Tretinoin is a metabolite of vitamin A and is the only FDA-approved anti-aging ingredient. It is an all-around skin issue fixer and can help with a variety of skin concerns. However, there are also some negative side effects associated with tretinoin use. These include dry or drier skin, as tretinoin increases the amount of water that evaporates from the upper layer of the skin. It may also decrease ceramide synthesis at least in the short term. A double-blind, vehicle-controlled comparison of 0.1% and 0.025% tretinoin creams showed that both concentrations caused similar improvement of photoaging but different degrees of irritation.
Tretinoin is the active ingredient in many topical retinoid products, including A-Ret Tretinoin 0.1% , REFISSA tretinoin cream, TRETINOIN cream, Retin-A 0.025% (Tretinoin) , and Perrigo Tretinoin Cream, USP 0.025% . The ingredients in these products vary, but tretinoin is always the active ingredient. Inactive ingredients in TRETINOIN cream, USP 0.025% include stearic acid, polyolprepolymer-2, isopropyl myristate, polyoxyl 40 stearate, propylene glycol, stearyl alcohol, xanthan gum, sorbic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, and purified water.
Overall, tretinoin is a powerful anti-aging ingredient that can help with a variety of skin concerns. However, it is important to be aware of the potential negative side effects and to use tretinoin products with caution, especially if you have sensitive skin.
