Ten year olds don’t need retinol, but adults do

The Christmas wishlists for some children this past holiday season have been a lot different to those in the past. Children as young as ten were requesting and receiving a wide range of skin care products and treatments, including retinol cream. While a skincare routine can be a great way for people of all ages, including children, to practise self care, retinol cream is not recommended. So why don’t ten year olds need retinol, but adults do? And what are the benefits of retinol cream for adults?

What is retinol?

Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that is a powerful ingredient in a range of creams and serums, helping to tackle the signs of ageing, including fine lines and wrinkles and skin texture problems. While these creams can be very beneficial for adult skin, there are a number of risks associated with this ingredient for young and developing skin. 

Why is retinol cream harmful for children?

• Retinol cream can cause a range of problems for young and developing skin, including:
• Disrupting the skin’s balance
• Damaging the skin 
• Disrupting the skin’s balance 

One of the main problems of using retinol cream as a child or teen is that this can disrupt the natural balance of the skin. Typically, children and young teens have skin that is still resilient and is developing and adapting to the environment. Retinol is a powerful ingredient that can disrupt this natural development and cause problems in the future. In the short term, this can damage the skin’s barrier and cause irritation and skin sensitivity.

Damaging the skin 

In addition to long term disruption to the skin’s development, retinol can be too harsh for developing skin that requires a more gentle skincare routine. When applied, retinol cream can cause children’s skin to become red, dry and even to peel.

What are the benefits of retinol cream for adults?

In contrast, adults can enjoy a range of benefits and advantages from the application of retinol cream. These include:

• Promoting collagen production
• Improving skin texture
• Promoting collagen production 

One of the biggest benefits of retinol creams for adults is that this helps promote the production of collagen. As a natural part of the ageing process, elastin and collagen production slows down, which causes the skin to become thinner and less flexible, leading to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As such, applying retinol cream can help to increase the production of collagen and so reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This helps to restore a youthful appearance. 

Improving skin texture 

In addition to reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, retinol cream can help to improve the texture of the skin. Because adult skin is more resilient than children’s skin, it is able to withstand the harshness of retinol, and this can help to remove dry and dead skin cells, promoting skin regeneration and contributing to smooth and even skin. 

Considerations for retinol cream and alternatives 

While adult skin tends to be more resilient, people with sensitive skin may find that retinol is too harsh and causes skin irritation. 

In addition, using retinol products as an adult should always be carried out with caution. It’s best to start with low concentrations of retinol, and build this up over time, to prevent skin damage and negative effects.

For these reasons there are a number of effective retinol alternatives for adults, as well as products that can be used alongside retinol cream to soothe the skin. 

Choose the Skin and Wellbeing Clinic for your skincare products

Here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic, we are Preston’s leading aesthetic practitioners, and we are also an Approved Retailer for SkinCeuticals. We stock a range of products that can be used alongside retinol creams, or instead of retinol cream, for the best results for your skin. These include:

Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 Cream– This is a powerful moisturiser that is ideal for dry skin and can be used alongside retinol creams and serums.

Retexturing Activator– this is a hydrating and exfoliating serum that is designed to resurface the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and is perfect for those that are sensitive to retinol.

A.G.E. Interrupter– This is a highly effective multi-action cream that improves the appearance of wrinkles, and resolves loss of elasticity. This can be a good alternative to retinol creams.