Renova
Meaning of Renova: The same molecule sold under another name for spots, put into a richer cream and aimed at sun-damaged skin instead.
Definition of Renova
Renova is a brand of tretinoin cream applied to the face, formulated in a moisturizing base and marketed for the appearance of fine wrinkling, mottled darkening and roughness in skin damaged by sun exposure. Tretinoin is a retinoid, a chemical relative of vitamin A. Other brands of the same active ingredient, carried in lighter bases, are sold for acne.
What does tretinoin do to skin?
It speeds the turnover of the outer layer, so cells are shed faster and the dead surface thins and smooths. Deeper down it prompts the production of new collagen and alters the pigment-making cells, which is what gradually softens fine lines and evens out patchy darkening. The changes are slow, measured in months rather than weeks, and they last only while treatment continues. The early weeks commonly bring redness, dryness, peeling and stinging as the skin adjusts, and that settles with use.
How does it differ from the acne brands?
| Feature | Renova | Acne tretinoin brands |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Tretinoin | Tretinoin |
| Base | Emollient cream | Gel, lotion or lighter cream |
| Marketed for | Fine wrinkling and sun damage | Spots and blocked pores |
The molecule is identical, so a topical preparation sold for acne and one sold for wrinkles do much the same thing to the skin. What differs is the vehicle carrying the drug, which changes how readily the skin tolerates it and how much is delivered.
Why is sun exposure part of the picture?
The damage being treated was caused by ultraviolet light, and treated skin burns more easily while treatment continues, partly because the outermost dead layer has been thinned. Continued exposure therefore undoes the improvement that the cream produces. Product labeling describes sun protection as part of the regimen rather than an optional extra, for both of those reasons.
Is it the same as tretinoin taken by mouth?
The same chemical, used for a wholly unrelated purpose. Swallowed in far larger amounts, tretinoin forces immature white cells to finish maturing and is a central treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Nothing about that use follows from the cream, since the amount absorbed through intact skin is small.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The medication record noted nightly application of Renova to the face.
Good to know
Renova and the acne brands of tretinoin contain the same active drug in different bases, so the brand name signals the marketed indication rather than a different molecule.