Retinoic Acid - Treatment for Wrinkles

Wrinkles should not necessarily correspond with one's age. After all, there are about a dozen skin-care products that contain retinoic acid which are available on doctor's prescription. Retinoic acid is a chemical or substance that is derived from vitamin A. As such, it can eliminate wrinkles as it assists the skin in retaining moisture more efficiently.

However, the effectiveness of each type of skin treatment (creams, liquids, or gels) may vary from person to person. For some people, retinoic acid may work well in making many of their fine wrinkles disappear. But for others, it may have very little or no effect at all.

What causes wrinkles, and why does the skin develop such crease marks as one ages? The medical field explains it this way: As a person ages, so too does his or her skin. And in this inevitable 'growing old' process, the skin's production of oil becomes lesser and lesser, making the epidermis (the outer nonsensitive and nonvascular layer of the skin) harsh and dry. Moreover, less collagen and elastin - proteins in the connective tissue that help in maintaining the skin's suppleness - are produced by the dermis (the under layer of the skin). These simultaneous biological activities make the skin tenuous and less springy, thus making it more unresistant to wrinkles.

But it makes us wonder at times why someone who's in the 50's seems to have far less wrinkles than somebody who's ten years younger. The reason could be that the older person spends more time indoors than the younger one who chooses an active outdoor life. Being exposed to the sun very often makes skin wrinkling a lot more pronounced. Smoking is another possible cause of early wrinkling of the skin.

How does retinoic acid work in eliminating the fine wrinkles in the skin? This substance is known to hasten the casting off of inert skin cells on the epidermis. Regeneration of skin cells ensues, which results to a more vital and fresh look. The positive results of retinoic acid against wrinkles may be conspicuous only after about several weeks (even a few months to some) of continuous use. The height of its effectiveness may be reached in about half a year and it becomes pure upkeep for you from then on. Also, you have to realize that your wrinkles can reappear once you stop using creams with retinoic acid.

Some people may be wary of using such retinoic-acid treatments, insisting that there are side effects to their use and that wrinkles are a natural part of aging. Their concern may have some basis, especially since some people who tried using retinoic-acid creams for their wrinkles developed skin irritation, redness, and intense itching. People who suffer from eczema should likewise refrain from using products with retinoic acid as this may aggravate their condition. [Read the Original Article]