Surgery Plastic Surgery Facial Procedures How to Resurface Your Skin With Retinoids By Millicent Odunze, MD Millicent Odunze, MD Facebook Millicent Odunze Geers, MD, MPH, is a plastic surgeon with Dignity Health Medical Foundation. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 21, 2022 Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD Facebook LinkedIn William Truswell, MD, is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngology (head and neck) surgeon. He is president of the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and treats skin cancer patients as part of his practice. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Print You want your skin to be smoother and younger-looking, but you don't want to pay for professional treatment. Look to retinoids, a popular home treatment for skin resurfacing. Historically, this topical medication was reserved for acne, but retinoids can also reduce the signs of aging. Retinoids are applied topically (to the skin) and come in a cream or gel. In the United States, retinoids are available only by prescription. The exception is the lower strength retinol and retinaldehyde found in creams on store shelves. Garry Wade / Getty Images The Different Retinoids Retinoids are available as different brands and different strengths, but the main ones (from weakest to strongest) are: Retinyl palmitate: a retinoid precursor, which means that it must be converted by the body into its active form as a retinoid. Retinol: Retinol is much weaker than the full retinoid form, which is why it can be found in some over-the-counter (OTC) creams. Retinaldehyde: also a retinoid precursor. Retinaldehyde takes less effort to convert to a retinoid, making it stronger than retinol but weaker than the retinoids. It is used as an ingredient in OTC creams. Adapalene: a retinoid, was only sold prescription as Differin, until 2016 when the Federal Drug Administration approved the .01% OTC form. Tretinoin: a retinoid, which is available in a generic form or as a brand-name prescription, under the names, Retin-A, and Renova. Tazarotene: a retinoid that is sold under the name, Tazorac. How Do Retinoids Work New skin cells form deep within the skin layer and with time they finally come to the surface. This process usually takes about one month. Retinoids work by increasing the rate of skin cell turnover. Strengths above 0.05% bring about the most change. How Should I Apply a Retinoid To get the most of your retinoid, apply it to your skin at least two to three times a week. You will not see improvement immediately so continue to follow your prescriber's instructions. Patience is key when using this medication as it can take two to six months to see a change. More is not better. A pea-sized amount should work for your entire face. What Are the Aesthetic Effects of Retinoids Retinoids help repair skin damage from chronic sun exposure and aging. Specific effects include: A reduction in the number of wrinklesA decrease in the depth of wrinklesImprovement in skin textureFading of skin discolorations and dark spots In the first few weeks of use, acne may become worse due to the increased sloughing (removal of dead skin) caused by the drug. What Are the Side Effects of Retinoids Expect some skin irritation and dryness in the first two to four weeks. Retinoids are sensitive to the sun so it is best to apply it at night to maintain its effectiveness. It does not necessarily increase your sensitivity to the sun although that has been a longstanding teaching. Regardless, you should always protect your skin with sunscreen. If you experience side effects of concern to you, call your healthcare provider. 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Kolli SS, Pecone D, Pona A, Cline A, Feldman SR. Topical Retinoids in Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2019;20(3):345-365. doi:10.1007/s40257-019-00423-z Harvard Medical School. Do retinoids really reduce wrinkles? See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit