What is Retinol?Applications, side effects, products, etc.

From breakouts to sun damage, retinol Helps to deal with various skin problems..

Acne

Retinol helps keep pores clean by reducing the accumulation of skin cells. In addition, it can block the inflammatory pathways of the skin.

In a nutshell, that means Retinol It doesn’t just help reduce the number of breakouts you have. It also minimizes the associated redness and swelling.

Aging support

The skin cells turn over naturally, and fresh cells appear underneath.

However, this does not happen very often as you get older, which can lead to a dull complexion.You may also start to notice thin lines Wrinkle — These can appear at any age.

Retinol helps speed up this turnover process and promote brighter, smoother skin. It also penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen production and make the skin more plump.

Sun damage

Faster skin cell turnover also helps improve skin tone.

This can be especially beneficial when you have signs Sun damage, favorite:

Retinol can even strengthen the skin and help protect it from further environmental damage. (Note that the top layer of the skin may become thin and sensitive to sunlight, so it is advisable to apply sunscreen with special care.)

extra

Accumulation of dead skin cells can leave your skin drier than you want. Removing those dead cells with the help of retinol can lead to more hydrated skin.

Retinol is also useful for treatment Keratosis pilaris By smoothing the texture of the rough and bumpy skin.

Several studies have found evidence to support the effectiveness of retinol.

NS 2019 Review The proposed topical retinoids provide a safe and effective treatment for acne. The results of the same review also suggested that retinol actually stimulates cell turnover and collagen production.

according to 2019 study, Retinol appeared to reduce the appearance of wrinkles after 8 weeks of use.

Even lower concentrations have advantages. Research from 2020 It has been suggested that 0.3% and 0.5% retinol sera help reduce hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.

That said, the addition of other therapies, such as benzoyl peroxide, in addition to the more potent prescription retinoids, may bring more benefits to severe acne.

More powerful retinoids can also give better results when it comes to supporting aging.

Retinoids, including retinol, are not recommended for pregnant or lactating people.

We also recommend that you continue with caution in the following cases:

If you want to check any of these boxes, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist or medical professional (yes, even with over-the-counter options) before trying retinol.

Of course, consulting a dermatologist before trying is not a bad idea. Any New skin care product.

Is age important?

Anecdotal wisdom used to suggest starting a retinol regiment around the age of 30 to support aging that it can provide.

Still, retinol has many other benefits. In addition, there is no fixed age at which you will begin to notice changes in your skin.

Only you and your dermatologist can ask for the right product for your skin — and your age may be taken into account Much less than you can imagine..

When you start using retinol, you may notice signs of irritation as your cell’s turnover increases. This too:

These effects tend to worsen as the retinoids are stronger. But you can certainly experience them with retinols — especially if you use multiple products that contain retinoids (experts do not recommend).

These side effects usually go away within a few weeks of use. If you do not see any improvement, discontinue use of the product and consult your healthcare professional.

If you have dark skin, be aware of the following: Irritation can lead to hyperpigmentation..

When using retinoid products, avoid sitting in strong sunlight and always wear sunscreen. SPF 30 every day.

A list of nine dark-skinned invisible sunscreens can be found here.

If you feel uncomfortable with side effects or severe irritation, seek guidance from a dermatologist.

If you want to try retinol, keep two main guidelines in mind: start slowly and use low intensity.

A concentration of 0.05% is a good place to start.

We want to stack up for more frequent use, so start by applying a pea-sized amount of product a couple of times a week.

Tip: If you’re worried about increased sun hypersensitivity, use retinol at night.

If your skin seems to tolerate retinol well after a week or two, you can work your way until you apply the product every other day.

If you do not see any side effects after another 2 weeks, you can start applying every night if needed. If desired, you can stay a couple of nights a week. Even infrequent applications have low risk of side effects and benefits.

So how long do you have to wait for the results to appear? Patience is the key. It can take 6 weeks to 3 months to notice the difference.

If that doesn’t help, it’s a good idea to consider a stronger retinol, or another form of retinoid. Dermatologists can always provide more personalized advice and recommendations.

Due to the large number of retinol products available, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose.

Here are some of the more highly rated formulas:

Retinol provides an easy way to immerse your toes in the world of retinoids. It may take some time to notice the results, but many consider them worth the wait.

Remember: Retinol can cause some unwanted side effects, so it’s always wise to start slowly.

Lauren Sharkey is a UK-based journalist and writer specializing in women’s issues. When she’s not trying to find a way to get rid of migraines, she can find her revealing the answer to your lurking health question. She has also written a book profiling young female activists around the world and is currently building a community of such resistances.Catch her twitter..