Studies

Explore research connecting ingredients and health goals.

28 ingredient–goal connections

GoalReported findings
SupportiveMixedNo effectAdverseUnclassified

Skin HealthandVitamin A

106published studies

Supportive

The strongest supplied evidence for vitamin A and skin health concerns topical retinoids, especially tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative used for acne and sun-related skin aging. Clinical research also reports improvements in wrinkles and skin appearance with some retinol formulations. These effects concern products applied directly to the skin.

Evidence for cosmetic retinol is less consistent than for prescription tretinoin. Favorable trials and pooled findings coexist with methodological concerns and null results, making it difficult to generalize to every over-the-counter product. Tolerability also depends on the ingredient, formulation, and skin sensitivity; redness, scaling, dryness, and burning are documented effects.

Vitamin A’s role in normal skin-cell function does not establish that additional oral vitamin A improves skin in someone with adequate intake. Research on dietary intake and skin-cancer prevention is inconsistent, and oral retinoid treatments have both uncertain preventive benefits and adverse effects. The available evidence therefore supports specific topical uses more clearly than a broad skin-health claim for vitamin A supplements.

106 linked studies · 20 sampled for detail · Sep 27, 2026

Study types

  • Narrative review43
  • Randomized trial24
  • Clinical trial8
  • Non-randomized trial7
  • Systematic review7
  • Cohort study3
  • Meta-analysis3
  • Other3
  • Single-arm trial3
  • Guideline / consensus2
  • Cross-sectional study1
  • Editorial / commentary1
  • Observational study1

Published by year

  • 33Earlier
  • 42010
  • 02011
  • 22012
  • 32013
  • 22014
  • 22015
  • 32016
  • 32017
  • 12018
  • 12019
  • 32020
  • 62021
  • 52022
  • 72023
  • 102024
  • 142025
  • 72026

Findings over time

Numbers above bars show study counts. Earlier groups years before 2010.

20267 studies

  • Supportive6
  • Mixed1
  • No effect0
  • Adverse0
  • Unclassified0

Population over time

Reported participants by publication year. Select a year to see the total and reporting coverage.

— Participant count not reported. Earlier groups years before 2010.

20267,386 reported participants

Counts reported by 2 of 7 studies. 5 without a reported count.

Totals sum reported counts across studies and reviews; participants may overlap between sources.

Explore this goal

Showing 5 top-ranked studies for Vitamin A and Skin Health.

Top studies

Vitamin A · Skin HealthHighest ranked first
  1. Efficacy and Tolerability of Topical 0.1% Stabilized Bioactive Retinol for Photoaging: A Vehicle-Controlled Integrated Analysis.
    2024Meta-analysis471 participants6 studies reviewed

    Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD

    Finding Compared with vehicle, 0.1% retinol improved all assessed signs of photoaging from week 4 through week 12.

    SupportiveView source for Efficacy and Tolerability of Topical 0.1% Stabilized Bioactive Retinol for Photoaging: A Vehicle-Controlled Integrated Analysis. (opens in a new tab)
  2. Tensile properties and contours of aging facial skin. A controlled double-blind comparative study of the effects of retinol, melibiose-lactose and their association.
    2016Randomized trial120 participants

    Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI)

    Finding The salicylic-acid reference produced the weakest beneficial effects among the compared products.

    SupportiveView source for Tensile properties and contours of aging facial skin. A controlled double-blind comparative study of the effects of retinol, melibiose-lactose and their association. (opens in a new tab)
  3. Antiaging action of retinol: from molecular to clinical.
    2009Randomized trial48 participants

    Skin pharmacology and physiology

    Finding A 0.1% retinol product induced CRABP2 and HBEGF expression and increased keratinocyte proliferation and epidermal thickness.

    SupportiveView source for Antiaging action of retinol: from molecular to clinical. (opens in a new tab)
  4. An Updated Review of Topical Tretinoin in Dermatology: From Acne and Photoaging to Skin Cancer.
    2025Narrative review

    Journal of clinical medicine

    Finding The review describes topical tretinoin as a first-generation vitamin A derivative with established efficacy for acne and photoaging.

    SupportiveView source for An Updated Review of Topical Tretinoin in Dermatology: From Acne and Photoaging to Skin Cancer. (opens in a new tab)
  5. Novel Cyclized Hexapeptide-9 Outperforms Retinol Against Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active- and Vehicle-Controlled Clinical Trial.
    2025Randomized trial

    Journal of cosmetic dermatology

    Finding In this trial, retinol reduced crow's-feet area and the number and area of forehead wrinkles, while the peptide improved additional wrinkle measures.

    SupportiveView source for Novel Cyclized Hexapeptide-9 Outperforms Retinol Against Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active- and Vehicle-Controlled Clinical Trial. (opens in a new tab)

Counts reflect published studies in our database, not the strength of a benefit. A study may appear in more than one connection.