The Power of Retinol

Second only to daily use of sunscreen, retinol is the most recommended topical agent in any skin care regimen.  I have long told my patients that retinol is the anti-aging, anti-acne, anti-wrinkle, anti-pigment serum of our time.  This powerhouse ingredient has been included in advanced skincare products since the 1960s and for good reason, it actually works and has been proven to do so.  Retinols have the most scientific evidence of any topical skin agent and are FDA-approved for the treatment of acne and fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinoids are a derivative of vitamin A and work deep down on a cellular level.  Here, and when consistently applied topically to the skin, they work to exfoliate the skin, increase cell turnover, help skin cells mature normally, clear out pores, improve blood circulation to the skin, suppress hyperpigmentation and stimulate collagen production.  Don’t you just want to dip yourself in a vat of retinol?  Not so fast, despite being this amazing, retinols can cause irritation when first introduced into your skin care regimen.  Typical side effects include redness, skin peeling, skin tenderness and sensitivity to the sun.  To decrease the severity of this, it is recommended to start with a low concentration of retinol every other or even every third night and work up to using every night over several weeks, include a moisturizer, like hyaluronic acid,  in your regimen and of course use sunscreen every single day.  When acclimated, you can increase the concentration of retinol.  Dandelion Medical Aesthetics’ nurse practitioner and skin care expert can help you navigate the best plan to introduce retinol into your daily routine.

Tretinoin (Retin-A) is the most potent retinoid and requires a prescription (Yes! Dandelion offers prescriptions for tretinoin) but generally, prescription-strength is not the best place to start because its higher concentration increases the risk of the unfortunate side effects and it is more expensive.  Over-the-counter retinols are more affordable, but the concentrations may not be specifically defined and various preparations may leave the active ingredient less effective. The formulation of Lira Clinical’s™ two retinol home products (PRO Retinol Créme and PRO C4 Retinol Serum) and in-office retinol treatments include plant stem cells and antioxidants to help the skin tolerate this potent ingredient and decrease the risk of causing over inflammation of the skin with clinically proven formulations to guarantee the retinol’s stability and effectiveness.

The best age to begin retinol is about 25-years-old, but it is never too late to start.  A consistent and continued use of retinol is necessary to notice all the positive benefits.  Don’t expect to see changes overnight, retinol works slowly, over several months to a year, to entice all of these benefits because it works way down in the skin cell, be patient.  Plan to use throughout your lifetime but skip during pregnancy and for a few weeks before and/or after aggressive skin treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion or laser treatments.  Retinol, like sunscreen, is a commitment you make to your skin and you won’t regret it.