Is vitamin A retinol a scam? You may be completely shocked to learn the truth. It’s an active ingredient used in a number of popular anti-wrinkle moisturizers. Many automatically assume it’s a scam without even trying it. But the truth of the matter is that this is one of the most, if not the most, effective ingredients known to man for treating the signs of aging. The secret is to use products with a high concentration of vitamin A retinol – luckily there are many OTC formulations which do so!

Vitamin A retinol is the animal form of vitamin A. It comes in a few different forms, including retinoic acid (tretinoin) which is probably the most popular form found in skin care products today. But unlike many other lotions and potions on the market that claim to work without any real scientific proof behind them, this is something that has actually been clinically proven to be effective. In fact, tretinoin is the active ingredient that is approved by the Food & Drug Administration for being effective for anti-wrinkle treatment – In the 90’s it was by RX only. Now, there are OTC strengths widely available (which we recommend instead).

The good news is that this ingredient or a form of retinol is found in a number of face creams you can get without a prescription. Many people though really begin using these not realizing or believing how powerful they are. You need to understand that the first few weeks of use, it will probably be uncomfortable. You may have peeling and irritation. This is normal. What’s happening is your skin is adapting itself to it. Why does it need to do that? Well, how it works is that it increases the rate at which cells are shed and replaced by new ones, somewhat similar to how they act when you are in your youth. You do need to be prepared for that when you first start treatment.

So vitamin A retinol cream is definitely something you should consider. The problem is that because it’s so strong, for liability and cost reasons, many of the brands you find at stores just don’t put much of it into their products. True, using them is better than using nothing, but wouldn’t you rather have a stronger version of it so you can benefit more?

This is where the internet really comes in handy. There are a few companies which have chosen to manufacture vitamin A retinol products with a higher concentration, yet they are still non-prescription because their concentration is just below the threshold. Usually you can buy these products either online or at specialty beauty stores and spas. Of course, the brick and mortar stores usually mark them up quite a bit.