Retinoids are the ultimate multi-taskers. They act directly on the DNA in skin cells, boosting the function of the cells that we tend to see slow down once we hit age 30.
Retiniods benefit the surface of the skin by increasing cell turnover. Meaning, it’s exfoliating away all those dulling dead skin cells, giving us smoother, more radiant skin. And thanks to all this exfoliating that’s going on, you will see a decrease is the visibility of hyper pigmentation, sun damage and also witness a serious clearing of blocked pores, which lead to acne and large looking pores. Retinoids also decrease oil production, which is a life saver if you have skin on the oiler side.
Our skin is even benefited below the surface. Collagen and hyaluronic acid are the building blocks of firm, plump skin, right? As we age, we lose our stores of collagen and hyaluronic acid, which leave us with sagging, wrinkled skin. Well, retinoids boost our skin’s collagen and hyaluronic acid, plumping and firming our skin and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. And while retinoids are busy boosting our collagen and hylauranic acid, they are ALSO slowing down the rate at which we lose them. Essentially, retinoids keep wrinkles away that haven't even shown up yet.
Because Retinoids can leave skin dry, flakey, red and irritated, over-the-counter (OTC) products are a good start for first timers because they are much less potent than their prescription counterparts. The most common retinoids on OTC product labels are “retinol” and “retinyl palmitate”, both of which convert to retinoic acid on the skin. Once you build a tolerance to OTC products, you will want to switch to a prescription retinoid. like Retin-A. Prescription retinoids are significantly stronger than OTC products because the retinoic acid is applied directly to the skin, as opposed to going through a conversion process as I just mentioned OTC products must do.
Whether using an OTC or prescription strength retinoid, start by using the product a couple of days a week, observe how your skin reacts and then build your way up from there.
Whether using an OTC or prescription strength retinoid, start by using the product a couple of days a week, observe how your skin reacts and then build your way up from there.
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