While we can never reverse the process of time and aging, we do have the choice within us to make ourselves look the best that we can. Thanks to modern-day technology, we have a way to fight with the tides of time and aging. This is where vitamin A also called Retinol comes in.
The stress, pollution, and other environmental stressors that we encounter every day are hard to avoid and these increase the risk of premature aging. Fortunately, there are skincare tips and helpful products that work to our advantage and help minimize the damage keeping our skin nice and fresh.
So, what is Retinol? It is a type of fat-soluble vitamin A that helps cells reproduce normally and keeps the surface of the skin healthy. Because of this, it’s famous for fighting the aging process. There is a highly concentrated type of this vitamin called Retinoid which is used for severe acne cases and requires a prescription.
Retinol, on the other hand, is safer and at a lower concentration that can be purchased over the counter. This is why a lot of reviewers swear by it. Take note that the higher the concentration, the more it increases the chances of irritating the skin, luckily, it’s good to know that retinol is a milder concentration providing a lower risk of skin irritation.
Retinol can also be consumed as part of a diet, or to be more effective when using it for skincare, it is also found in a cream bottle and applied directly on the face and the neck.
Benefits
Retinol when combined with vitamin E also helps with acne by unclogging pores and leaving the skin better than before by penetrating its lower layers and improving its texture giving it an even-toned appearance, this helps make the skin refreshed the moment you use it.
Some of the many more advantages of Retinol are that it helps reduce wrinkles, warts, dark circles, and other types of premature aging. As our skin ages, collagen production slows down, if we need a treatment for this, retinol is the highly recommended go-to product.
As a general rule, it is usually a good idea to begin gradually when using retinol. And you can use it with sunscreen if you applied during the daytime but it’s usually best to apply it at night to renew the skin while you sleep.
Disadvantages
Of course, even a highly recommended vitamin such as retinol has its drawbacks when used in very high amounts or without proper care. Acne can break out if used improperly or if the skin is highly sensitive. It must also not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. Another possible side effect is skin irritation with a redness or burning sensation and/or scaling of the skin.
Good to Know
Some helpful ingredients to mix with retinol are apple extracts which help increase the elasticity of the skin and tea-leaf extracts which help reinforce and strengthen the moisture barrier to enrich the skin’s tolerance to pure retinol, usually, this can be found in helpful products in cream form for wrinkles and acne marks.
Retinol is definitely more than just hype as it has been proven many times over and truly deserves a spot on your dressing table to help keep your skin fresher than time itself.
