Skin Saviours: Retinol

In this month’s Skin Saviours blog, we’ll be shining the spotlight on retinol. Regarded as one of the most effective skincare ingredients, you can find products containing retinol everywhere, from specialist clinics to high street shelves, including our skincare clinic in Hampshire. However, with so much buzz around this anti-ageing ingredient and such a wide variety of options for the consumer, many people can be left feeling a bit… confused. So, what should people know about retinol?

At the Dr Tanja Phillips Medical Aesthetic Clinic, we think it’s important for our patients to feel confident and well informed about the services and products we offer. As providers of ZO Skin Health, they offer a selection of retinol containing products so we’d like to take things back to basics and lift the lid on this wonder ingredient for you.

What is retinol?

Retinol is a type of retinoid, which derives from Vitamin A. Retinoids come in a range of different strengths so it’s important to be well informed about the concentration and its effects prior to application. Retinol often requires users to build up tolerance to it, by slowly introducing it into their skincare regime over time and preferably under the guidance of a skincare specialist.

What are the benefits of retinol?

• Increased skin cell turnover
• Collagen stimulation
• Improved pigmentation and skin tone
• Skin plumping
• Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
• Skin firmness
• Reduction in blemishes

What are the common effects of retinol on the skin?

Retinol often needs to be slowly added into a skincare routine. As the skin reacts and builds up tolerance, redness and flaking of the skin may occur. Rest assured that this is a temporary effect and as you work through your retinol introduction, it will settle over the course of a few weeks.

Are retinol products suitable for everyone?

Unfortunately, not. Retinoids can cause sensitivity and adverse effects for people with dry skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Always seek advice from a skincare specialist if you have any questions or concerns about your skin health.

Retinol rules

SPF is essential!

If you do not already use sun protection daily, then kick starting your retinol journey is the perfect reason to start. Retinol can make the skin more fragile and therefore more photosensitive. Using a high SPF (we recommend Heliocare 360 with an SPF 50) daily will ensure you stay safe and your skin health is not compromised.

Avoid AHAs. It’s not always the more the merrier with skincare. If you’re already using AHAs on the skin, it’s best to stop these before starting to introduce retinol into your regime. The combination of these products may cause sensitivity and irritation.

Our top product picks

Finally, here are two of our  favourite ZO Skin Health products containing retinol.

Daily Power Defence

This is a safe-to-use daily cream, packed with ingredients to promote skin health. It is formulated with a combination of low dose retinol, enzymes, and antioxidants. This lightweight cream helps to repair damaged skin cells and protect the skin against future damage.

Daily Power Defence promotes collagen production, it uses DNA repair enzymes to enhance your skin’s recovery capability and encourages cellular activity to aid skin cell repair. The special enzymes in this serum attach directly to your own DNA molecules and repair oxidative damage such as skin pigmentation caused by UV exposure.

Radical Night Repair

As the name suggests, this packs more of a punch! Containing 1% retinol, this high potency formula helps to improve skin texture and uneven pigmentation, whilst minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Skin appears brighter and more youthful and vitamins C, E and A provide antioxidant protection to prevent future skin ageing. Introducing Radical Night Repair into your skincare routine will require guidance by a skincare specialist to ensure you have a smooth transition into using this high potency retinol.

The Dr Tanja Phillips Medical Aesthetic Clinic is a specialist aesthetic and skincare clinic in Hampshire who offers individual skin consultations, assessing your skin prior to advising you on the right skin care regime for you.

We specialise in effective, bespoke skincare routines that can address a multitude of skin concerns and complaints, as well as combating the ageing process. If you would like to learn more about retinol or you would like to book a skincare consultation, please contact us.