Find out if retinol should be part of your skin care routine!
Retinol is one of the most effective and popular ingredients.
Retinol helps to reduce visible wrinkles, fine lines and hyperpigmentation.
It can also help to reduce acne by promoting cell turnover.
Retinol, which is a retinoid – a form of vitamin A – is arguably the industry's best standard ingredient for fighting the signs of skin aging. It can help to accelerate skin renewal and reduce wrinkles, fine lines and age spots, providing firmer and softer skin with a more even skin tone. Retinol can also help reduce acne and prevent dead skin cells from clogging pores.
Why is retinol used?
Skin ages for a variety of reasons, from environmental factors to stress and natural aging. As the skin ages, cell turnover and collagen production are reduced. Visible signs of skin aging (spots, fine lines, wrinkles, etc.) occur as a result of our skin's natural defense mechanisms and due to slower skin renewal and repair. Retinol is a unique choice for treating premature aging of the skin as it helps to accelerate skin renewal so that aging is less visible.
How does retinol work on the skin?
Retinol improves the skin's cell turnover and renewal. This results in softer skin and a more even skin tone. In order to tolerate retinol, the skin often first needs to build up what are called retinoid receptors. These receptors are proteins found naturally in the skin, and they help the retinol to do its job. The skin can form retinoid receptors via controlled exposure, which is why it is often recommended to start slowly with retinol products and gradually increase concentrations.
Type of retinols
Retinol belongs to a family called retinoids and is a form of vitamin A that helps to increase cell rejection and cell renewal, evens out discoloration and removes the damage that occurs during the aging of the skin.
Retinoids have the greatest effect on collagen. Here, retinoids have a double effect: They help to reduce the breakdown of collagen due to sunlight, and they stimulate the production of new collagen.
• Retinoic acid is a type of retinoid that is available by prescription in the form of isotretinoin and tretinoin, but it also has the greatest risk of causing skin irritation.
• Retinol is the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. Retinol is still highly effective, but 20% weaker than retinoic acid and is slowly converted to retinoic acid by the skin. This also means that it causes less skin irritation than retinoic acid.
• Retinyl palmitate, retinyl propionate and retinyl acetate are the mildest retinoids, also known as retinyl esters. It takes longer for them to be converted to retinoic acid, and there is only a minimal risk of them causing skin irritation.
• Microencapsulated retinol. Some forms of retinol are microencapsulated, which helps to stabilize the retinol and ensure maximum effect. Micro-encapsulated retinol also forms an invisible shield on the skin's surface and helps to reduce moisture loss, which is important for reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
How to use retinol
• Start using retinol gradually: slowly building up your skin's tolerance will help to avoid and reduce irritation. Start by using retinol once a week, then every other day, and finally every day.
• Apply retinol in the evening to avoid irritation due to sunlight.
• Always use sunscreen during the day to protect your skin from sunlight.
• Avoid other exfoliating products unless they are designed to be used with retinol in the same product and your esthetician/doctor says it's OK.
• Avoid retinol if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Does retinol cause peeling, breakouts or redness?
It may take several weeks for your skin to get used to retinol. During that period, you may experience peeling and small pimples that look like breakouts, as well as other types of sensitivity. This is normal and should stop as your skin builds up its retinoid receptors. Some call this a "purging period", but in reality it is your skin building up its receptors via controlled exposure.
Does Retinol Cause Marks?
Retinol does not cause age spots (hyperpigmentation); in fact, it is used to reduce them. However, retinol makes your skin more sensitive in the sun, so you must use sunscreen and apply it often if you follow a skin care regimen with retinol. Sun damage can ruin your progress and lead to more blemishes and other signs of skin aging.
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