Retinol: How Anti-Aging Compounds Nurture Your Skin

Retinol: How Anti-Aging Compounds Nurture Your Skin

Intro to Retinol

Retinol is the most popular anti-aging skin care ingredient. But what makes it so popular amongst anti-aging skin care remedies? Nowadays, the biggest skin care lines that carry anti-aging topicals use retinol.

Here’s why:

When applied as a topical, retinol’s small molecules go deep beneath the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) and into the dermis. Once in this middle layer of skin, retinol helps neutralize free radicals (unstable molecules that damage skin cells). This process helps boost production of elastin and collagen, which creates a “plumping” effect. 

Retinol’s History 

Vitamin A (retinol) comes from the retinoid family. The value of retinol (vitamin A) was discovered during World War I, while following research displayed its deficiency could give rise to skin conditions such as xerosis and follicular hyperkeratosis. The treatment of retinol (vitamin A) substances for therapy dates all the way back to some 3000 years ago in Ancient Egypt, where liver (where retinol is stored) was actually used to treat night blindness. However, in more recent history, retinoid use dates back to the early 1900s, when vitamin A was discovered in the fatty extract of egg yolks. Retinoids were not used in the treatment of skin disorders up until a little more than 2 decades ago.