The Skinny: Retinols vs. Retinoids
Both offer skin support by unclogging pores and fighting sun damage.
Retinols take more time to work but are less drying.
A retinoid’s higher concentration results in faster skin cell turnover than an over-the-counter retinol.
Also, retinoids can accelerate the rate of skin cell division and new cell growth and change how skin cells function. They help to increase cell division on the surface of your skin which helps thicken the top layer of skin.
Both work deep in the skin’s dermis layer to stimulate collagen and elastin production. (These skin proteins naturally decrease with time, leading to thinning skin and other visible signs of aging).
The most powerful retinoids are tretinoin, and they’re only available as a prescription due to their higher strength of retinoid acid.