Retinol is a powerful anti-aging ingredient. It ensures the renewal of skin cells and the purification of the skin. Retinol, a form of Vitamin A, provides benefits in acne treatment and alleviating signs of aging. Retinol, a skincare ingredient, is used to even out skin tone, support cell and collagen production, and achieve smooth skin. Medical Aesthetic Specialist Doctor Lida Çiteli, serving her patients in Istanbul, explained for you what Retinol is and what it does.
What is Retinol?
Retinol is a type of retinoid derived from Vitamin A. Just like other forms of Vitamin A, retinol encourages the production and renewal of skin cells. When young, the skin cell turnover is quite fast. However, as age progresses, this cycle slows down. Aging skin cells stay on the skin surface for a longer time. This damages both the appearance and the structure of the skin. The accumulation of old and dead skin cells on the surface causes the skin to become drier and rougher.
Retinol, a form of Vitamin A, encourages the renewal of skin cells. It reduces the appearance of aging signs such as sun spots, deep wrinkles, and fine lines. Besides this, the size of the pores clearly shrinks and tightens. This ensures the prevention of possible acne problems in the future. However, the increase in cell renewal may create skin dryness or sensitivity in the initial stage. Therefore, it is beneficial to support your skin with moisturizer and SPF.
What Does Retinol Do?
It accelerates the turnover of skin cells. It prevents pores from clogging. Besides this, it supports collagen production. It reduces the appearance of aging signs. It gives the skin a fresh and plump appearance.
What Are the Benefits of Retinol?
Even if retinol is not as strong as other retinoids, it still accelerates cell renewal and supports collagen production. Retinol, which also has a peeling effect, provides benefits in the treatment of hyperpigmentation and acne. If we need to list the benefits of retinol:
- Contributes to acne treatment
- Helps prevent hyperpigmentation
- Alleviates the appearance of fine lines and deep wrinkles
What Are the Types of Retinol?
Retinoic Acid – It is the purest form of retinol. Retinoic acid, which does not need to be converted, shows its effect quickly. It can have a drying, harsh, and irritating effect for many skin types.
Tazarotene – This type of retinol is a type that potentially has side effects and can be used by prescription. It cannot activate as many receptors as retinoic acid. Therefore, it is less effective against acne complaints.
Granactive Retinoid – It is a type that can be used without needing to be converted like retinoic acid. While being effective, it leads to less irritation on the skin.
How to Use Retinol?
Retinol, which is actively used in skincare, can be applied topically to the skin in the form of lotion, serum, or cream. If you have just started using retinol, you can use it every other night. First:
- Wash your face gently with a soft cleanser
- Dry your skin without rubbing
- Apply a pea-sized amount of retinol in a thin layer to your face. Avoid the mouth and eye area from retinol.
- Then moisturize your skin.
- If you applied retinol during the daytime, make sure to take care to use sunscreen.
It may take a few weeks for your skin to adapt to retinol. During this time, pimples may appear on your skin. In addition, you may need to use it regularly for about three months to see its effects. If your skin does not get irritated when you use retinol every other night, you can continue this way. However, it is beneficial to consult your doctor for the most correct usage method.
Before using any new skincare product on your skin, you need to test whether your skin reacts or not. For this, you can perform a reaction test by applying a few drops to the inside of your wrist.
Retinols available on the market for skincare are generally in concentrations at the level of 0.0015% to 0.3%. You need to decide on the amount and frequency of retinol use by consulting your doctor and considering your skin type and needs. Before starting retinol use for your skin, it is beneficial to meet with your dermatologist or medical aesthetic doctor. It should not be forgotten that even if retinol is a safe ingredient, incorrect use may cause your skin to become irritated. Additionally, you may become more vulnerable to sunburn and sun damage. Still, retinols can be better tolerated by the skin compared to other retinoids.
Apart from all these, the Vitamin A form may interact with different active skincare ingredients. This can increase the possibility of skin irritation. Other ingredients likely to interact with retinol are as follows:
- Vitamin C
- Salicylic Acid
- Glycolic Acid
- Benzoyl Peroxide
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
Combining these active ingredients commonly used in skincare can create strong effects that damage your skin. However, using all these components alternately, not together, provides benefits. Using them on different days or at different times of the day makes it possible to be protected from these harmful effects. You can consult your medical aesthetic doctor or dermatologist about which skincare ingredients you should use together and which ones separately.
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