What are the benefits of retinol?
Retinol has many skin benefits & hence is the most prescribed topical agent by dermatologists.

Reduces signs of photoaging: Retinol accelerates skin cell turnover acting as a chemical exfoliant. This improves photoaging & improves skin quality.

Reduces pigmentation: Retinol works to fade hyperpigmentation including melasma pigment. It does so via two ways. Firstly to increase cell turnover & hence pigment clearance, secondly as a weak inhibitor of pigment production (tyrosinase inhibitor). Ideally retinol should be combined with more powerful pigment inhibitors such as vitamin C, arbutin or hydroquinone.

Improves the texture of your skin: By boosting collagen production, your skin will have more turgid structure & tensile strength. Plus, the cells on the surface of your skin will be replaced more quickly, helping smooth your skin and reduce the dull, dry look of dead skin.

Reduces acne: Retinol decreases pimples, blackheads & oil on the skin. It works by removing clogged pores, reducing sebum (oil) production, modulation of inflammation & reducing bacterial counts in oil glands.

Collagen booster: This helps reduce the appearance of fine lines & shallow wrinkles. It works by stimulation of cells called fibroblasts that lie in the deeper layers of skin.

Antioxidant effects: Retinol has some minor protective effects, however other agents such as vitamin C, E & ferulic acid are more potent.

How to use it?
When you use products with retinol, it’s extremely important to use just a pea-size amount for the entire face. Start every second night, gradually working your way up to nightly use. Don’t rush the process. And if you do start to get red or flaky, reduce application amount & frequency. Remember to moisturize if you do have skin irritation & don’t forget to wash residual product off in the morning.

What are the side effects of retinol?
Here is a concept worth understanding- all retinoids, including retinol have side effects (or rather ‘effects’ on the skin. It depends on 3 key factors-

The strength of retinol- retinoids
Your genetic ‘sensitivity’ or irritant threshold
Exogenous factors such as skin barrier function. This primarily due to factors such as sunburn, seasons, as well as concomitant use of other ‘actives’ that may compromise barrier function (eg AHAs) or physical exfoliation.