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Retinyl acetate
Retinyl AcetateActive
Ester form of vitamin A, a cousin of retinyl palmitate. Gentler than retinol, with thinner evidence for visible benefit.
What it does
Retinyl acetate is vitamin A joined to a small acid. The skin has to turn it into retinol, then into retinoic acid, before it works, so it acts more gently than retinol. Evidence for visible benefit is limited compared to retinol or tretinoin.
The evidence, graded
strongNo topical retinoid is recommended in pregnancy. The class covers tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene, trifarotene, retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate and hydroxypinacolone retinoate. Studies of accidental exposure, mostly to tretinoin and adapalene early in pregnancy, are reassuring. They are not strong enough to recommend any retinoid in pregnancy. The caution extends to the other retinoids as a class-effect. Oral isotretinoin is a separate case, with an absolute contraindication.ACOG 2022 · ACOG patient FAQ ↗
expert consensusUnder 18, Drop does not suggest a retinoid to prevent aging. No source Drop has read tested one for that in anyone under 18, and the only under-18 data in the retinoid review it cites comes from people with acne. Acne is different: the American Academy of Dermatology's acne guideline covers patients from age 9 and strongly recommends topical retinoids for acne. That is a conversation with a doctor.Motamedi 2022 · Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
vitamin a acetate
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