When your goal is preventing aging as well as correcting existing damage to your skin virtually all dermatologists agree daily retinoid use is the answer. Here are 3 things you should know about retinol.

1) What is retinol? The term "retinoids" refers to vitamin A and the various molecules derived from vitamin A, which itself is also known as retinol (ROL). Vitamin A is essential for normal skin cell development and differentiation. Vitamin A inhibits collagen breakdown, increases collagen synthesis, increases elasticity, improves water barrier function, is anti-inflammatory and regulates sebum production, which is excellent for treating acne as well as aging.

2) How does it work? As we age the epidermis thickens while the dermis thins. Use of retinoids inverts that aging process, so long term retinoid users enjoy an age-spot and wrinkle-free epidermis supported by a lovely thick dermis. They have also found that early retinol usage helps delay the aging process, so the best time to start using retinol is early thirties, when your cell turnover rate begins to slow. 

3) Retnoids initially can cause peeling and some redness, a process called facial retinization. Users should be aware that this is normal and even to be expected — peeling and redness are side effects of retinoids working at a profound level to influence gene expression, resulting eventually in enhanced collagen production, skin smoothing, and evening out of pigmentation.

When people experience such symptoms they often make the mistake of stopping their treatment program, then waiting until the skin gets “better” before beginning again. Giving the top layer of skin time to rebuild can unfortunately initiate another round of redness and peeling which ultimately delays the anticipated therapeutic benefits.

Keep an eye out for our next post which will cover the 5 tips you need to know about Retinol Serums.

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