RetinoidsRetinol · Tretinoin
Vitamin-A derivatives — the best-evidenced topical active for skin ageing.
Retinoids are a family of vitamin-A derivatives applied to the skin, ranging from milder over-the-counter retinol to prescription-strength tretinoin (retinoic acid). They speed skin-cell turnover and stimulate collagen.
They matter because tretinoin is one of the few topical actives with systematic-review support from randomised trials for improving photo-ageing — fine lines, texture and pigmentation — in a field where most 'anti-ageing' claims run well ahead of the evidence.
In practice, over-the-counter retinol is gentler and slower than prescription tretinoin; results take months, irritation and sun sensitivity are common early on, and daily sunscreen is the essential partner.
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Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale, MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
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