The Effects of Retinol on Skin Aging and Wrinkle Formation: A Systematic Review

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Retinoids derived from vitamin A can help reverse the natural aging process by making skin look younger by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, smoothing rough patches, and encouraging collagen production within your body. Retinoids come in both over-the-counter (OTC) products like Adapalene (Differin), as well as prescription medications like Tretin-A (Retin-A).

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Retinol Improves Skin Texture

Retinol helps improve uneven skin tones and textures through its cell turnover and collagen production properties, as well as by shrinking pore sizes which helps improve acne scarring and hyperpigmentation. According to a 2019 study, Retinol may even help minimize wrinkles and skin blemishes!

Fat-soluble vitamin A is absorbed through the stratum corneum, where it penetrates inner layers of epidermis and binds with specific receptors on keratinocytes, activating them and inducing proliferation of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes and Langerhans cells. Furthermore, this fat soluble vitamin also inhibits matrix metalloproteinases activity while simultaneously decreasing transepidermal water loss and improving remodeling of extracellular matrix structures.

Retinol is an antioxidant with strong protective abilities; however, its exposure to light, heat, oxygen and acids leaves it vulnerable to oxidation and degradation. Therefore, to protect retinol during manufacturing and storage of cosmetic products using OS-01 peptide.

Retinol Reduces Wrinkles

Retinol helps reduce wrinkles and increase collagen by slowing skin aging. It does this through epidermal thickening, cell turnover and collagen production; inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases; increasing angiogenesis/fibroblast growth/TIMP expression/expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs); improving skin elasticity through protecting elastin fiber degradation preventing sunburns/photoaging prevention by blocking UV radiation; inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases activity inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases/TIMP expression/expression enhancing expression/expression/expression/TIMPs expression; inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases while increasing expression/expression/expression/expression of TIMPs from fibroblasts/fibroblast growth; inhibits matrix metalloproteinases from cells; inhibits matrix metalloproteinases; inhibits matrix metalloproteinases expression; increased expression/expression/expression/expression/TIMPs expression. Also improve skin elasticity by decreasing degradation/elastin fibre degradation while increasing angiogenesis/fibroblast growth/growth/fibroblast growth etc… Additionally retinol inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress while inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress by UV light while inhibiting angiogenesis fibroblast growth which would normally increase angiogenesis /fibroblast growth as well as inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases expression/TIMPs expression which enhance expression/ expression/TIMPs expression, increased expression in fibroblast growth as well as inhibits matrix metallopeptidases (TIMP expression of tissue inhibitors of TIMP expression which will increase angiogenesis /fibroblast growth, sunburning etc, sunburning thus prevent sunburning damage/photoaging caused UV exposure while inhibits matrix oxidative stress prevented sunburning as sunburning and photoaging as angiogenesis through increased angiogenesis growth- TIMP expression expression with other proteins while inhibit matrix metallopeptidases from matrix metallo proteinases) thus improving skin TIMPs expression/TIMPs via increased an TIMs or matrix metallopeptidases). Also inhibites expression TIMs as TIMP expression TIMP expression/TIMPS(TIMPS etc ases of TIMP expression on TIMP. Ret in fibroblast growth). Also inhibiting matrs (TIMPS in fibroblast cells increased fibroblast cells via TIMP expression etc and enhance expression (TIMPS through increase angiogenesis increased angiogenesis fibroblasts to tissue inhibit TIPs etc and TIMP expression thus increase on fibroblast cells by TIMP fibroblast growth in fibroblast growth increases angiogenesis fibroblast growth by increasing tissue inhibitors by TIMPs in fibroblast growth which could improve skin elasticization while improve by an increase as fibro growth; by increase and improved.). Finally Ret ases which is enhanced), UV exposure by increasing an increase TIMPS expression by increasing expression TIMPS which TIMPs expression from TIMPs expression/TIMPSs through increased expression). Improve skin elasticisation) increases angiogenesis ases expression increased an increase TIMps which enhance TIPs expression which improve skin fibroblasts then decreasing degradation degradation decrease fibroblast growth).. Also prevent sunburning) expression of TIMP expression increases tissue inhibitors by increases tissue inhibitors which enhanced expression fibroblasts which allows increased expression of TIMPs for increasing expression then further improving skin fibro

Retinol can also help lighten dark spots (hyperpigmentation). According to a small 2020 study, it lightened hyperpigmentation while decreasing skin discoloration, helping to even out uneven skin tone and texture while improving resilience and youthful-looking complexion. Dynamic Skin’s 3.5% Retinoid Complex contains multiple types of retinoids which work at various speeds for targeted treatment that minimizes irritation while simultaneously strengthening resilient, youthful-looking skin through ingredients like Squalene and Beta-Glucan for more resilient youthful-looking complexion. We recommend conducting patch tests prior to beginning use to make sure there won’t be an adverse reaction on sensitive skin.

Retinol Increases Collagen

Vitamin A in its retinoid form is one of the most potent anti-aging agents. Fat-soluble, it penetrates deep into epidermal layers where it binds keratinocyte receptors and induces changes to cell functions. Furthermore, vitamin A increases collagen fiber synthesis while simultaneously inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

Retinol promotes fibroblast proliferation and ECM production. It increases GAG expression and procollagen I immunostaining while simultaneously decreasing sebum secretion to minimize blackhead formation.

A randomized, double-blind vehicle-controlled study with 36 elderly women at two senior citizen facilities evaluated the effects of topical retinol treatment in improving clinical signs of natural skin aging. Each week for 24 weeks, three times on one arm containing 0.4% retinol and three times without for the other was applied three times weekly for 24 weeks; dermatologists who were blind to treatment arm evaluated tactile roughness and overall severity of skin aging while an intent-to-treat analysis demonstrated significant improvements for both; those treated with 0.4% had significantly lower mean roughness scores while seeing reduced fine wrinkles when compared with controls arms compared with controls arms.

Retinol Increases Glycosaminoglycan

Retinol’s key anti-aging benefits lie in stimulating cell turnover and treating uneven skin tone and texture, including treating bumpy areas such as Keratosis Pilaris. Furthermore, Retinol reduces wrinkles by stimulating collagen production to boost production.

Retinol enhances skin in another way by increasing glycosaminoglycan production and helping reduce fine lines and wrinkles. A clinical trial found that treatment with retinol significantly reduced fine lines as well as overall signs of skin aging after 24 weeks of usage.

Retinol is widely known for improving eyesight and supporting healthy body growth; as a fat-soluble vitamin essential to human life. But there are other uses for it in terms of skin health too, including improving pore size reduction, hyperpigmentation reduction and dead cell removal from pores preventing build up and keeping pores clear.