There are plenty of vitamin and antioxidant anti-aging skincare lotions and creams but I stick to the best and use Retin-A sparingly to combat my wrinkles.

As you get into your late forties and beyond, wrinkle prevention and skin care becomes a bigger concern for women than ever. Women want their skin to retain a youthful look, so they turn to skincare products in the market place that can purportedly help their wrinkles or prevent them. Anti-aging skincare cream can get quite expensive, especially when you purchase these products from high end cosmetics companies or television infomercials.  The biggest ingredient in these potions that fights the wrinkles is the vitamins (or vitamin derivatives).

Retin-A. Used primarily to treat acne, this wonder cream can help minimize wrinkles too

The titan of the wrinkle creams is Retin-A, which you probably have heard of.  Retin-A has been around for years, and is consistently used by dermatologists.  Because Retin-A is a stronger cream, it requires a prescription.  Most people get in to see a dermatologist at some point for one reason or another. If your doctor thinks it would work for you it is not hard to get a prescription of this cream with several refills.

Even if you have superior health insurance, there is only a small chance that they would cover the Retin-A or at least part of the cost of it. Generally insurance will not cover it’s use for cosmetic reasons.  I’ve heard of people having Retin-A covered for acne but not for anti-aging. In my case, I have a high deductable insurance and prescriptions are not covered at all until the deductable has been met.  I have to pay money for the cream.  I think it is worth it, but I have to admit that I buy the generic version and I use very little of it.  One tube of the cream lasts me 6-8 months – that is how little I use.

Retin-A comes in different concentrations. A few years back I actually had a prescription for a fairly high strength concentration of Retin-A.  I thought it worked great however the concentration was such that if I put even a little bit too much cream on, more than a small dab, my skin would start to peel and get sensitive.  Though the stronger concentrations might be more effective in wrinkle fighting, you don’t want to walk around with red peeling dry skin, so don’t be too eager to get the strongest cream available.

The generic name for Retin-A is Tretinoin, which is what I use now.  I can only afford generic.  If you have to pay totally out of pocket the cost of one tube can run up close to one hundred dollars.  That is why it is good to use it conservatively.  You want one tube to last from eight months to a year if possible.

I have seen the Tretinoin come in four concentrations (from smallest to largest) 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1.  The cream that I have a prescription for is the 0.025, or second to lowest strength.  While it is weaker, I found that this agrees with my skin nicely.  I don’t get any redness or peeling with this low of a strength.  I also have a little trick for the application of it.  I take a teensy tiny dab of the Retin-a cream and I put it together with a dab of body butter type lotion (thick cream).  I rub both together on my face and put any leftover onto my chest and hands.  I like it combined with the thick cream because when I do this I get zero drying effect.  It just goes on moist with the cream. 

I probably don’t get all the benefits of the Retin-A that I could, because I use the generic at a low strength and I mix it with inexpensive thick cream.  But on the other hand, I do this nightly, the Retin-A lasts forever, and I don’t experience any negative side effects.  It works for me. If you are going to try out Retin-A you need to be very careful to check it out and make sure the amount or concentration is not irritating to your skin.  Some people do get irritation from it and sun sensitivity.  I only use a tiny bit of it at night, and I always use sunscreen for the sun so I don’t have any negative effects whatsoever. 

A little bit more about Retin-A is that it belongs to a family of medicine that is similar to Vitamin A and it is proven to reduce the effects of acne, and can help with chronic sun exposure and aging.  I have heard of another similar product called Renova, which is for sun spots and aging too, but Renova definitely won’t be covered by insurance as it is cosmetic.  I’m perfectly happy to stick with the Tritinoin generic Retin-A as I am totally familiar with it and used to it and I think it works effectively. 

Use Retin-A Sparingly so as to avoid getting dry irritated skin as a side effect

If your skin can tolerate Retin-A be sure to be proactive about keeping your skin moisterized with moisterizing cream in order to counter the skin drying effect that Retin-A tends to have. I think if you use the Retin-A sparingly but consistently over the years it really helps against small wrinkles, at least as good as any other wrinkle cream product out there in the market.  I like the cream form of it, though I think there is a gel too.  The cream mixes well with my thick lotion and doesn’t cause me any problems.  I apply it only once daily at night before I go to bed.

You should know that there are lots of side effects possible as this cream is a strong thing.  If you are pregnant or taking vitamins or have eczema, sensitivity to the sun, or nursing, etc, you probably should stop using it.  You would really have to consult with the doctor when you get the prescription for it as to the side effects.  I know that if you have sensitive skin and/or use it too frequently you can get irritated, dry, red, burning and peeling skin.  You cannot get a sun burn either as that could cause complications. Use it only at night and wear daily sunscreen.  If you can’t find the right amount and dose such that it is non-irritating to your skin, you may not be able to use Retin-A. 

Ask your doctor about possible side effects before trying Retin-A

I personally use generic Retin-A (Tritinoin) in the second lowest strength (0.025), I only use a tiny amount nightly along with a dab of thick lotion.  I wear sunscreen and I conserve because of the high price.  One tube can last me 6-8 months.  This is the only cream I use to fight wrinkles and I think it works as good as any wrinkle cream or lotion product out there, at least for me.  You can check with a knowledgeable doctor to see if it might be right for you.