Why Should I Use Retinol?
Retinol is an active ingredient in skincare derived from Vitamin A. It’s offered in various forms and potencies, in both over-the-counter and medical-grade products. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin, and adding it into your skincare regimen can provide a wide variety of long-term benefits.
Retinol Benefits
Around 30 years old, our bodies slow their collagen production, which also slows cell turnover. Adding a retinol into your routine around this time will help keep the skin youthful! Retinol offers many immediate and future benefits, including:
Because it’s derived from a vitamin, your body already knows how to process retinol and put it to work. When it’s absorbed into the skin, enzymes turn it into retinoic acid, which stimulates collagen production and increases cellular regeneration.
Unlike many topical skincare products, retinol is formulated to boost cellular activity in both the epidermis and dermis, which means that you’ll see benefits on the surface of your skin and experience the long-term effects of healthier deep tissue.
Retinol improves both acne and pigmentation because it encourages the removal of dead skin cells and the creation of new, healthier cells to replace them.
How to Start a Retinol Routine
Perhaps you’ve heard it said that retinol causes flaking and irritation, makes you too sensitive to sun exposure, or isn’t suitable for all skin types. While it is true that every person’s skin is different, most people actually tolerate retinol well when it’s introduced correctly!
If you’re just beginning a retinol routine for the first time, start slowly and build up your skin’s tolerance to this active ingredient. You may experience flakiness or irritation at the outset, but this should subside as your skin gets healthier! It is common to have reactions in the skin when you first use retinol. This is acute inflammation, created as the damage done to the skin heals and corrects from within. This process should only last a few weeks. Then, your skin acclimates to retinol, helping you look smooth and rejuvenated.
If you’re experiencing ongoing irritation, it could be because you’re not using your retinol product often enough, rather than using it too often! You should use your retinol product a minimum of three times per week. Any less, and you won’t see those benefits we discussed. Even worse, you will continue seeing irritation since your skin isn’t absorbing it regularly enough to adjust!
Retinol formulations have come a long way since they were first introduced into the skincare market. The newer formulations of retinol provide much more advanced results with much less skin irritation. If you’re looking for a high-quality retinol to incorporate into your skincare routine, stop by The Comstock to shop our incredible product selection – we love our Skinbetter Alpharet serum. It’s gentle, yet powerful, and great for almost everyone to use!
Want an individualized treatment and at-home skincare plan? Schedule your consultation to help us build a custom aesthetics plan for you. We would love to be your beauty partner for life. Book your first appointment today!
