“There is no evidence that supports that a topical retinol can cause depression whatsoever,” said Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University's School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Retinol is just one of many retinoids used to treat skin.
Retinoids, in particularly oral retinoids, can have rare but serious side effects. There is a potential link between anxiety, depression, anger, mood changes and retinoid use.
First-time retinol users have reported irritation, including redness, dryness, and peeling. If you use too high a strength or apply retinol more frequently than you should, you may experience further irritation, like itchiness and scaly patches.
The authors speculate that tretinoin was the cause of the neurotoxicity, since vitamin A and synthetic retinoids can cause headache, pseudotumor cerebri, irritability, ataxia, fatigue, depression, and psychosis.
Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid, or 13-cis-RA) (Accutane), approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne, carries a black box warning related to the risk of depression, suicide, and psychosis.
It's theorized that people in which neuron formation is already reduced in some way may be more susceptible to this decrease in neurogenesis caused by isotretinoin than others. That would explain why some people seem to develop depression while taking isotretinoin while others never do.
Accutane is prescribed to treat acne, but has been linked to depression and other psychiatric issues including over 250 suicides in the US. Accutane may cause decreased serotonin levels, which can lead to depression and aggressiveness.
Symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurry vision, swelling, eye damage, headache, high levels of calcium, bone pain, fatigue, discomfort, and liver damage.
Topical application of retinoids often causes severe local irritation manifested as burning sensation, pruritus, erythema, peeling, or dryness (5), which is commonly termed “retinoid dermatitis.” Retinoids also cause severe headache, muscle pain, joint pain, bone pain, and inflammatory back pain when used systemically ...
How long does it stay in my body? People eliminate medication at different rates. In healthy adults, it takes up to 1 day, on average, for most of the tretinoin to be gone from the body.
“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.
There are definitely side effects with both retinols and retinoids, but I want to emphasize that they're temporary, lasting around three to four weeks. The most common side effects I see with patients are redness, dry and scaly skin and itching or burning.
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.
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.
There have been two previous reports of topical formulations of vitamin A linked to intracranial hypertension. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reported cases of cross-reactivity with topical tretinoin use and alternate drug classes associated with DIIH.
Retinol significantly decreased both hormone levels, however retinoic acid decreased the progesterone level only.
Retinoids, Vitamin A and its derivatives, have been linked to neuropsychiatric symptoms including depression [11]. Excess accumulation of Vitamin A has been reported to induce depression [12].
"Depressive disorders and suicidality were the most frequently reported adverse events associated with isotretinoin use, but these reports must be considered in the context of elevated rates of depression and suicide among patients with acne," Mostaghimi and colleagues wrote.
Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) is an extremely effective anti-acne preparation. However, in a small number of patients (less than 1%) it may be associated with symptoms of a major depressive episode. Symptoms resolve rapidly (within 2-7 days) on discontinuation of the medicine.
Since its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1982, isotretinoin has been linked to reports of depression, suicide, and other psychiatric effects, leading to both widespread media coverage and numerous cases of costly litigation.
Conclusion. Oral isotretinoin is an effective treatment for patients with severe acne, but concerns have been raised that it may occasionally cause depression.
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.
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.