If you're bothered by your aging skin, you have several choices. You can purchase an over-the-counter wrinkle cream, or you can visit your dermatologist to discuss prescription medications and medical procedures that might help reduce your wrinkles. Your dermatologist may recommend you try Retin-A Micro gel, which potentially can help you reduce fine wrinkles and age spots on sun-damaged skin.
Cause
Everyone's skin ages as they get older and lose the collagen that supports their skin, but some people appear to age more rapidly than others, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The sun causes most of the damage, and the more time you spend in the sun accelerates that damage, which comes in the form of fine lines around the eyes and mouth and age spots, or darkened spots on your face.
Function
The drug Retin-A Micro gel contains the active ingredient tretinoin, which can reduce the signs of aging in sun-damaged skin, according to Drugs.com. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Retin-A Micro gel only for acne treatment, but your dermatologist can prescribe it to treat your wrinkles. The FDA has approved other brand-name drugs with the active ingredient tretinoin to treat wrinkles and sun-damaged skin.
Use and Side Effects
If your dermatologist prescribes Retin-A Micro gel to treat your wrinkles, you shouldn't use any more than you're instructed to use, because the medication can irritate your skin in larger doses. Retin-A Micro gel comes in two strengths: one contains 0.1 percent tretinoin and the the other contains 0.04 percent tretinoin. Patients with sensitive skin might prefer the weaker version, since it's likely to be less irritating. Common side effects with Retin-A Micro gel include dry and peeling skin, swelling and blistering. If you experience these, talk to your physician about reducing your dose.
Results
A study published in the medical journal "Cutis" in 2006 found that Retin-A Micro gel can effectively treat sun-damaged skin. The study, led by Dr. J.S. Weiss, looked at 22 subjects using the stronger version of Retin-A Micro gel and compared them to 23 patients using a placebo. After six months, the patients using Retin-A Micro gel saw statistically significant improvements in fine wrinkling, age spots and overall skin color.
Considerations
To get the best results from any anti-aging skin care regimen, you'll need to protect your skin from the sun, according to MayoClinic.com. This is especially important because Retin-A Micro gel can make your skin more sensitive to the sun than normal. Make sure you always use sunscreens when you'll be in direct sunlight, and try to avoid venturing into direct sun during the peak sun hours.
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