Retinol is one of the most potent and effective skin care ingredients around.
It can add a vibrant glow to dull and lacklustre skin, help fight acne, and even aid in the treatment of blemished skin.
Unfortunately, it is also prone to causing less than desirable side effects on certain skin types.
Is this a big problem, enough to make you avoid creams containing it? Let us investigate retinol side effects and show you what you should be aware of.
Known side effects These include peeling skin, dry and itchy skin, increased sensitivity to sunlight, mild to severe irritation as well as redness.
We have to state that most of these are not common, but let us see how you can work around these if they bother you.
1.
Choose a lower concentration.
Start with an 0.
1% retinol concentration cream and work up from there if you experience no side effects.
2.
Use a good moisturizer to fight any dryness that may occur.
3.
Instead of using your cream every day, apply it only every two days.
4.
Do not apply normal retinol face cream on the skin around the eyes.
This can cause severe irritation.
5.
Switch brands.
Not all brands are created equal and you'll do well to shop around a bit.
It is especially important not to grab the cheapest brands off the drugstore shelves.
More expensive products are often more carefully formulated, and may also include moisturizing ingredients to help fight off dryness and irritation.
Also, don't give up if you start at a low concentration and don't see results.
Work up to higher concentrations if your skin allow it.
The higher the retinol content, the better the results.
So, don't let these side effects worry you.
Retinol face creams remain some of the best products with which to rejuvenate your skin.
Start low, and work your way up to a concentration that provides you with good results, without the side effects.