As promised in my last post, I'll be talking about the main ingredient that has helped my skin improve drastically, which is... Retinoids!
Retinoids are any compounds that are related to vitamin A and when applied topically, they can help stimulate collagen growth. Collagen is the main protein that makes up our skin and plays a crucial role in making our skin look elastic and firm. The lack of collagen production as we grow older is one of the main causes of wrinkles. Studies have also shown that retinoids can help in preventing damage caused by the harmful UV rays from the sun.
Like many other ingredients I've discussed in my blogs, retinoids also help by speeding up the skin renewal process. This ensures that our pores stay unclogged which means less acne overall.
Out of all of the ingredients I've discussed before, retinoids are the most potent so it is really important to start out slow when first using this ingredient. If used too excessively, it can lead to many side effects such as dry skin, redness, itchiness, and peeling.
In the first couple of weeks or even the first couple of month of consistently using this product, you may go through something called "purging" which is basically when all of your dormant acne underneath your skin comes to your skin surface. This phase is where people say "this product isn't for me" and stop using the product but it's really important to stick through this phase because it will be worth it in the end.
I've been using a retinoid for over 9 months now and I can say that it has played a crucial role in reducing my acne and improving my overall skin texture. I did purge throughout the first two months which was very discouraging, but I'm so glad that I stuck through it because my skin is better than ever before.
There are many different retinoids available but only one is available over the counter, called Differin (which is what I use). I was first prescribed this by my dermatologist so I definitely recommend talking to your skin care provider before incorporating retinoids into your skincare routine. There are other retinoids that are prescription only so again, I think it'll be best to talk to a skin care professional before making the decision of what Retinoid you'll be using.
Differin: https://www.amazon.com/Differin-Adapalene-Treatment-60-day-supply/dp/B07HKVBRCF/ (I have also seen Differin at Safeway, Longs, and Target)
If you're planning on purchasing Differin, here is a really helpful video that explains how to effectively use it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF0Sw_wVqgs
Other habits that I believe have improved my skin is not touching my face when my hands are not clean, changing my pillowcase every other day, exercising and cutting back on dairy.
I think changing your pillowcase is one that gets overlooked all the time. If your pillowcase is dirty, you'll be rolling your face around it all night while sleeping which can lead to your pores getting blocked by sweat and grime that has built up on your pillow. When sleeping, your skin is trying to heal and repair the damage it has gone through throughout the day but if your sleeping environment is dirty, then your skin won't be able to do the repair as efficiently as it could.
I hope this post has been helpful!
Retinoids are any compounds that are related to vitamin A and when applied topically, they can help stimulate collagen growth. Collagen is the main protein that makes up our skin and plays a crucial role in making our skin look elastic and firm. The lack of collagen production as we grow older is one of the main causes of wrinkles. Studies have also shown that retinoids can help in preventing damage caused by the harmful UV rays from the sun.
Like many other ingredients I've discussed in my blogs, retinoids also help by speeding up the skin renewal process. This ensures that our pores stay unclogged which means less acne overall.
Out of all of the ingredients I've discussed before, retinoids are the most potent so it is really important to start out slow when first using this ingredient. If used too excessively, it can lead to many side effects such as dry skin, redness, itchiness, and peeling.
In the first couple of weeks or even the first couple of month of consistently using this product, you may go through something called "purging" which is basically when all of your dormant acne underneath your skin comes to your skin surface. This phase is where people say "this product isn't for me" and stop using the product but it's really important to stick through this phase because it will be worth it in the end.
I've been using a retinoid for over 9 months now and I can say that it has played a crucial role in reducing my acne and improving my overall skin texture. I did purge throughout the first two months which was very discouraging, but I'm so glad that I stuck through it because my skin is better than ever before.
There are many different retinoids available but only one is available over the counter, called Differin (which is what I use). I was first prescribed this by my dermatologist so I definitely recommend talking to your skin care provider before incorporating retinoids into your skincare routine. There are other retinoids that are prescription only so again, I think it'll be best to talk to a skin care professional before making the decision of what Retinoid you'll be using.
Differin: https://www.amazon.com/Differin-Adapalene-Treatment-60-day-supply/dp/B07HKVBRCF/ (I have also seen Differin at Safeway, Longs, and Target)
If you're planning on purchasing Differin, here is a really helpful video that explains how to effectively use it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF0Sw_wVqgs
Other habits that I believe have improved my skin is not touching my face when my hands are not clean, changing my pillowcase every other day, exercising and cutting back on dairy.
I think changing your pillowcase is one that gets overlooked all the time. If your pillowcase is dirty, you'll be rolling your face around it all night while sleeping which can lead to your pores getting blocked by sweat and grime that has built up on your pillow. When sleeping, your skin is trying to heal and repair the damage it has gone through throughout the day but if your sleeping environment is dirty, then your skin won't be able to do the repair as efficiently as it could.
I hope this post has been helpful!
Purging sounds extremely horrifying. I know that it's a sign that your skin may be on it's way to getting fixed but it sounds like a nightmare. No offense or anything. I also didn't know that changing your pillowcase was important. I use the same pillowcase, never thinking about how it would affect my skin.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of retinoids, but I definitely have to look into this. You seem very knowledgeable about skincare:) I like that you pointed out changing your pillowcase. I sometimes forget, and this was a nice reminder.
ReplyDelete