Retinol is at the center of every beauty conversation. Sometimes used for anti-aging purposes, sometimes to redefine the skin texture or to fight acne and its scars… It is a multitasking active ingredient that offers beautiful results on the skin… But there are still some things to know before using it, just to avoid unpleasant surprises. Here are some of them.
May cause violent skin irritation
Retinol is an irritating and drying active ingredient that can cause skin irritation. This is why it is not recommended for sensitive or atopic skin. But other skin types can also experience these problems, similar to mild contact dermatitis. And this for 4-6 weeks, while the skin gets used to it. But why ? Because retinol is a restructuring active ingredient that acts on the most superficial layers of the epidermis but also in depth. By acting on dead cells, the skin appears exfoliated and is therefore more sensitive to the environment that irritates it. As the days pass, the skin accumulates “retinoid receptors” (proteins naturally found in the skin that help retinol work). These receptors allow retinol to work and promote skin tolerance over the course of days.
It can be applied in several ways
If, like me, you feel that your skin doesn’t tolerate retinol well, know that there is a method called Land retinol sandwich, which helps improve skin tolerance. Then simply apply a layer of moisturizer dedicated to your skin type, then a retinol serum, finishing with another layer of moisturizer. As a result, the effects of retinol will be less irritating to your skin, but you will still be able to enjoy its benefits.
It can lead to bleeding of the skin
When you begin retinol treatment, some shedding may occur on some parts of your skin. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen to everyone, but if it does, know that it’s completely normal. Retinol helps to deeply clean pores and accelerate the natural cell renewal process, it would also bring imperfections to the surface. As ? By removing dead cells from the surface of the skin more quickly and thus causing an increase in sebum and the appearance of blemishes. Fortunately, this phenomenon does not last. On average, people suffering from this problem notice an improvement between 4 and 8 weeks after its onset… A bit of patience.
It can make your eyes dry
We don’t talk about it much and yet it is another phenomenon that exists. When you naturally have somewhat dry eyes, like me, applying retinol to the thin, fragile area around your eyes can cause even drier eyes. Retinol is an active ingredient that inhibits the sebaceous glands so that they secrete less sebum. They would also have the same effect on the meibomian glandsit serves to secrete meibum, a fatty substance that is added to tears so that the latter can keep the cornea lubricated. The problem is that retinol dries out these glands and sometimes blocks them, which can cause swelling or a dry eye phenomenon. Luckily this doesn’t happen to everyone, but you still need to know! If this applies to you, make an appointment with an ophthalmologist or your family doctor immediately. And of course, stop using retinol.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
