Monday, April 4, 2011

Apply Retinol carefully—more is actually worse

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is used to combat acne as well as the signs of aging by spurring skin turnover and increasing collagen.

It is available in prescription-strength formulas through a dermatologist, but can also be found in lower concentrations in cosmetics and creams. Although people might be tempted to apply it often, Dr. Schweiger says that will only irritate the skin more.

"People used to think that to get the benefits of Retinol, the skin had to really peel. But really, this is just a side effect of using it too much," he says.

"Instead, I recommend to most patients to use it three times a week. They see fewer side effects and might avoid that redness and peeling we associate with it."

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