Retinol and Collagen Production: What It Can and Can't Do
The connection between retinol and collagen production is one of the most validated relationships in dermatology. Retinoids (the family that includes retinol, retinaldehyde, and prescription tretinoin) have decades of research demonstrating their ability to stimulate collagen synthesis, inhibit collagen-degrading enzymes, and improve the clinical signs of photoaging. But the story has nuances that most skincare content glosses over. Retinoids work primarily in the upper dermis, they require conversion steps that vary by person, and they address only one dimension of the collagen problem. Here's what the evidence actually shows, including...
Read more...