Retinol is safe for all skin types, but "some may experience drying, redness, and irritation, which is common especially if it's your first time using retinol," says Dr. Lee. Therefore, it is best to start off slow.
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.”
The truth is, a dermatologist may recommend you start using retinol in your routine at different ages depending on your skin. With that said, it's an ingredient recommended for those in a wide age range, including those who are younger than you might have expected.
While certain side effects, such as mild irritation, dryness, and sun sensitivity are normal as your skin adjusts to the active ingredient, intense flaking, redness, and burning are not—and those with especially sensitive skin, or who struggle with conditions like rosacea or eczema, should be wary of retinol or shy ...
In theory, retinol makes your skin cell turnover faster. The increased cell turnover temporarily sloughs off more dead skin cells. This creates a lag time before new, healthy cells come to the surface of your skin. Your new skin is exposed before it's ready, and redness or discoloration, and irritation is the result.
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.
Retinol, and prescription retinoids, are commonly used for getting rid of breakouts—especially in teenagers. Since retinoids are safe for acne-prone teens and their young skin, then retinol is safe to use when you are young before you see any signs of aging.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends starting an anti-aging treatment like retinol in your 20s. “Because retinol is a preventative measure, you don't have to wait until you're actually noticing signs of aging—like fine lines or crow's feet—to start using it,” Dr. Schlessinger says.
Yes, you can get prescription retinol, but don't. That's for later in life. Over-the-counter products work well and are formulated to be gentler. "Because skin cell turnover is just beginning to slow down in the late 20s, they don't need super strong formulas at this point," says Rouleau.
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!
The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.
So, should I use vitamin C or retinol for wrinkles? Well, when it comes right down to it, the choice is really in what you're looking to do for your skin. While vitamin C is incredible for the skin because of its ability to help brighten and improve hyperpigmentation, the best active ingredient for wrinkles is retinol.
While Vitamin C serum predominantly protects your skin from damage, retinol serum actively heals the damage on your skin. Vitamin C serum protects the collagens while the Retinol serum helps in cell turn over thereby creating new collagens.
Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.
There are no set rules on how old you should be to use retinol. For anti-aging purposes, you can start preventatively in your 20s. While over-the-counter retinol can help mild acne, many people with breakouts will need a prescription.
Retinol is a well-known ingredient in pro-aging creams, gels, and serums. What many people don't know is that it can also be used to treat acne and acne-scarred skin. It works on both the surface and middle layers of the skin to unclog pores, smooth scars, and improve tone and texture.
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.
Heat, and light can speed up the expiration by weakening the active ingredient over time. Keeping your retinol moisturizer or benzoyl peroxide acne spot treatment in a dark and cool environment like the fridge will slow down the degradation of the active ingredient.
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.
Peeling, redness, and irritation are common onset reactions for some people when they first start to use retinol. Some reactions get so bad that the common term used to describe the list of effects has been dubbed the “retinol uglies”. Note from a skincare expert: Many things in life get worse before they get better.
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.
Gaboardi notes that retinol can work by increasing blood flow to hair follicles in the scalp, in turn encouraging hair growth.
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.