Retinol Cream For Acne - The What, Why and How

Retinoids are a skincare superhero ingredient that can drastically improve acne symptoms, such as breakouts, redness and inflammation, as well as work on fine lines and melasma. They are available as both over the counter and prescription-only creams, with tretinoin being the most powerful. As a prescription-only active ingredient, it’s not available in pharmacies or on the high street. However, WH spoke to dermatologists Dr Elif Benar and Dr Catriona Maybury from Dermatica to find out more about the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of this buzzy ingredient.

'Tretinoin is a fast-forward button for the skin's cell turnover cycle, meaning it will accelerate shedding of old cells and bring fresher ones to the surface. It also increases collagen production, works on pigmentation and reduces pore visibility. It can also be effective at tackling sun-damaged skin, as it can speed up the process of cell repair. However, it can cause some purging - which is when the treatment brings newer, clearer skin cells to the surface and can lead to a few more blackheads or whiteheads,' explains Dr Elif.

As with any prescription-only product, tretinoin should only be used under the supervision of a doctor or dermatologist. Getting to a dermatologist can be difficult in the UK, especially with waiting lists and appointments costing hundreds of pounds. There are online dermatologist services like Get Harley and Skin + Me that can prescribe tretinoin, but these require an extensive digital consultation with a qualified dermatologist beforehand.tretinoin uk