Retinol: how to start without the irritation

What retinol is, and what it can help with

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. Once it's absorbed, your skin converts it, step by step, into the form it can use, which encourages cells to renew more regularly. Over time, that can help skin look smoother and more even, soften the look of fine lines, refine rough texture and help keep pores clearer.

It works gradually, so use it regularly for around three months before deciding whether it suits you. Results vary from person to person. Stronger forms of vitamin A are only available on prescription and aren't covered here.

Retinyl esters, retinol and retinal

You'll see a few names on labels. Think of them as a scale from gentle to more active:

• Retinyl esters, such as retinyl palmitate, are the gentlest, because your skin has more steps to convert them. They can suit very sensitive skin.
• Retinol is the most familiar and comes in a range of strengths. A low strength is the right place to begin.
• Retinal, also called retinaldehyde, is one step closer to the form your skin uses, so it tends to work faster. It often suits people who already use retinol comfortably.

Why the first few weeks can feel uncomfortable

As your skin gets used to retinol, you may notice dryness, light flaking, tightness, mild redness or a little tingling, and some people get a few extra spots at first. This usually peaks in the first two to four weeks and eases as your skin adjusts.

Discomfort is a sign to slow down, not to push through. What I tell my clients is that a higher percentage isn't automatically better: the formula, how often you use it and how your skin responds matter more. Burning, swelling, broken skin or a rash aren't part of the process, so stop using it and speak to us, or to a pharmacist or your GP if the reaction is severe.

A gentle way to start

This is a sensible starting point, which your practitioner can adjust for your skin:

• Weeks one and two: a pea-sized amount for the whole face, two evenings a week, on clean, dry skin.
• Weeks three and four: three evenings a week, if your skin feels comfortable.
• After that: every other evening, and nightly only if your skin is happy with it.
• Keep it away from the corners of your eyes and nose, and from your lips.
• Follow with a simple moisturiser. If your skin is sensitive, apply moisturiser before and after to cushion it.
• Keep exfoliating acids and scrubs for other evenings, or pause them while you start.
• If you miss an evening, just carry on as normal. Don't double up.
• Wear SPF 30 or higher every morning, all year round.

Retinol and your clinic treatments

Retinol goes on in the evening because light breaks it down, and it needs pausing before some treatments. Depending on the treatment, our practitioners ask you to stop it for anything from 48 hours to a week beforehand, with a week usual before chemical peels and microneedling. Avoid waxing any area where you use retinol, as the skin can lift, and your practitioner will tell you when to restart after a treatment.

ZO Skin Health and AlumierMD both make retinol products, and we stock both. Rather than guessing, let your practitioner choose the product and strength at a skin analysis or a ZO Skin Health skin consultation, so it fits with the rest of your routine and any treatments you have planned.

Who should not use retinol, or should check first

Most skin professionals advise against retinol if you're pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding, so please stop and tell us, and your practitioner can suggest alternatives. Speak to us before starting if you have eczema, rosacea or very sensitive skin. If you take or have recently taken prescription skin medication, tell us at your consultation, because it can change what's suitable. Don't apply retinol to broken, sunburnt or irritated skin.