Is retinol ruining my skin?

Author: Ms. Maia Rodriguez  |  Last update: Monday, March 21, 2022

“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.

Is retinol making my skin worse?

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.

What are the negative effects of retinol?

Risks include:
  • Dryness and irritation.
  • Skin color changes.
  • Sensitivity to sunlight.
  • Redness, swelling, crusting, or blistering.

Does retinol make your skin worse before better?

6: Myth: If you have peeling or redness, you should stop using the retinoid. 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.

Why does my skin feel rough after using retinol?

Within the first few weeks of retinoid use, one will notice that their skin may appear dry and irritated. This is a result of the increased skin cell turnover rate and your skin adjusting to the retinoid. Though you may be concerned about dry, red, and flakey skin, it is all part of the retinoid process.

HOW I FIXED MY SKIN AFTER RETINOL RUINED IT | QUEENSHIRIN

How long do retinol uglies last?

In general, retinol is one of the more gentle varieties of retinoids, however, “if you're going to experience shedding it will begin on day three to five of daily night time use, and this usually continues for about five to 10 days depending on your skin type and the percentage of retinol you've used,” adds Ejikeme.

Why do my wrinkles look worse after retinol?

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.

How do you know if retinol is working?

Generally, it takes a few weeks to see results, but some OTC options may require months of regular use. Most dermatologists said you'll need to use retinol for a few weeks before you see results, but you should see improvements by 12 weeks with most products.

How do I stop retinol purging?

How to deal with the purge phase?
  1. Acceptance: Your body will take time to adjust to retinol. ...
  2. Stay hydrated: The first few weeks of using retinol can involve irritated and dry skin. ...
  3. Use moisturizer: Your skin turns flaky and dry during the first few weeks of using retinol.

What does retinol purging look like?

Purging is slightly different, appearing on the skin mostly as blackheads or small skin-coloured bumps just under the surface of the skin. But it is also possible for purging to cause similar spots to a breakout, too.

Does retinol make you age faster?

No, it's not. It's just an adjustment process. For the record, no study proved that there's been any skin damage or signs of 'faster aging' caused solely by retinol.

Is it okay to use retinol every night?

Retinol is best applied at night, since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. When you do go outside, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your face. Also, keep in mind that you don't need to use retinol on a daily basis for it to be effective at treating acne. Two to three times per week may be enough.

Can you overuse retinol?

“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.

Should I use retinol everyday?

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.

What are retinol uglies?

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.

Does retinol burn go away?

Retinol burn will typically go away on its own, but you may have a few flare-ups before your skin grows used to retinol ingredients. Treatment at home and DIY-prevention tricks can help manage your symptoms in most cases.

What does skin purging look like?

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.

How do I know if my skin is purging?

Signs your skin is purging
  1. The breakout is limited to areas where you already had skin congestion, whiteheads or blackheads.
  2. Your breakouts cleared up much faster than your usual acne or pimples.
  3. Your breakouts did not leave marks or blemishes on your skin.
  4. All the breakouts seemingly started all at once.

Can you put retinol on a popped pimple?

Dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D., considers whiteheads and blackheads “mild” and therefore, “over-the-counter products that contain ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and retinol should do the trick.” According to Dr.

How do you build up a tolerance to retinol?

We recommend starting with Retinol once a week. After the skin builds up more tolerance, you may increase usage frequency to twice a week then every other night. If your skin is sensitive, please wet your skin with an alcohol-free essence toner before applying a thin layer of retinol product.

Is retinol better than hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is best if they're looking to moisturize dry skin, while retinol works better by encouraging better skin by boosting collagen production. They have several benefits that can work in tandem for better results, though patients need to be careful with the exact formulations they use.

Should I put moisturizer over retinol?

There is no hard and fast rule about using retinol or moisturizer first. The order you apply it in depends on the actual product you're using. Retinol can be included in all sorts of different formulas, such as retinol creams and retinol serums, and how you apply them will vary.

Should I put retinol under my eyes?

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.

What age should you start using retinol?

While there's no right or wrong age to begin using retinol, most dermatologists recommend fitting it into your skin care routine during your 20s. The reason? "The production of collagen fibers starts to decline in our 20s," explains Dr.

Can retinol make scars worse?

Your first port of call should be retinoids, thanks to their ability to speed up cell turnover and fade superficial scars in the process. That said, deeper, more indented scars are less likely to respond, according to Dr. Mahto, who rates The Ordinary's Granactive Retinoid 2% in Emulsion, £8.

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