Retinol info?

[JBirtch]

Hey everyone! 
does the percentage of retinol in a product affect the results? For example, there are multiple levels of retinol in products. I know it helps in adjusting your skin, but does a higher level also generally mean better results? 

also what does LONG TERM use do? Does your body adjust eventually and the product doesn’t work as well when you’re older??

The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane, Signs of Aging Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL 

[WinglessOne]

Hi @JBirtch ! Generally speaking, the higher the percentage of retinol, the faster it may produce results—but possibly with more irritation. Bear in mind that retinol’s effective at strengths as low as 0.02%. A higher % doesn’t mean you’ll get better results, unless (to you) “better” means faster. 

Also, note the type of “retinol” or vitamin A that’s in various products. Vitamin A (retinoic acid) can be very irritating to skin. Derivatives were created to ease the irritation. Here are a few of them: 

Spoiler

Tretinoin (available only by prescription) is retinoic acid. Skin doesn’t have to do anything to retinoic acid before using it. This is the fastest working member of the vitamin A family, along with any other retinoid that requires no conversions. 

Retinaldehyde (aka retinal—note the A instead of O) is the precursor of retinoic acid. Skin has to convert it one time to retinoic acid before using it. Retinal is less irritating than retinoic acid and retinol, and works faster than retinol. 

Retinol is a derivative of retinoic acid. Skin must convert it twice: first to retinaldehyde, then again to retinoic acid. That’s why retinol works slower than the other 2 ingredients. Still, it’s less irritating than retinoic acid. 

Granactive retinoid (also called HPR) is an ester of retinoic acid. There aren’t many clinical studies on it yet. Theoretically, skin doesn't have to convert this ingredient before using it. HPR is claimed to be less irritating than retinoic acid. 

Long term use of retinol will maintain whatever results you’ve gotten from retinol. If you stop using retinol, results will probably fade away unless you use another ingredient/product that can maintain those results. 

No form of vitamin A is an overnight miracle, not even tretinoin. You'll have to use a vitamin A product at least 2-4 months before seeing results directly related to that ingredient. So, long term use also gives this ingredient time to start showing off its work. It's not uncommon to use a vitamin A product—even an Rx product like tretinoin—for several years. I'm on year 2 of retinaldehyde. Before that, I used retinol and granactive retinoid for a couple years.