Why should we use retinol in our 20’s 

Skin ageing is no joke. It is the hard hitting fact of life that one cannot deny or escape from. While there  is not much one can do with the ageing signs that come over the years, preventing or slowing them  down is a definite possibility. There are two ways to slow down skin ageing. One is preventive and the  other one is reversal. Skin ageing reversal is a way longer process, and one that may not necessarily  bring back your skin, exactly to its former taut glory. Whereas, preventing the early signs of premature  ageing in the first place, keeps your youthful looking skin for really long time. Not all signs of ageing are  wrinkles and creases. Let us first learn and know, what the early signs of premature ageing are.  

• Dry skin 

• Enlarged pores 

• Fine lines 

• Wrinkles 

• Sagging skin 

• Loss in volume  

There are various external and environmental stressors that create a havoc with our skin. While with  those stressors, one can’t do much, there are a few factors that can be controlled by us. Some common  reasons for skin ageing are excessive alcohol intake, frequent smoking, regular use of tobacco, excess  sun exposure, repetitive facial expressions, not enough moisturization, erratic sleeping schedule, bad  food habits, bad quality make up products, not cleansing your face well etc. It may come as a surprise  but, the first signs of skin ageing, can start as early as your mid 20’s. There may be a few telltale signs  here and there, signs people often choose to ignore or may be, even ignorant about. So, how should  one, go about dealing with the changes in your skin?? Retinol is the answer to all your skin queries.  

Retinol, Retinoids and Retin-A are all quite similar, and all share the same key components. They are  Vitamin A derivatives, which is a fat soluble vitamin from the Vitamin A family. This one hardly needs an  introduction as it plays a highly important role if you are a keen skin care enthusiast. For those who  don’t know it’s heroic benefits, worry not. Let us break it down, just for you. 

• Reduces Acne 

Our body produces it’s own natural oil, also known as Sebum, which coats our skin and hair. When this oil is produced in excessive quantities, it plugs up hair follicles along with the dead skin cells, making it  the perfect place for all kinds of bacterial skin infections. Some other factors that weigh in, to sensitize  our skin are high humidity levels, stress, genetics, hormonal imbalances etc. Our dead skin cells shed in a  

regular cycle of around 27 days, but retinol speeds up this process and increases the turnover rate, thus  unclogging the grime and oil stuffed pores, leaving your skin acne free and smooth.  

• Reduces enlarged pores 

Enlarged pores on our faces might seem unsightly and make our skin look uneven and bumpy. There are  multiple reasons for our pores to appear larger, over the years. Genetics, Sun damage, grime and oil  clogged pores or even age are some common factors for the same. People with an oily skin type are  more likely to face this issue. The excess oil and dirt gets trapped in the hair follicles, making them 

appear larger. Another common and major reason being age. As we age, our skin produces lesser  amounts of collagen and elastin, causing our skin to sag and making our pores appear noticeably bigger.  Using retinol, increases the collagen and elastin production, making our skin firmer and the pores to  appear smaller. Another effective way retinol helps us is by speeding up the skin cell turnover rate,  which exfoliates the grime accumulated pores, making our pores look minute, just the way we want it!  

• Lightens Age Spots and Dark Spots 

The benefits of using retinoids are actually miraculous, but they don’t happen overnight. Diligent and  consistent use of retinol boosts collagen and elastin production, and lightens those dark pigmented  patches on your skin. Skin inflammation is another cause for the post inflammatory hyper pigmentation.  Another common and major reason for pigmentation is prolonged and regular exposure to sunlight. The  harmful UVA and UVB rays, amp up the melanin production, that causes dark spots, also known as liver  spots. Retinol is a super efficient way to brighten and lighten dark patches. Studies also indicate,  retinoids are more effective on darker skin tones, than lighter ones.  

• Wrinkle free skin 

Some people may argue that wrinkles on our face add more definition and character to us. Well, we  believe our character can still reflect through our personality. While age is still one of the most  prominent reasons for those lines and creases, some other factors include, sun exposure, pollution,  repetitive facial expressions, genetics, unhealthy lifestyles etc. Age among other factors reduces the  collagen production of our skin, causing it to loose it’s elasticity and sag. Retinol not only prevents the  skin from sagging but it also helps reversing the saggy skin. It boosts the collagen production, making  your skin look plumper and smoother. 

Our skin is far more resilient in our former years, it can take on a tougher beating and can still recover  faster and more efficiently. Choosing the right skin care products can make all the difference, in how  your skin ages. And the correct skin care product can be as easily accessible to you, as picking up your  book from your night stand. So pick up that retinol, and give your skin a little love.