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What is Retinal?

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Retinal, also known as retinaldehyde, is a retinoid that can help target multiple skin problems like acne, wrinkles, dark spots, melasma, and skin texture. It has an added benefit that it possesses antibacterial properties.

Retinal is available over the counter, and you can find it in concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 0.2%, although 0.05% and 0.1% are the most commonly available.

In this article, we will talk in detail about retinal, its benefits, and how to use it.

Retinal serum tube.

Overview

Retinal is a vitamin A derivative and is part of the group “retinoids”. It is also called retinaldehyde.

Retinoids include many other ingredients like retinyl palmitate, retinol, retinoic acid aka tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene, and so on.

Retinol, retinal, and adapalene at 0.1% are available over the counter while some retinoids like retinoic acid (tretinoin) and tazarotene are only available through prescription. 

Retinal and other over-the-counter retinoids like retinol or its esters need to be converted to the active form – retinoic acid before they can produce any effects on the skin.

Among all these OTC retinoids, retinal is the one that is closer to retinoic acid. In simple words, once we apply a product with retinal, our skin cells need to do just one step to convert it into the active, retinoic acid.

Other over-the-counter retinoids need more steps of conversion. This is the reason retinal is considered more potent than retinol. 

How does it work?

Once applied on the skin, retinal is converted to retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is the active form and is what actually produces the final results. 

It can bind to receptors inside the nucleus of the skin cells. By activating these receptors, it can produce various effects by acting on the genes involved in the formation of skin cells and their differentiation.

Benefits

Retinal does not have just one or two ways to help our skin but multiple ways to do that. Let’s discuss these in detail.

1. Improves the texture of the skin

Retinal increases the cell turnover, so the dead cells don’t stick to each other and stay on the surface. Instead, they are shed, making the surface appear smooth and the pores more refined.    

2. Acne control

By increasing the cell turnover, the dead skin cells are shed so they do not block the pores. It can also decrease the sebum output further preventing clogging of pores.

Lastly, unlike retinol and tretinoin, retinal also possesses antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes – the same bacteria which can cause acne) as suggested by a 2002 study. This property is thought to be likely due to its structure (presence of aldehyde group). 

So, retinal can prevent acne in multiple ways. 

In addition, one can use retinal with other acne medications as suggested by a 2005 study (sponsored by Avene) done in 1709 patients with acne.

This study used Avene’s product Diacneal which had a combination of retinal 0.1% and glycolic acid 6%, in association with other anti-acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide and antibiotics. This approach was well tolerated by the treated patients.

3. Increases overall thickness of skin

Contrary to the popular belief that retinoids thin the skin, retinoids actually increase the thickness of the skin.

Retinoids like retinal only thin the top layer of the skin called the stratum corneum, which is composed of dead skin cells. However, retinal can increase the overall thickness of skin, especially the dermis (the middle layer) by increasing the production of its components like collagen.

4. Increases collagen

Retinal can increase collagen production and can also prevent its degradation by inhibiting the enzymes that destroy collagen called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

Here is some evidence:

In one study done on human skin explants, it was found that retinal at 0.05% could repair collagen and elastic fibers in the skin exposed to UVA rays. 

Another study from 2005 done on the human skin model also shows that retinal has collagen-boosting properties. It worked even better when combined with antioxidants like pre-tocopheryl. 

5. Improves fine lines and wrinkles

Retinal can also improve photoaging just like tretinoin (Retin-A) in several ways: 

  • By promoting cell turnover, it helps in getting rid of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. This makes the skin surface smooth and softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Collagen gives a firm appearance to our skin and retinal can help in making this protein and preserving it. 
  • It promotes the formation of new blood vessels in the dermis, so it gives a pink glow to the skin.
  • It increases the production of natural moisturizing factors like glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) making the skin appear hydrated and smooth.

All the above factors lead to smooth, firm, glowing, and less wrinkled skin.

Here are some studies which give some strong evidence of its effectiveness:

A 2018 study showed that retinal-based cream was as effective as three serial glycolic acid peels in improving photodamaged skin. It was also better tolerated than peels.

In fact, one study found that 0.05% retinal was as good as 0.05% retinoic acid in improving photodamaged skin and was better tolerated than retinoic acid. (Retinoic acid is technically the same as tretinoin found in Retin-A).

Another study from 2018 used retinal 0.1% and 0.05% cream for 3 months to evaluate efficacy in improving photodamaged skin. Both led to improvement in texture, increased hydration and reduced trans-epidermal water loss. However, retinal at 0.1% led to a more significant improvement in the melanin index. 

6. Improves hyperpigmentation

By promoting cell turnover, retinal can get rid of skin cells with excess melanin pigment. This can improve the appearance of dark patches or spots on the skin.

In addition, it downregulates tyrosinase transcription resulting in a decrease in tyrosinase enzyme (which makes melanin pigment). Thus, it decreases melanin pigment formation.

Retinal vs other retinoids

Prescription-strength retinoids like tretinoin are strong and are directly active, meaning once applied it will start working on the skin, however, most over-the-counter retinoids require additional steps to convert to the active form. 

Of these, retinal is the one closest to tretinoin or retinoic acid. It is considered to be more potent than retinol. 

In addition, retinal has additional antibacterial properties due to its unique structure. 

Retinal is also considered to be gentler as compared to other retinoids.

Who should use it

Retinal can be useful for multiple concerns like:

  1. Acne breakouts.
  2. Melasma.
  3. Dark spots.
  4. Fine lines and wrinkles.

One can start using retinal for preventative care against fine lines and wrinkles in the mid-twenties.

Who should not use it

One should not use retinal (or any other retinoid) during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

If you have any inflammatory skin condition like eczema, make sure to check with your doctor. They can help you in finding the right formula for your sensitive skin.

Side effects

Although retinal is a gentle retinoid, it can still lead to the same side effects as other retinoids.

The common side effects include:

  1. Redness
  2. Peeling or skin flaking
  3. Irritation
  4. Burning or stinging
  5. Dryness
  6. Purging (transient increase in acne spots as the deeper acne lesions are moved to the surface quickly)

Skin peeling and flaking are natural with any retinoid as they increase cell turnover. However, some people do not experience it. If you don’t have skin peeling, don’t think retinal is not working and jump to a higher concentration, as that will only lead to more side effects.

No matter what concentration you use, use it consistently.

If you do experience skin peeling, do not pick on it and let your skin heal naturally, and make sure to use a good nourishing moisturizer.

How to use

If have never used retinoids before, the following measures may help you tolerate retinal better.

1. Start slow

When you first start using retinal, just use it once a week at night for two weeks, then add another day. Meaning use it two times a week for two weeks. Finally, three days a week.

This is one routine example:

  • Week 1 and 2 – Every Monday night
  • Week 3 and 4 – Every Monday and Thursday at night
  • Week 5 and 6 – Every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at night

For some people, this is it, if they try to use more frequently, it becomes too hard for the skin to handle retinoids. 

But if your skin can tolerate it, you can add one day every two weeks, eventually using it every night. Just make sure to take baby steps. 

It is a long game, so just jumping to 7 days a week straight away is not always the best way.

2. Use a pea size

Anything in excess is bad and so are retinoids, you just need a pea size. It may look like it’s not a lot but trust me it is enough to cover your whole face.

3. Use on dry skin or even better after moisturizer

Always apply your retinoid on completely dry skin. This will minimize side effects. If you are new to it, moisturize your skin, let your moisturizer sink in or absorb, and then apply your retinoid.

If you want, you can follow with another layer of moisturizer.

4. Make sure to moisturize

Retinoids can lead to dryness, irritation, and redness. All these side effects can be minimized if you are using an effective moisturizer.

5. Include niacinamide or other barrier-repairing ingredients in your routine

During the first few weeks of starting a retinoid, you may have an increase in trans-epidermal water loss leading to dryness. The use of barrier-repairing ingredients like niacinamide along with retinoids can help you tolerate them better. 

6. Avoid the use of acids

In the first few weeks, avoid the use of other exfoliating acids like glycolic acid or salicylic acid. Let your skin adjust to retinal before using them or use them alternatively like retinal one night and exfoliating acid another night.

7. Protect your skin from the sun

While we are trying to tackle multiple skin problems with retinal, it is important to prevent further sun damage to the skin. 

  • Always wear broad-spectrum sunscreen which can protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.
  • If possible, choose a tinted sunscreen to get the added benefit of iron oxides which can protect the skin from visible light. Otherwise, you can use a tinted makeup product.
  • Also, don’t forget a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

Key points

Retinal (also known as retinaldehyde) is a retinoid that can benefit our skin in multiple ways: acne control, improve fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, and melasma.

Retinal is just a step away from the main active – retinoic acid, so it is more potent than other over-the-counter retinoids like retinol. Although it is a gentle form, it is still an effective ingredient and one can experience side effects. 

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References

Disclaimer: This blog post is for information purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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