When you think of retinoids you might think of prescription medication to treat acne. You might even think of the dry skin that it comes with it, but this is not all that it is. Over the years retinoids have been formulated to be less abrasive and less likely to make your skin so sensitive. This makes them a skincare option for almost everyone. But you might still be curious and ask the question “are retinoids safe?”
If you’re interested in using a retinoid this article will give you a more in-depth look at the product, what it does for your skin and why it’s a must for a good skincare route. This is a favourite retinol cream
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The difference between Retinoids, Retina-a and Retinol
Retinoids: These are basically vitamin A derivatives that vary in their chemical structure. “Retinoid” is the name given to the group of products. Within this family, there are variations such as Retin-A, Retinol and others. There are a variety of topical retinoids you can use.
Retin-A: This is what you usually get prescribed by your dermatologist. It comes in various strengths and your doctor or dermatologist needs to figure out what will work best for you. Another name that it goes by is tretinoin.
Retinol: These are over the counter products you can get when you become interested in using retinoids. They are less harsh than Retin-A, this is to make sure that you don’t unknowingly damage your skin.
What does retinol do to your skin?
It promotes cell turnover at a high rate. Skin cells naturally turn over every 14 to 21 days in your 20’s and every 28 to 45 days in your 30’s. A faster cell turnover rate can treat the following skin issues:
Acne: Retinol is great at unclogging pores thus reducing acne. The faster cell turnover rate forces everything out of your pores and this eventually results in acne-free skin. In addition, it’s great at reducing inflammation as well as redness on your skin. The product will also correct hyperpigmentation caused by acne or the sun. If you want an alternative, you can use a good vitamin C serum (like this one) for your acne (read more about the benefits here).
Low collagen production: The collagen in your skin is what’s responsible for giving you full plump skin. By using retinol you will increase the rate of collagen production. Retinol increases cell turnover which triggers collagen production and this thickens the skin
Ageing: It minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your face because it thickens the skin. It’s also great at treating hyperpigmentation in the form of age spots.
Are retinoids safe?
Yes, retinoids are safe. We can see from the benefits above that they can help with many skin conditions. As long as you are using them under supervision and as instructed you will have amazing skin soon enough.
What are the side effects of retinol?
Dry skin: This is especially true if you are prone to dryness. Retinol can be harsh on your skin especially if you pick a product that has a high concentration o retinol. Retin-a will definitely dry out your skin.
UV sensitivity: As retinol works on the skin new fresh skin emerges. This new fresh skin is more sensitive to the UV rays of the sun. Use a good sunscreen to protect your skin, this is a favourite.
Skin damage: If you don’t use sunscreen and you go out in the sun while wearing the product, you’ll have an increased chance of getting skin damage. I recommended using your retinol at nighttime to prevent sun damage
What is the best retinol cream over the counter?
A well-liked and widely used retinol cram is the LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream Moisturizer. It is a widely used product and is one of the best retinol creams on the market.
This product works to improve the appearance of your fine lines, sun spots, stretch marks, acne scars, wrinkles and acne scars. It does all this but isn’t harsh on the skin. Once your skin gets used to the product it can be used once or twice a day. This cream gives you the amazing benefits of using a retinol without developing dry, peeling or flaky skin.
Expect your skin texture to be improved overall as you use this product. As a bonus, this product is fragrance-free, free from parabens, artificial colourants and is not tested on animals.
If you prefer you can use a retinol serum over a cream. Serums are more potent than creams and because of this you may prefer to use them. If you prefer to use a retinol serum then this one is a good one to look at. It is also well-loved and widely used.
How long does it take to see results from retinol?
Using retinol won’t give you an overnight skin transformation, no skincare product can transform your skin overnight. Retinol usually takes about 12 weeks to work. 12 weeks is when you’ll see an 80-90 percent improvement in your skin when it comes to treating acne.
If you are treating wrinkles then you need to wait about 6 months to a year to see an improvement in your skin If you want to see the full effect of any skincare product then you should wait for 3 months.
By this point, your skin texture would have improved and you will have smaller-looking pores and more even skin.
The initial period of dryness, flakiness and redness is called “retinization.” This is when the rapid cell turnover happens, you can also get purging during this time where your dormant acne comes to the surface. When this stage is done your skin will look amazing much better than before. Read more about purging as a result of retinol here.
Does retinol make you break out?
Yes, it can, sort of. Retinol is a product that will make you look worse before it makes you look better. When you apply the product, and it begins its job of turning over your cells, it will bring the acne that was already building up, this is purging
The acne that you see on your skin as your skin purges has been developing for weeks and the retinol is turning over cells and bringing it up. This is known as the retinol purging period, it will happen with all retinol, read more about it here.
This usually lasts for about a month. You can manage it by using products recommended by your dermatologist. You also need to moisturize your skin very well it in order to manage the dryness that retinol causes.
Managing the treatments:
- Start off with a low concentration retinol, this won’t be too much of a shock to your skin.
- You need to start applying the product gradually to prevent shocking your skin. Don’t use it every night, start using it every third night
- It’s necessary to moisturize very well when using these products to prevent dry skin
- Use a small amount of product especially in the beginning. If it starts causing irritation then moisturize and reduce the dose.
What age should you use retinol?
Since collagen production in your skin is greatly reduced in your mid 20’s that is a great time to start using retinol if you want to help your skin create more collagen.
You need to start using it when the collagen production process slows down. Using it this early is also helpful because it will reduce any signs of premature ageing.
Use the product sparingly in the beginning, if you are using an over the counter retinol, every third night should be ok. Then increase it to every other night. If you are using retina-a your dermatologist will be able to let you know how often to use it depending on your skin type
Do retinoids harm your skin?
No retinoids do not harm your skin, it is a misconception that retinol thins your skin. The opposite is actually true, retinol encourages cell turnover in the skin and the skin begins to produce more collagen.
This collagen thickens up your skin and makes your skin more resilient. This thickening of the skin doesn’t only happen on the top layer of skin, it also happens in the deeper layers of your skin.
If you’re a beginner to using retinol it will probably cause some irritation, flaking, dryness and redness on your skin, this is normal and won’t damage your skin. You may also experience some purging as a result of retinol use, this is also normal
Can retinol make you look older?
Retinols, when used correctly, will not make you look older. If you use it in the wrong way it can play a part in making you look older because retinol makes your skin light sensitive.
When you use retinol in the morning before going out in the sun, especially if you aren’t wearing a good sunscreen your skin will be vulnerable to the sun’s rays. Even if you do wear a sunscreen it isn’t guaranteed that you won’t get skin damage from the sun.
Retinol should be applied at night when there is no chance of you being exposed to the sun. It works the best at nighttime and by the morning the retinol would have completely absorbed into your skin and you won’t have to wash it off your skin.
Can you use retinol under eyes?
The skin under your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate skin on your body. Using retinol under your eyes is a great use of the product. The fact that retinol can trigger your skin to produce collagen and thicken the skin is very beneficial and great for the under-eye area.
At first, the retinol can irritate the skin just as it would on the rest of the face but once your skin gets used to it the skin under your eyes will be thicker and stronger than before. If your under-eye area is particularly sensitive you can start by moisturizing the area under your eyes then applying your retinol.
Can you use retinol on your neck?
Yes, you can use retinoid on your neck. You can generally tell someone’s age by how the skin on their face, hands and neck looks. These areas have the thinnest and most delicate skin so they will age much faster.
As you age these areas are where you’ll see the most damage the fastest. The sun will damage that area more harshly than other areas and this damage will be difficult to repair. To help repair these areas you need a product with a strong formulation and retinol will do the trick.
Retinol is a great product to use on your neck. It’s one of the most effective antiaging face products we have on the market. The retinol will boost collagen production making your skin thicker and thus making your fine lines and wrinkles disappear.
It will also help boost cell turnover, a faster cell turnover will improve the appearance of age spots and sunspots on the neck. It will also greatly improve your skin’s texture making it more soft and supple.
When you use retinol on your neck make sure that you’re using it just as often as you would on your face. Apply your retinol on your face then carry it down to your neck and chest. You can also use it on your hands, the skin on your hands age fast as well
You can also use neck creams that contain retinol, these are more concentrated, powerful and potent than regular neck creams and they will do well to improve the skin on your chest and neck as well. This is a favourite.
Can you put Retinol on your lips?
If you’ve started ageing you may notice that your lips have developed fine lines and have started to lose some volume. This naturally happens with age. You may be thinking about using retinol on your lips to combat the problem and that may not be the best idea
Retinol is known for the irritating effects it has on the skin, when applied on the lips you’ll experience the same effect. The level of redness and discomfort you’ll experience won’t really be worth it. The best treatment for your lips is something that keeps them soft and hydrated.
Should I use retinol every night?
If your skin is sensitive then I don’t suggest using it every night, if you have normal skin then you can apply the product every third night or even every second night if your skin can handle it. Start off slow and see how your skin reacts to it, as you keep using the product your skin will adjust to it and you can work your way up to using it every night.
Can you use vitamin C with retinol?
No, you cannot use vitamin C with retinol, these two products work at different ph levels, vitamin C works best at a ph level of less than 3.5 whereas retinol works best at a ph of 5.5-6.
When used together they clash and both become less effective than they would have been if used alone. In addition, when used together your skin can become irritated and sensitive.
Can I use vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night?
Yes, you can and should use your vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. Vitamin C products should be used in the morning because they work hand in hand with sunscreen. This is a favourite vitamin C serum
Using vitamin C in conjunction with your sunscreen will boost the effectiveness of the sunscreen making your skin more protected from the sun. You can also use sunscreens that contain vitamin C, this will have the same effect.
Retinol should be used at night because the retinol molecules become unstable when they come into contact with UV light. If used during the day they will become less effective.
It will also make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage and this will actually make your skin look worse. You can get sunburn easier when using retinoids in the morning and your skin can become more sensitive.
Can I put moisturizer over retinol?
Yes, you definitely should use a moisturiser over your retinol product. A side effect of retinol that it will dry out your skin and make it flake.
A good moisturizer will keep dry skin and flakiness to a minimum while still allowing the retinol to do its job. After you’ve applied a pea-sized amount of retinol you should let the retinol sit and absorb into your skin for a few minutes then apply your gentle moisturizer.
A moisturiser that is made to strictly moisturize, does not contain fragrances or anything else that can irritate your skin is the best to use with your retinol. This is a well-loved one
Can I use retinol and hyaluronic acid together?
Yes, you can use retinol and hyaluronic acid together. When you use retinol you will most probably suffer the effects of your skin becoming dried out and even flakey. This is why you need to use a very good hydrating and moisturising product while you’re using your retinol product.
Hyaluronic acid is a great hydrator. One molecule of hyaluronic acid can hold up to 6 molecules of water making it one of the best humectants we have. In addition, hyaluronic acid is able to penetrate deep into your skin to give you the best and deepest hydration which will help minimize dry skin and flakiness that the retinol can cause.
What does Retinol do for pores?
Retinol can make your pores appear smaller. Pores look bigger when they are clogged up with sebum and dead skin cells. The retinol increases the cell turnover of your skin and this in turn detoxifies and cleans your pores making your pores look smaller.
If you don’t want to use retinol or you can’t use it because you are pregnant or breastfeeding you can use salicylic acid. This acid can also help to make your pores appear smaller because it cleans them out.
Do you wash retinol off in the morning?
No, you don’t wash retinol off in the morning. When you apply the product it starts to absorb into our skin. By the time you wake up in the morning, the product would have totally absorbed into your skin. Your skin will no longer be sensitive to light and you can go ahead and use your vitamin C serums in the morning.
Which is better retinol or glycolic acid?
It depends on what your needs are. Glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliant that separates the glue that bonds the dead skin cells to the fresh new ones underneath. It is a chemical exfoliator.
Retinol works by boosting cell turnover, this ensures that the dead skin cells don’t accumulate on your face and clog your pores. Glycolic acid is a more gentle option and has less of the negative effects that retinol has. Retinol is stronger than glycolic acid but the process of making your skin better will make your skin look worse.
If you want the best results that improves your skin texture, evens out your skin tone and makes your skin look more radiant then retinol is better than glycolic acid.
Is retinol cancer-causing?
You can rest assured, retinol is not cancer-causing. The idea that retinol is cancer-causing comes from the idea that retinol makes the skin more sensitive and as a result more prone to becoming damaged by the sun and thus becoming more prone to developing cancer.
Thankfully you won’t have to choose between having great skin and developing skin cancer. Retinols can also help correct pre-cancers as well as slow any growth of any skin cancers that you may already have. It also helps as it can decrease the risk of you developing skin cancers making it a great cancer-preventing product.
Is retinol bad long term?
No using retinol long term is not bad. Retinols haven’t been proven to be unsafe when used long term. That being said, you may want to take some breaks when using retinol. This is especially true if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Other than if you plan on using retinol you can safely use it and you can use it long term. Studies have shown that people who used retinol for 52 weeks straight developed no skin problem or other problems as a result of using the retinol.
Retinols will actually thicken your skin with prolonged use. As we age the skin starts to thin out, the thinning of the skin deepens the wrinkles and fine lines on your face. Retinol will boost collagen production in your skin. This increased collagen production helps improve the look of your fine lines and wrinkles.
That’s it for this article on are retinoids safe. I hope that you found this useful and helpful. If you did then please share it.
