Is Retinol Bad For Skin?

Many of us are undoubtedly familiar with the concept of skin care products containing retinol, a widely recognized ingredient in the beauty industry. However, it’s important to acknowledge that conventional retinol comes with significant risks and is problematic for multiple reasons.

What Is Retinol?

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for the human body. It plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including maintaining healthy vision, skin, and the immune system. In skin care, retinol is commonly used for its acne and anti-aging properties.

What Does Retinol Do To Your Skin?

• Skin Sensitivity: Retinol can cause skin irritation, redness, dryness, and flakiness. Some individuals may experience more sensitivity than others based on genetics and existing skin health.
• Sun Sensitivity: Retinol will make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays. It is crucial to use sunscreen daily and take other sun protection measures when using retinol products.
• Overuse: Using retinol products too frequently or in high concentrations can lead to excessive skin dryness, peeling, and increased overall  sensitivity. Many people get overzealous with their skin goals and blow past recommended guidelines which can accelerate aging.
• Not Suitable for Everyone: Retinol may not be suitable for individuals with certain skin conditions, such as rosacea, hypersensitivity, or eczema, or for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some genetic skin types are simply not a fit as they are too reactive and will have such adverse effects even from small doses.
• Personal Tolerance: Everyone’s skin is different, and what works for one person may not work as well for another as inflammation thresholds vary greatly person to person.. It’s essential to monitor your skin’s response and adjust your skincare routine accordingly.  The rule of thumb is to aim for the sweet spot of healthy positive blood flow and not cross the line into irritation and inflammation.  Inflammation in general elicits a trauma response of new skin cell production but the problem with this strategy is that the increase in inflammation causes a draining  dermal workload that will diminish vitality from our dermal layer faster.  Avoid any skin care routine that creates chronic inflammation as this will accelerate aging. 

Is Retinol Bad For Skin?

Vitamin A stimulates new skin cell production but it simultaneously dehydrates, irritates, and creates significant sun – sensitivity.  These undesirable effects are often marginalized and attempts are made to manage them, often with little success.  Basically, the price for a few new skin cells is much too high.  I have seen first hand that this inflammation and sun-sensitivity can age skin much faster than most people think is possible.

To compound the complexity, each skin care provider has their own personal preference. The discussion partly centers around the profit margin the professional gains (sounds convoluted, right?).

There is also a discord regarding how much inflammation and dryness an individual should endure in exchange for this heightened skin cell turnover. The query: At what juncture does the expense surpass the advantage?

If we take a step forward, only to take three steps backward, is that a wise decision? Or is it causing more harm than good? Can we genuinely attain healthier, more vibrant, and balanced skin by introducing more stress to our already troubled skin?

Learn about stabilized liposomal delivery retinaldehyde which provides bio available Vitamin A without the inflammation and sun-sensitizing effect.  Generic retinoids are obsolete with how this can provide sustainable cell turn over that hits the  sweet spot of positive blood flow for longterm skin happiness.  All of the upside without any catch. Admittingly, the one catch is the cost yet this is wildly worth the positive impact as it actually delivers our desired outcome of being able to correct acne and delay aging.

How To Use Retinol The Right Way

I’ve dedicated approximately 15 years to being a licensed aesthetician, extensively exploring various retinoid options, and finally, I’ve discovered a solution to the retinoid challenge. Through my hard-earned experience, I’ve learned the following key principles:

• Tailoring the right dosage is of utmost importance.
• Strength doesn’t necessarily equate to effectiveness.
• The most efficient and least inflammatory form of bioavailable vitamin A is stabilized retinaldehyde with liposomal delivery.

When our skin can naturally synthesize retinoic acid by absorbing the least inflammatory type of vitamin A, namely retinaldehyde, it transforms into the best and most sustainable form of retinoic acid, enhancing skin cell turnover. Essentially, our skin’s self-produced retinoic acid is far superior to any product from a jar.

Never underestimate the significance of maintaining hydration and restoring the skin’s barrier when stimulating increased cell turnover with vitamin A. This one ingredient is powerful yet combining the other pieces to the puzzle is what will magnify the potential otherwise it could be an expensive way to get marginal results. Initiating a detoxifying process requires proper hydration and a healthy skin barrier. Generating new skin cells is a substantial task in itself, so supplying our skin adequately with optimal hydration and a revitalized barrier ensures there are no negative consequences during the regeneration process. This means zero irritation, zero dehydration, and zero heightened sun sensitivity. Avoiding these pitfalls is crucial on the path to improving our skin; otherwise, we may veer off course or, at best, merely spin our wheels. We must discover all the ways to optimize our skin’s precious time for preservation, enabling it to age gracefully.

Seek out a Skin Harmonics professional who can fine-tune your skin’s Dermal Nutrient dose of stabilized retinaldehyde as it progresses through various phases of a comprehensive holistic skin resurfacing and detoxification process.