How well is Tretinoin for wrinkles?

In one 16 week study, 15 patients applied Tretinoin cream to their face daily and 15 applied just a placebo cream. At the end of the 16 week period, none of the placebo group had facial benefits, where 14 out of 15 of the Tretinoin group had significant photoaging reduction.

A 1989 study had patients with photodamaged skin apply 0.05% Tretinoin cream once daily for 6 months. The study reported significant reductions in many of the signs of photodamage with minimal side effects.

Another study measured the amount of collagen present in sun-damaged skin tissue before and after 10-12 months of using a daily Tretinoin cream or a placebo cream. In the group using the placebo cream, skin collagen decreased by 14%, whereas in the retinoin cream treatment group skin collagen formation increased by 80%!

 

What strength of Tretinoin is best for wrinkles?
Tretinoin usually comes in 3 strengths – 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1%.

0.025% is the mildest strength and is usually used for general skin improvements or mild acne.

0.05% is seen most often for anti-aging preparations to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

0.1% has the most intense side effects but is often used for severe acne.

The increasing strengths generally come with increasing side effects such as: Dryness, Peeling, Itching, and Redness.

These side effects tend to subside after a few weeks of treatment.