Retinol body lotions can help smooth fine lines, clear body acne, and correct hyperpigmentation on arms, legs, and more.
As mentioned earlier, retinol is best put to use on parts of the body most likely to suffer from sun damage such as the backs of the hands and décolletage. If you're using a retinol serum on your face, Dr Mahto advises extending its use to these areas too.
Retinol. To begin hand rejuvenation, use a retinol once daily. Retinol can help peel away some of the damaged areas and prepare the skin for other treatments. Apply it to your hands at night so you avoid wearing it during times of sun exposure and washing it off with routine hand washing.
Turn back the clock to reverse aging hands
Age spots can be improved with over-the-counter or prescription topical creams containing retinol or retinoid acid. If these aren't as effective as you'd like, chemical peels or laser treatments in your doctor's office can bring about more dramatic results.
Apply topical retinoids
Retinoids, which are topical vitamin A-based derivatives, may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production. If you use retinoids on your face, extend the treatment area to your neck and chest at night. Retinoid products are available by prescription or over the counter.
Using any form of retinol makes your skin more prone to sunburn. Sun damage combined with retinol burn is a recipe for redness or discoloration, inflammation, and more.
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.
Dr. Kassouf recommends retinol topical creams to help reduce that crepey look. Retinols help restore skin's elasticity and thicken collagen (which gives our skin its structure) as well as elastin (which gives our skin its stretch).
Rouleau says the best time to use a scrub is in the morning. Overnight you've loosened up dead skin cells with your glycolic acid or retinol products, making the morning a perfect time to brush them off.
Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol. As for benzoyl peroxide and retinol, they cancel each other out.
With retinoids, it's often a “worse-before-better” type of situation. Typical side effects include dryness, tightness, peeling, and redness — especially when first starting out. These side effects usually subside after two to four weeks until the skin acclimates. Your skin will thank you later!
Who should skip retinol? “Retinols can be a beneficial addition for most skin types, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all approach,” Panzica says. Board certified dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, MD, notes that “people with sensitive skin conditions like rosacea cannot tolerate really strong topicals like retinols.”
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.
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.
But rather than using your standard retinol cream, it's best to use a product formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eyes. "The under-eye area is quite sensitive as it is some of the thinnest skin on the body," explains New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Anthony Rossi.
The problem is, retinol can be irritating when applied straight to the lips (so keep your prescription-strength cream off your mouth for the time being). But Verso's formula contains a gentle derivative, called retinol 8, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines around the mouth overtime.
Retinol (vitamin A) is the most frequently used ingredient in anti-aging creams. But tretinoin, another form of vitamin A, may be the most effective ingredient to firm the skin on your neck and face.
Moisturize. In addition to staying adequately hydrated yourself, make sure your skin gets all the moisture it needs to retain its youthful elasticity and prevent dryness or wrinkling. Applying lotions before bed with retinol or glycolic acid in them may help address wrinkles you currently have on your hands too.
Wrinkly skin (looks like crepe paper)
Treatment: Your dermatologist may recommend one or more of the following: Lotion containing a retinol or glycolic acid (apply before bedtime) Light chemical peel, every 1 to 3 months. Laser treatment.
As the tunnel shrinks, it squeezes the nerve that travels through it, causing numbness and/or tingling in the thumb, index finger, long finger, and half of the ring finger. These bony growths develop in the middle knuckle (PIP joint), making the knuckle look bigger or swollen.
Pending potency, OTC retinol can take up to six months to see results." That's not to say you won't see any benefits upon the first few uses. Nussbaum explains that in the short term, the benefits are that your skin will be exfoliated of dead skin cells and your pores will be unclogged.
Generally speaking, I recommend most people start using retinol in their mid to late-20s, anywhere from 25-30. This is when collagen and elastin production starts to slow down, so it's the perfect time to start reaping the preventative-aging benefits retinol has to offer.
A formula with retinol, like the L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Eye Treatment, should be applied after your serums and before moisturizer due to its consistency.