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As a user of retinoid creams for over 10 years now, I can firmly attest to their magical, God-sent powers. You may have guessed from my other posts on skincare that acne has been a consistent struggle of mine since high school. I have tried every medication just short of Accutane, and retinoid creams have been the ONLY acne treatment that have managed to keep my skin consistently clear. Using a retinoid cream in my skincare routine, along with my handy-dandy blue light device, and I’ve finally managed to achieve near-perfect, flawless skin.
But retinoid creams aren’t just effective in treating acne. They actually present a MULTITUDE of benefits for users. Read on to see why you should start incorporating a retinoid cream into your beauty routine.
10 reasons why you should start using a retinoid
1. Retinoids increase the production of collagen. Collagen is what keeps your skin elastic and youthful. As we age, we actually produce less of collagen, making retinoids your best anti-aging weapon.
2. They can actually PREVENT skin cancer. Paired with sunscreen, retinoids are fantastic for protecting your skin from sun damage.
3. They prevent AND reduce wrinkles. By encouraging skin cell turnover and promoting new cell growth, retinoids can more effectively target the deeper layers of the skin where wrinkles form.
4. They’ll help clear your acne. Acne is brought on by clogged pores. Retinoids help to slough off those dead skin cells and remove oil and dirt from your pores, so you can say goodbye to acne forever!
5. They decrease oil production. Prone to oily skin? Retinoids can help with that, too!
6. They enhance the radiance of your skin. By thinning the top layer of the skin (the stratum corenum), while thickening the second layer (the epidermis), you’ll see healthier, more luminous skin.
7. They reduce brown spots. For those dark spots that give skin an uneven tone, retinoids help to slough them off, effectively halting melanin (a darker pigment) production.
8. They neutralize free radicals. Retinoid creams are formulated with Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radical damage.
9. They help to fade scars (including those from acne). By continually shedding the dead skin cells and increasing cell turnover, retinoids can fade (or even completely remove over time) superficial scars.
10. They give you baby-smooth skin. Retinoids help to even out your skin texture, smoothing out bumps and unevenness. No need to use that skin-smoothing filter anymore!
Thank you for the advice-I came across your site and think it’s great! I’ll share this with my wife.
Thank you! 🙂 While I’m sure your wife will love it, men can use it, too!
What about things like exposing your skin to sun in solar saunas/gyms where you can be exposed to intense uv rays?
Thanks for your comment, Stacy! 🙂 Yes-you have to be particularly careful when using retinoids, as they increase your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight/UV rays. While retinoids can help to repair, and even reverse sun damage, not protecting your skin from the sun with sunscreen while using a retinoid can lead to more sun damage.