Tretinoin may not be all that easy to pronounce, but its users find it very easy to love. Also known as all-trans retinoic acid, tretinoin is part of the retinoid family—a class of synthetic and naturally occurring Vitamin A compounds and derivatives. Compared to its cosmetic relatives such as retinol, retinaldehyde and retinyl esters, retinoids for acne is the most potent. For Important Safety Information about tretinoin, please see below.
Tretinoin was originally developed as an acne treatment in the 1960s. But while researchers were studying its powers to resolve breakouts, they noticed that patients who used it were getting an unexpected bonus: an improvement in the appearance of photoaged skin.
This prompted scientists to set up new, well-controlled clinical trials. Users in these trials experienced improvements in wrinkling, pigmentation and roughness—as well as in the overall severity of photoaging.
