Can Retin-A Cause Wrinkles?
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Retin-A Usage
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Retin-A is a trademarked brand of topical medication that helps renew the skin and is typically used to treat acne. It is a compound containing retinoic acid, and the active ingredient tretinoin is formed from vitamin A. Retin-A is also generically known as retinoic acid or tretinoin. The repeated application of Retin-A causes the outermost layer of the skin to thin, simultaneously stimulating cells in the skin to produce a thickened epidermis layer. This stimulation increases collagen production and cellular growth in the dermis layer. Doctors not only prescribe Retin-A for acne but also as a treatment for other skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, poor skin texture and as a skin preparatory for facial surgeries and laser skin resurfacing.
Wrinkles and Skin Damage
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Retin-A is not known to cause wrinkles and is actually used to improve them. With regular use, Retin-A reduces fine lines, eliminates tiny wrinkles and makes deep wrinkles less noticeable. Retin-A helps to produce skin smoothing proteins in skin cells called collagen. Collagen is a main structural protein found throughout the body that provides strength for tissue and organs. Although Retin-A is hailed as a wonder drug by many dermatologists, it can have adverse side effects. Redness, peeling, feeling of warmth, sensitivity to sunlight, skin irritation and stinging at application site are all listed as common side effects. More severe reactions such as rash, hives, itching, severe redness, swelling, blistering, or crusting of the skin are less common and should be treated immediately. Retin-A can also make sunburned, wind-burned, dry, chapped, irritated or broken skin worst.
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History
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Retin-A became popular in the 1970s as the first tretinoin brand to appear on the market. Initially it was developed and used as a treatment for acne, but later it was found to be an effective antiwrinkle product as well. In 1988, the first double-blind study of Retin-A's effect on sun-damaged skin was published by Dr. John J. Voorhees, the chairman of the dermatology department at the medical school of the University of Michigan, and his colleagues. The study found that all 30 patients who completed the 16-week study showed statistically significant improvement in skin texture, including diminished wrinkles and brown spots. Retin-A wasn't approved by the FDA until 1997, when clinical studies showed that a formula developed by Advanced Polymer Systems called Retin-A Micro (tretinoin gel) demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of acne.
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