Benefits of Retinol in Skincare

Photo source; Cliquemag
Photo source; Cliquemag

It’s no secret that most skincare products contain retinol. This well known derivative of vitamin A has been a major ingredient in skincare products since the 80’s and has been proven effective in improving skin aging and effect of sun damage. Vitamin A is found naturally in  liver, carrot, eggs, and in green vegetables as beta-carotene. One of the benefit of consuming foods rich in vitamin is development of healthy skin and eyes. In order to tap into the benefits this vitamin offers the skin, the body breaks it into retinoic acid.

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Albert Kligman began testing tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative on patients with acne. Not only did he notice impressive improvement in the acne, he observed that the patients who used this cream had smoother skin free from wrinkles.  Both retinol and tretinoin encourage skinn cell turnover and reduce the appearance of fine lines. While some people may find it irritating and harsh, a large amount of people respond very well to retinol which is a milder version, but need to be careful when is applied so the use of a body exfoliating glove also help with this. Some of the proven benefits of retinol in skincare include;

  • Clears Acne

According to the National Library of Medicine, retinol is effective in clearing acne because it acts on the microcomedo. It exfoliates the skin cells to keep the pores clear and also gets rid of the bacteria which cause acne.

  • Reduces Pore Size

Although the size of your pores cannot be changed by retinol, it can however reduce the size of pores which have enlarged as a result of clogging. It gets rid of debris which may have caused your skin pores to stretch past its original size.

  • Diminishes Wrinkles

Most anti wrinkle creams come with retinol as the major ingredient. This is because retinol has antioxidant properties and can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face.

  • Evens Skin Tone

The exfoliating properties in retinol removes dead skin cells thereby creating a more even skin tone. Retinol also increases cellular turnover and acts as a lightening agent.

  • Anti aging Properties

Retinol reverses sun damage which causes wrinkling, and other aging signs. It is able to decrease the sign of aging and ehance youthful skin glow.

  • Boosts Collagen Production

Collagen is a major skin support structure. Retinol boosts the production of collagen and prevents loss of skin elasticity.

The Best Time to Use Retinol

According to various studies, the best time to use a product containing retinol is at night time. Skin cell turnover is one of the major benefit of using retinol. The new skin which shows up is always very delicate and should be protected from sunlight at all cost. Secondly, retinol breaks down quickly when exposed to sunlight. Using a retinol based product during the day will make you more susceptible to sun damage.