Acne - Time to Enlist a Retinoid?
Retinoids are an oft-prescribed topical cream for acne*. They go by many names: Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac, tretinoin – but they all head into the skin with the same intent - to latch onto skin cells and issue some firm commands via ‘retinoid receptors’.
There are reams of scholarly papers on what actually transpires at this point – what we do know with some confidence is that retinoids affect the cells that comprise oil glands, and change the skin’s oil content (making it less sticky and prone to clogging the pore – see this article on acne for more information).
Retinoids also chat with the skin’s major cell type (called keratinocytes, which eventually become the little flakes we scrub away or float away on their own to comprise the majority of household dust balls), and regulate the cell’s behavior (I know, 'regulate' is an awful, vague term, but suffice it to say that retinoids ‘normalize’ cell behavior – in the case of acne, this works to increase cell turnover and makes cells less likely to clog pores as well).
(Note to self: work on parenthetical excess.)
This normalizing effect is why retinoids are also prescribed for a host of aberrant cell behaviors like skin cancers and psoriasis. Dermatologists have read so many papers describing the wondrous promise of retinoids that many, even those without acne or any other skin disease, are on a retinoid regime for preventative anti-aging and anti-cancer measures.
So unlike our last approach to acne, when we discussed using acid to remove surface cells, this ingredient (or class of ingredients) penetrates deeper in the skin, gets to the cell when it's young and impressionable and straightens it out before it can get into mischief.
Pretty nifty, eh? So what’s the catch? There are several, as we’ll discuss in the next article...
*Prescription-strength retinoids does not include retinol, which is an over-the-counter retinoid used in anti-aging products and not considered an effective part of an acne regime.
