime – what are you waiting for? Read below for the wonder ingredients O Cosmedics pairs with its 100% pure bioactive retinol
O Cosmedics Potent retinol serum (0.5%)
Product Description
100% pure, bioactive retinol in microencapsulation technology ensures superior stability and potency. This extraordinary Vitamin A complex offers visible cosmetic anti-ageing benefits to dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, promoting a firmer more elastic skin texture whilst evening out skin tone. V8 Peptide ComplexTM ensures skin is calm, super hydrated and renewed.
O Cosmedics Retinol concentrate (1.0%)
Professional Strength with V8 Peptide Complex® 30ml/1.0 oz e RRP $102
Best for Skins acclimatised to retinol use and coming from Potent Retinol Serum. Prevention and correction of acne, ageing, wrinkles and sun damage.
Best for All Skins looking to improve immune function, acne or rosacea, lighten pigmentation, even out skin tone. Excellent collagen boosting product.
Product Description
A powerful concentration of 100% pure bioactive Retinol with superior stability and potency. Retinol Concentrate uses the highest allowable concentration of Retinol before a prescription. Its skin-renewing benefits make it a first-class anti-ageing tool. V8 Peptide ComplexTM ensures skin is super hydrated and rejuvenated.
Museo specialist Retinol skin treatments/ programs.
PRO. DERMAL PLANNING SERIES. Museo offers bespoke dermal planning skin treatments to transform the skin and achieve cell optimisation. Based on medical strength actives, pure, chiral ingredients, biomimetic and encapsulated carriers, Pro. Dermal Planning treatments offer intense skin-changing results, skin youth, health and radiance.
CATALYST RETINOL PEEL: The perfect Vitamin A anti-ageing peel, perfect for all skin types looking for skin health, repair and correction.
Concentrated levels of pure Retinol and encapsulated Retinol, Niacinamide and Natural Fruit Acids work together to counteract skin aging, improve the appearance of UV damage, normalise keratinisation to improve the skin’s cellular renewal process, refine and resurface the skin, even out skin tone and provide potent anti-inflammatory activity in even the most weakened skins.
Priced from $149
Skin Needling + Dermaceuticals Retinol Active Mesotherapy: Combat signs of ageing by generating new, healthy skin cells with Dermapen Skin Needling. The minimally invasive procedure is activated by micro-needling and works to restore collagen and skin elasticity. The Dermapen™ is the fastest, safest and most natural way to achieve skin correction. For those skins already on a Retinol home care regime consider a combined mesotherapy + skin needling power treatment.
RETINAL ACTIVE™
This is our most powerful active ingredient, included as part of our skin needling treatments for photo rejuvenation. An intense infusion of Vitamin A, this powerful combination of ingredients includes repair and rejuvenation properties and anti-ageing antioxidants.
This treatment visibly firms and lifts atrophied contours. Promotes regeneration and repair. Retinal Active nourishes and comforts the skin for increased resiliency. Absorbs easily. Improves hydration in and around skin cells. Combats skin damage from sun and ageing. Suitable for all skin types and skin conditions, from aged skin, pigmentation issues and dehydrated or sun-damaged skin.