Views: 9650 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-12-01 Origin: Site
About Retinol (Vitamin A)
As a mainstream anti-aging ingredient, retinol can be found in all major brands and categories. It is indeed effective in anti-aging and lightening wrinkles! However, some people's skin may become red or even peel and become damaged during the period of tolerance.
So, is it safe to use? For long term use?
01-New Rule
Let’s first understand the concentration regulations of vitamin A (retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate). In June this year, the European Union submitted a document to the WTO to limit the concentration of facial retinol to 0.3%, and the equivalent conversion of other derivatives to 0.3%. Note that this is not a ban on retinol, but a restriction on the concentration of vitamin A, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate in cosmetics. The maximum concentration for facial products is 0.3%, and the maximum concentration for body products is 0.3%. The concentration is 0.05%.
SCCS Report
02-Why Limit Concentration?
The upper limit set by the European Union is to prevent the overall intake of vitamin A ingredients from food + cosmetics from exceeding the standard. Long-term abuse of vitamin A products carries the risk of poisoning, not irritation or peeling as some media say. SCCS referred to a lot of experimental data when determining this launch, such as the average dietary intake of vitamin A by the EU population, the average amount of facial cream used by EU users each time is 1.22g, body lotion 4.42g, and the absorption rate of vitamin A products is about 7.7 % and other data, the result of comprehensive calculation.
03-Is 0.3% concentration effective?
The minimum effective concentration of A acid is 0.025%. According to the conversion rate, the minimum effective concentration of retinol is about 0.15%, so a concentration of 0.3% retinol is enough for skin care and anti-aging.
Comparison of the wrinkle lightening effect of 0.075% alcohol A after 26 weeks of continuous use▐
In addition, the higher the concentration of alcohol A, the better. In 2019, Malwinas and other scholars led a randomized single-blind controlled study and found that 30 female subjects could significantly improve wrinkles by using retinol at concentrations of 0.15% and 0.3% on the face for eight weeks, with no effect. significant difference.
After 7 weeks of testing, skin score data▐
At the same time, the trial also compared the effects of 0.3% and 0.5% concentration retinol products. After seven weeks of use, the results showed that there was no significant difference in the effects of the two. However, more people reported serious adverse skin reactions in the 0.5% concentration group.
Therefore, the higher the concentration ≠ the better the effect. The anti-aging effect of alcohol A at a concentration of 0.3% is not twice as strong as that of the 0.15% group; the effect of 0.5% is not much greater than that of 0.3%; on the contrary, the higher the concentration, the more serious the adverse reactions of the skin.
China: The maximum usage level of retinoids in leave-on products is ⩽ 1%.
EU: facial leave-on products ⩽ 0.3%; body lotion ⩽ 0.05%.
United States: facial leave-on products ⩽1%; body lotion not mentioned.
Seeing this, are retinol products safe to use? What concentration of retinol should be used? Do you already know that you need to pay attention to the following points when selecting and using retinol:
1. If you are intolerant to retinol, you can use it with peace of mind. If you are intolerant to it, you can start by reducing the concentration.
2. Retinol is not suitable for everyone. If you cannot build tolerance, there are many other anti-aging ingredients to choose from.
3. The effect of high concentration of retinol is not better, but more irritating; it is effective when the onset concentration is 0.15% or even lower than 0.075%.
4. Retinol products need to be used for at least 2 months before the anti-aging effect is evaluated. Those who tolerate it can be used for a long time.
5. When using retinol products at night, be sure to wear sunscreen during the day.
6. Do not use this product if you are preparing for pregnancy in the near future, expectant mothers, or lactating women.
