Retin A Vs. Chemical Peel (Jessner/Blue Peel) on 43 Year Old Skin? (photo)

Lucky for you, oily skin does help ward off those pesky lines and wrinkles!  I always tell my patients that 70% of their improvement and maintenance is what you do on a daily basis.  Retin A .05 and .1 are FDA approved for anti-aging.  Retin A thickens and strenghens the dermal layer, restructuring it.  When you are in your 20's, it takes 28 days for your skin cells to turn over.  By the time you are 50, it takes 45 days, so the skin looks duller from the standpoint that those cells are not plump, round and light reflecting as you get older.  Retin A will help your skin regain that luminosity while it is making it stronger.   Chemical Peels are fabulous for keeping it that way and most of my patients come in every 4-6 weeks for those treatments.  The new Enerpeel by Glytone works exceptionally well.  The bulk of it penetrates to the lower levels of the skin where it is needed, with less pooling at the surface.  Therefore, most patients have little to no outward side effect such as excessive peeling and flaking. 

I would recommend doing both!  You will get the most out of using RetinA combined with chemical peeling. I typically recommend patients use RetinA leading up to peels (at least a few months in advance) and then again once the healing has resolved. I recommend you consult with a board-certified dermatologist experienced in chemical peeling.