"Retinol basically increases your collagen, so it thickens the dermal layer as well as the epidermal layer," Dr. Wang clarifies. "It does weaken the skin barrier, and that is why you get desquamation, peeling, redness, irritation." You're probably somewhat familiar with the skin barrier, or stratum corneum.
12. Can Retinol Damage the Skin? You may have heard that extended retinol use can cause the skin to thin and the skin barrier to degrade as a result of increased cell turnover, but Shah says that's a myth. You don't need to worry about retinol causing permanent damage, Schlessinger says.
The signs of a damaged skin barrier include dryness, dullness, redness, sensitivity, and breakouts. You can repair skin barrier damage by adjusting your skincare habits and moisturizing properly.
If your skin gets red or discolored and inflamed to the point where you are in pain, ice the area or apply a cold compress to help soothe your skin. Keep your skin routine as basic and gentle as possible while your skin heals from retinol burn, rinsing with cool water once per day and skipping makeup if you're able to.
If you've had an adverse reaction to retinol before, it's important to give your skin a break—but don't completely eliminate the ingredient. When it's time to reintroduce retinol into your routine, consider starting with a lower-strength product and building up the potency (and your tolerance) gradually over time.
Applying retinol is a long-term treatment which promotes fresh skin, fewer blemishes and reduction in acne breakouts. Whereas in the short term, it can lead to acne breakouts, skin peeling, dryness, and a range of other frustrating temporary outcomes. The purge phase usually lasts for two to six weeks.
Similar to avoiding damage to the skin's barrier, the first step in repairing the barrier post-damage is using a gentle cleanser. "A lot of people use exfoliating cleansers that have glycolic acid or salicylic acid.
Ideally, with consistent care, your skin barrier should restore itself within two to four weeks.
Can your skin barrier be permanently damaged? In most cases, skin barrier damages can be fixed. If your skin barrier has just recently been compromised, maybe by over-exfoliating with harsh products, and you're seeking help immediately, then it should easily be fixed. The damage by then isn't permanent.
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
Skin purging happens when new ingredients, like retinol, promote increased cell turnover, which causes clogging and worsening breakouts. This is particularly the case as oil and debris that is trapped deeper underneath the skin comes to the surface.
“If you're overusing your retinol, or if you're using a retinol that's too strong for you, it can lead to peeling, irritation, and excessive dryness, which may have led to retinol's association with skin thinning,” she says.
A compromised skin barrier means that it is impaired in performing its normal functions: (1) keeping the bad stuff out: like defending against environmental aggressors. (2) keeping the good stuff in: like maintaining hydration.
Most of the barrier damage comes from stripping your skin of its natural oils with harsh cleansers, acne medication, and acids. Scrubbing too hard, waxing, and using DIY ingredients like lemon and baking soda, and on some skin types, alcohol and fragrance are also common culprits for damage.
It can take anywhere between 2 weeks to an entire month or more to repair your skin's natural barrier function. You'll be able to tell when your skin is healed; inflammation will be decreased, there'll be a reduction in skin sensitivity, oiliness, dryness, dehydration, and reactivity.
Normal skin needs high concentrations of vitamin C, which plays many roles in the skin, including the formation of the skin barrier and collagen in the dermis, the ability to counteract skin oxidation, and the modulation of cell signal pathways of cell growth and differentiation.
Common signs of a damaged moisture barrier include redness and rosacea, dryness and dehydration, flakiness and peeling, irritation, itchiness, roughness, a stinging or burning sensation when products are applied, and even increased breakout activity.
Dr Murad advises: “Watch out for things such as redness, flakiness, tightness, itchiness, rough to the touch, fine lines, increased breakouts and rashes are all signs of a compromised barrier. It can appear in large or small areas over the body or face.”
Remember, that 'retinoid uglies' are likely to be temporary, and it will take time before you see the end result. You have three skin layers—the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Your epidermis is your visible layer, and renews approximately every 28 days.
Keep Your Face Clean
Touching your face or allowing oil or bacteria to build up can also increase the side effects of the tretinoin purge. Only touch your face with clean hands and leave your skin to do its thing. Also try not to pick at flaky or dry skin caused by the purge.
Retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, they should be used at night because some types are deactivated by light and air. It's important to start slowly and allow your skin time to adjust. Using too much too quickly can cause redness, dryness, and irritation.
Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
Despite dermatologists describing retinol as a skin-care star, it can come with an unpleasant side effect: retinol burn. Also known as retinol irritation, it's essentially what happens when your face can't tolerate the powerful ingredient and subsequently devolves into a flaky, peeling, red mess.
Also avoid retinol if you're going to be spending a lot of time in direct sunlight without proper sun protection. Retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it's important to use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day — even when it looks cloudy.