The Untold Truth About a Prescription Wrinkle Cream

If you live in the US, there is only one FDA approved prescription wrinkle cream. There are many different brand names for it, including Retin-A. The generic name is tretinoin. It is actually a synthetic form of The antioxidant retinol or vitamin A.

The side effects of tretinoin include:

1. Increased sensitivity to sunlight

2. Itching

3. Burning

4. Redness

5. Rashes

6. Flaking

It should not be used by women that are pregnant or could become pregnant, because it could cause birth defects. Retinol in large quantities is toxic. It can actually cause death if too much is ingested over a short period of time. The body can't get rid of it.

Beta-carotene, which is found in a variety of vegetables and other plant foods, is used by the body to make its own vitamin A. It is non-toxic. Extracts from plants containing beta-carotene may be just as effective as tretinoin, without causing any of the side effects. It all has to do with the cream's antioxidant activity.

The research is not clear about why the prescription wrinkle cream called tretinoin works. But, there is a growing mountain of evidence concerning the positive effects of other antioxidants.

Dermatologists have discovered that the skin's cells contain more free radical molecules as people get older. They have also found that the production of antioxidants called glutathione and superoxide dismutase decreases with age, as well. Those are two of the skin's most powerful defenders.

While there are no creams containing those antioxidants, there are creams that contain an ingredient that has been shown to stimulate their production. That ingredient is called Functional Keratin.

Functional Keratin is not a prescription wrinkle cream. It was developed by a company in New Zealand, using a number of patented processes. The protein keratin was gently extracted from sheep's wool and softened, without destroying the protein's function. That's very exciting. No company has been able to do it before.

Keratin is one of the skin's protein building blocks. In clinical trials, researchers have seen as much as a 160% increase in new skin cells after only three days of use. All of those new cells get busy pumping out new antioxidants and the result is increased firmness and a reduction in wrinkling after just a few weeks.

Another topical compound that has been well researched is coenzyme Q10. There may soon be a prescription wrinkle cream containing a synthetic form of that antioxidant, too. But, already we have creams that contain natural coenzyme Q10 combined with vitamin E, another antioxidant that is very important to the skin's health and appearance.

As time goes by, researchers are likely to discover other antioxidant-rich creams that help reverse wrinkling and sagging. But, dermatologists will advise, as they do now, that the best results are seen when people also make an effort to avoid the sun. It causes more wrinkles than anything else.

So, actually, you don't need a prescription wrinkle cream. You just need to look for one that contains functional keratin and coenzyme Q10.

You can learn more amazing skin care insights by visiting my web site and discovering more natural ingredients I personally use daily.

Retin-A For Stretch Marks

More and more people looking for solutions to removing or reducing stretch marks are going down the prescription medicines route. Prescription topical treatments are usually more powerful or concentrated versions of treatments available over the counter, and carry with them an increased risk of side effects and additional cost. However, people with more severe scarring or those who have had little luck with a range of other treatments are often prepared to pay the extra and take the risks associated with these treatments.

Retin-A for stretch marks is one treatment that is getting particular attention at the moment. Retin-A (known more widely as its generic name Tretinoin) is a derivative of vitamin A, widely prescribed as a solution to cystic acne and other troublesome skin disorders. Recently this topical treatment has gained some fame as a wonder treatment for stretch marks, otherwise known as striae scarring.

Tretinoin works by increasing skin cell turnover, which in turn increases the amount of collagen in the skin. As striae scarring is due to a depletion of collagen, it is this process that is believed to improve the appearance of these scars.

If you have decided to try Retin-A for stretch marks, you should be aware of some of the associated side effects. As all skin is different, you may experience these side effects at different levels of severity.

The main side effects experienced by users of Retin-A for stretch marks is skin flaking and irritation. The skin flaking is merely cosmetic as the skin is shedding old layers in favor of the newly generated skin. The irritation however can range from mildly annoying to incredibly itchy and painful. For this reason it is recommended to apply Tretinoin sparingly every other day for the first week of treatment, to acclimatize the skin to the treatment and hopefully reduce the amount of irritation. You can also reduce irritation by applying a moisturizer to the skin the morning after your most recent application.

Tretinoin also causes an increase sensitivity to sunlight which will last throughout treatment and may last for many months after treatment has finished. Avoid direct sunlight as much as possible and when you have to be in the sun, use a strong SPF sunscreen to minimize the effect on the skin.

Retin-A for stretch marks should not be used by pregnant women or anyone aiming to become pregnant in the next 12 months, as it could possibly be harmful to your baby.