Rehabmart offers many different types of skin creams at discount prices. Visit our skin creams page to view the different products we have to offer!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Pass the Retinol?

                                                 From library.rehabmart.com

Who doesn't want to look younger? It seems everyone, at some point in their life, wishes they could find the fountain of youth, or at least wish that someone would bottle up the magical waters and put it in the cosmetic section of your local drugstore. Therefore, whether you have wrinkles on your face, or you are certain that you will get them in the near future, it is hard to ignore the hundreds of new anti aging products on the market. With retinol and AHAs, BHAs and vitamins, it's hard to tell which products are actually going to work and which ones will not. While a lot of the success rate depends on the unique qualities of your skin, such as good genetics, melanin content, and levels of exposure to the sun, there are scientific studies that have shed light on some of the more popular skin treatments.

With creative marketing and billions of dollars spent on advertising, retinol can be made to appear as the perfect skincare product and the world's greatest solution to anti-aging. Synthetically manufactured from Vitamin A, this skin care ingredient is a natural part of the skin and can help to restore the diminishing levels of this vitamin as you age. There is a lot of tout that this vitamin is able to smooth out your skin's texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines, this skin care ingredient is in everything these days - from lotions and serums to overnight creams and even some makeup foundations. But is this skin ingredient the best thing to be using in your skin care regimen?

The biggest concern with retinol is that it is derived from Vitamin A, which is a very potent vitamin to have in your body. If you look at studies done about Vitamin A, you will notice that it is not to be taken in high doses because it can cause permanent damage to the brain - if taken orally. But there are studies now that are indicating that you might not want to apply this topically as it can cause skin damage as well.

The American Academy of Dermatology warns that using retinol A improperly could "result in peeling, dry skin and general skin irritation." Patients should always follow the directions on cosmetics that contain retinol to avoid these complications. Patients who have sensitive skin should consult a dermatologist before using products containing retinol as well. In addition, ingesting too much vitamin A can be dangerous, causing problems such as headache, dizziness and fatigue. Patients taking blood thinners such as Warfarin or prescription retinoids may be advised to avoid eating foods rich in vitamin A or taking retinol supplements

There is also some concern that applying this skin care cream will add to the vitamin A stores in your body. In doing so, you might be building up this toxic vitamin in your nervous system, causing long term damage. If you are carrying a baby during a pregnancy, these higher levels of Vitamin A might be causing your baby to have a higher risk of birth defects and developmental delays.

The further exposure of the skin with the use of retinol can also make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. If you're not applying sunscreen religiously after using retinol products, you might be speeding up the sun damage that you already have on your skin as well as leaving your skin exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays.

If you're concerned about these harmful effects of retinol, you may consider nourishing your skin from the inside instead of trying to apply vitamins to the outside. By eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting enough rest, you will be able to create a youthful glow to your skin without having to have a ten step skincare routine. There are several foods that can help in the anti-aging process.

Liver is the single best food source of vitamin A. However, many experts recommend eating liver only once or twice a month because of the toxic substances it can contain. According to Discovery Health, "environmental pollutants tend to congregate in an animal's liver." Egg yolk, cheese, whole milk, butter, fortified skim milk, and margarine are also good sources of vitamin A. Be careful, though, as all these foods, except for skim milk of course, are also high in total fat and saturated fat, and all except margarine are high in cholesterol. Red palm oil, used for cooking in many tropical countries and fish liver oils taken as supplements are also rich in vitamin A according to WebMD. "One tablespoon of cod liver oil contains more than 12,000 international units (IU), more than twice the daily recommended intake for adults."

Because of the high fat and cholesterol content of most vitamin A-rich foods, as well as the potential for overdosing, it is recommended that you do not overeat from these sources just to fulfill your need for vitamin A. Recent studies by the American Medical Association suggest that vitamin A, as retinol, can be toxic at much lower doses than previously thought. Currently, Americans get about half their vitamin A as retinol from animal sources and half as carotenoids from plant sources. Therefore, if you are eating enough portions of food that contain vitamin A, there is no need to add products to your bathroom shelves that contain the nutrient for exterior application.

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as Dolly Parton once said, "Time marches on, and eventually, it marches across your face."  There is nothing we can do to prevent aging, because it is a natural process we must all endure, however, taking care of your body and your skin in the correct way can halt and slow down the visual effects it brings about.
 
To find out what type of skin care products Rehabmart carries, please go to the Skin Cream page.


Keith Higginbotham,
Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO