5 Biggest Retinol Myths

Many myths hold people back from experiencing the great effects of retinol. Most often the myths hold people in fear of skin damage or no results at all. In this article I debunk those common Retinol Myths.

You will see results in less than a month.

This is a common misconception among people that believe they will see results instantly. As seen in this blog post although short term results would be amazing, it’s just not the case. Jan Jordan, a 20-year Spa Owner, said After working on thousands of clients, a common concern was how long it took to notice results from their retinol. She Continued, Almost always the client has only been using the product for a month. This is not long enough to reverse years of aging skin.

If your retinol causes skin irritation you should stop

Many people quit using their retinol because they see slight irritation occurring with their skin. If irritation occurs after introducing vitamin A to your regimen, remember that this is normal and is not out of the ordinary. Often after two weeks the skin cells adapt to the retinoic acid and begin to tolerate the ingredient. The only exception to this if your skin is extremely flushed, peeling heavily or significantly drier than usual. If you have discomfort that is prolonged or uncomfortable, use it once every 6 or 7 days a week or switch to a more diluted formula.

The skin around your eyes is too sensitive to use retinoids

This is a very big misconception because that is where a lot of skin damage is. Many studies show that people who use retinoids up to the eyes get better results than those that dont. Something to know is if you get retinol in your eye you are going to be ok! Many people fear that if they get retinol in their eyes it will cause damage to their eyes, but this just isnt the case.

Retinoids will increase your chances of a sunburn

This is one of the largest myths out there and is a huge deterrent for many wanting to use retinoids. This just isnt the truth. Retinoids do break down in sunlight, which is why they are specially packaged and for the best results are recommended to be used at night. Clinical studies have shown that retinoids do not decrease the MED of human skin. Although this study is widely known this myth is still widely spread by those that fear the effects of retinol!

You should only apply retinoids to wet skin

There really isnt any evidence in the scientific community that shows damp or wet skin increases sensitivity. Also, if you apply a retinoid to wet skin it doesnt maximize the potency of the retinoid. This one is quite simple but has a lot of people that believe it. It comes down to the fact that applying retinol damp or dry almost always has a positive effect on skin.

Although there are many misconceptions about retinol these are just a few. I hope that this article helps you in your journey to better skin.