THINGS TO KNOW WHEN USING VITAMIN A PRODUCTS! Everybody is doing it, so should you? Vitamin A is touted by most professionals to be the holy grail of anti-aging and collagen boosting.  However, choosing what type you use/how you use matters and ultimately has a huge play in your desired outcome.  Vitamin A’s can aid in reduction of lines, wrinkles and acne scars revealing a more glowy look!  At the same time with misuse (specifically Tretinoin)it can wreak havoc on your skin and make you look more old than when you started by creating an inflammatory response!  Yep!  I said what I said! Sooooooo…some things to know:
DOES TRETINOIN REALLY DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET?Yes, it can possibly make your skin red, destroy your barrier and create inflammation in your skin if not used properly.  Tretinoin can yield the best result when used sparingly and consistently.  It is truly not about “working your way up to using it everyday” and suffering while doing so. This approach is called beating your skin like it owes you money. If this is you be prepared to never get paid and look red-faced in the process.As previoulsy mentioned it is VERY important to note that long-term use of “A” can possibly make wrinkles and sagging worse–specifically around the eye area.   Why is this?  Chronic inflammation research shows that overusing can make the dermal tissue smaller and have an affect on the fat pads. You won’t find many people talking about this side effect, but I have seen it firsthand MANY times in my practice.  Smaller dermal tissue=fast aging skin.  And if that is not enough–when you go outside without sunscreen while using “A” your skin will take a double beating.
SO HOW DO I GIVE MY SKIN THE “A” IT NEEDS?If you have ever heard the phrase “slow and steady wins the race?”  This is where the magic happens!  A slow release retinol or encapsulated retinal can provide up to 8 hours of your skin getting a continuous dose of A and YOU getting a GLOW-UP! 
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I USE?There are many factors that go into how often YOU use your slow release retinol or retinal.  What is the current condition of your skin, what is your desired outcome, what other active products are in your routine are just a few questions that you should be asked by your skincare professional.You should begin only using 2-3 times a week in the P.M. for a couple of weeks and then increase from there.  If using a 1% tretinoin, and you have never used before, then it is advised that you only dose your skin 1-3 per week and not more–ever!  If you ever do get a reaction, it is ok to take a break for few days as it does build in your skin and will continue to release in the subsequent days.  Additionally, it is very important to make certain you take a break from using any “A” every 6-8 months for about 3 months.  
DO RETINOLS AND RETINALS REALLY WORK?Retinols work some of the time, not all of the time and here is why.  If you have product occlusion, which is what happens when you use a product that leaves a film, the “A” will not be able to get into the skin. There is a guideline to follow for any active product that you apply after you cleanse and what you should cleanse with.  This instruction should come from your skincare professional.WHAT TO DO IF YOU “FRY” YOUR SKIN FROM OVERUSE!As the “A” begins to work in your skin, it is not uncommon for water loss to occur.  With that being said—-BRING ON THE MOISTURIZING part of your routine.  Lotions that contain the 3 pillars of skin health; barrier repair, balanced microbiome and a good pH.  Other suggestions would be to integrate a high-quality hyaluronic acid or a good pro-biotic mask to use at night. 
CAN I USE “A” IF I HAVE ROSACEA?No.  Any disease that causes inflammation should avoid using “A.”  Unless you have it well under control and know you have a tolerance, please stay away. Find yourself a product that has BIOMEMITIC SCIENCE that will be result oriented and your skin tolerates. Acne also falls under the same category as rosacea.  While it seems to be the prescription of choice for docs, it is not a place to begin when treating acne in my opinion.  However, if you cannot stay away and choose to use it, start with low dose and proceed with caution. It is important to note, that if you are using Retin-A to aid in the management of acne and you get too dry—you have to add moisture through serums only, not heavy moisturizers.
THE USE OF SUNSCREEN IS A MUSTIf this is repeated a 100 times it still wouldn’t be enough. You should be wearing sunscreen regardless if you are using “A,” but especially important if you are.  A physical SPF lotion every day, no matter what.  I love one that has a tint and gives your skin a dewy glow along with protection.  A good option is Radiance by Skinprint.  It provides great protection from the sun, it is water resistant and moisturizing.  It is my go-to on most days when I am rushing out the door and want to look put together!

Everybody is doing it, so should you?

Vitamin A is touted by most professionals to be the holy grail of anti-aging and collagen boosting.  However, choosing what type you use/how you use matters and ultimately has a huge play in your desired outcome.  Vitamin A can aid in reduction of lines, wrinkles and acne scars revealing a more glowy look!  At the same time with misuse (specifically Tretinoin) can wreak havoc on your skin and make you look older than when you started by creating an inflammatory response!  Yep!  I said what I said! Sooooooo…some things to know:

DOES TRETINOIN REALLY DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET?

Yes, it can possibly make your skin red, destroy your barrier and create inflammation in your skin if not used properly.  Tretinoin can yield results for some when used SPAR-ING-LY! The problem is people do not want to use it in this way! It is truly NOT about “working your way up to using it every day” and suffering while doing so. This approach is called beating your skin like it owes you money. If this is you, be prepared to never get paid and look red-faced (compromised barrier) in the process. There are far more superior ways to use “A” while making certain you have healthy skin and build collagen.

As previously mentioned, it is VERY important to note that long-term use of “A” can possibly make wrinkles and sagging worse–specifically around the eye area.   Why is this?  While not conclusive, there is research coming out that overusing can possibly create chronic inflammation. In return this could make the dermal tissue smaller and have an effect on the fat pads. So, this school of thought would be: smaller dermal tissue=fast aging skin.  Adding to that, if you go outside without sunscreen while using “A” your skin will take a double beating.

SO HOW DO I GIVE MY SKIN THE “A” IT NEEDS?

If you have ever heard the phrase “slow and steady wins the race?”  This is where the magic happens!  If using Tretinoin, a pea size 2-3 times a week at most will give you the glow you are seeking—providing you can tolerate. Professionally speaking, the clients I see in my practice are yielding superior results from either an encapsulated or slow-release “A” making this my ultimate choice. A slow-release retinol or encapsulated retinal can provide up to 8 hours of your skin getting a continuous dose of A, YOU get a GLOW-UP without irritation and WITHOUT BARRIER DAMAGE!  Another viable option is selecting a product that uses biomimetic science. More on that later.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I USE?

There are many factors that go into how often YOU use your slow-release retinol or retinal.  What is the current condition of your skin, what is your desired outcome, what other active products are in your routine are just a few questions that you should be asked by your skincare professional.

You should begin only using 2-3 times a week in the P.M. for a couple of weeks and then increase from there.  If you ever do get a reaction (this can even happen with a slow release), it is ok to take a break for few days as it does build in your skin and will continue to release in the subsequent days.  Additionally, it is very important to make certain you take a break from using any “A” every 6-8 months for about 3 months.  

DOES “A” REALLY WORK?

Tretinoin, retinols or retinals work some of the time, not all of the time and here is why.  If you have product occlusion, which is what happens when you use a product that leaves a film, the “A” will not be able to get into the skin. There is a guideline to follow for any active product that you apply after you cleanse and what you should cleanse with.  This instruction should come from your skincare professional.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU “FRY” YOUR SKIN FROM OVERUSE!

As the “A” begins to work in your skin, it is not uncommon for water loss to occur.  With that being said—-BRING ON THE MOISTURIZING part of your routine.  Lotions that contain the 3 pillars of skin health: barrier repair, balanced microbiome and a good ph.  Other suggestions would be to integrate a high-quality hyaluronic acid or a good pro-biotic mask to use at night to bring the skin to a hydrated level.  Without water throughout the layers of your skin (which “A” can take away) your other products will not be able to chemically interact. When ingredients interact with skin, this reaction consumes water. Without water, no reaction can occur. Therefore, no improvement will happen regardless of what kind of ingredient you are using. It could be why you haven’t been getting the results you have been hoping for.

CAN I USE “A” IF I HAVE ROSACEA?

No.  Any disease that causes inflammation should avoid using “A.”  Unless you have it well under control and know you have a tolerance, please stay away. Find yourself a product that has BIOMEMITIC SCIENCE that will be result oriented and your skin tolerates. Acne also falls under the same category as rosacea.  While it seems to be the prescription (Tretinoin) of choice for docs, it is not a place to begin when treating acne in my opinion.  Tretinoin (the creamy, smelly one) has a very pore clogging ingredient. So you can imagine if you apply that to your acne prone skin, it is not going to end well.

THE USE OF SUNSCREEN IS A MUST

If this is repeated 100 times it still wouldn’t be enough. You should be wearing sunscreen regardless of your use of ”A,” but especially important if you are.  A physical SPF lotion every day, no matter what.  I love one that has a tint and gives your skin a dewy glow along with protection.  If seeking a lightweight tint, a perfect option is Radiance by Skinprint.  It provides great protection from the sun; it is water resistant, adjusts to your skin tone, moisturizing and can be used by those that struggle with blemish-prone skin.  It is my go-to on most days when I am rushing out the door and want to look put together! If looking for one that gives more coverage, Intelligent Elixirs Broad Spectrum SPF.