Niacinamide is a type of water-soluble vitamin that works by aligning itself with the natural skin elements and helping to enhance complexion and skin texture by minimizing enlarged pores, tightening the skin, reducing wrinkles and fine lines and brightening the skin.
How long does it take for niacinamide to work? You'll notice some effects immediately although most of the studies on niacinamide showed results after 8-12 weeks. Look for products containing 5% niacinamide. That's the percentage that's been proven to visibly make a difference without causing any irritation.
Using a product with, say, 10% niacinamide won't cause any major issues, but you may experience some irritation and redness, especially because niacinamide is quite easily absorbed into skin.
Don't Mix: Niacinamide and vitamin C. Although they're both antioxidants, vitamin C is one ingredient that's not compatible with niacinamide. "Both are very common antioxidants used in a variety of skincare products, but they should not be used one right after the other," says Dr. Marchbein.
It seems that niacinamide has a normalising ability on the pore lining, and this influence plays a role in keeping debris from getting backed up, which leads to clogs and rough, bumpy skin. As the clog forms and worsens, the pores stretch to compensate, and what you'll see is enlarged pores.
Most niacinamide products also contain a variety of other ingredients. If any of these ingredients increase skin cell turnover then they may be behind any 'purging'. Some ingredients can also be 'comedogenic' which means that they are more likely to clog pores and cause breakouts.
Apply a facial pore cleanser with salicylic acid nightly. "It's a beta hydroxy acid that has increased solubility in oil and can travel deep within pores," Dr. Feely says. You can also talk to your dermatologist about a stronger in-office chemical peel to further clear out pores.
Some laser treatments such as Fraxel laser skin resurfacing can shrink pores permanently while also increasing collagen production. Fraxel uses fractional laser technology to penetrate beneath the skin's surface to eliminate damaged skin cells.
Though some people do report experiencing irritation and breakouts after using the ingredient, niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging. That's because it doesn't affect the skin in a way that usually triggers purging.
A proven anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing ingredient, Dr Ho explain that it is uncommon to experience a bad reaction from using niacinamide. If a bad reaction does occur, she observes that it is, “most likely an allergic reaction or hypersensitivity—which can occur if the concentration of niacinamide is too high”.
While some niacinamide-containing products start to show initial benefits in two weeks, most results will show in four weeks or more. "You have to remember that it doesn't take two days for spots to form so you can't expect them to be removed in two days either," explains Engelman.
4 tips for when niacinamide fails
Signs it's not working: You're not seeing results and you notice the product is pilling on your skin. Also, if you experience redness, itching, or burning, you might want to skip this ingredient.
While some people do report irritation and breakouts from using the ingredient, typically, niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging, according to a recent story in Healthline. In skin care, purging happens when an active ingredient increases the turnover rate of skin cells.
It's an ingredient found in a number of moisturizing skin-care products, as well as certain foods and supplements like multivitamins. Can you use niacinamide every day? Yes. In fact, you can use niacinamide-containing topical products in the morning and night because it's generally a gentle ingredient.
Prescription products containing niacinamide are safe when taken as directed. Niacinamide-containing foods or supplements are safe when taken in doses lower than 35 mg daily. Niacinamide is possibly safe when taken in doses up to 900-1500 mg daily.
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.
The bad news is that pore size is genetically determined, so you can't actually shrink pores. However, some products and treatments can minimize the appearance of pores, but none of them are permanent solutions. Pore-minimizing products work by stimulating and plumping the collagen that surrounds pores.
Exfoliate to Refine Your Complexion
One of the best ways to make pores look smaller is to use skincare products that help refine your complexion. Some of the best ingredients for the job include retinol and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid.
Your skin care specialist can recommend certain procedures to help with enlarged pores, such as microneedling and laser treatments. If severe acne is a contributor to your large pores, your skin care specialist may prescribe antibiotics or retinoids to help clear your skin.
The answer to this question is yes. Microneedling with PRP can help shrink pore size and promote a smoother complexion. The procedure combined with the regenerative powers of PRP causes faster skin cell turnover and new collagen to form. Over time, this can reduce the size of your pores.
Pores can appear to grow in size as we age, due to depletion of collagen and elastin in the skin making it a little less tight.” So while you can't get rid of pores permanently, or shrink them past their natural size, you can do a lot to prevent any texture from becoming overly pronounced.