Retinol helps with both anti-aging and acne, among other skin issues. It can leave your skin silky smooth, however, before you get to this point, you may experience a period known as the Retinol Uglies. As the name implies, this refers to the period of time when you first start using retinol and your skin gets worse before it starts getting better. 

However, since your skin does get worse at first, you may wonder whether or not the retinol uglies are normal or a sign that you should break up with your retinol. You may also wonder just how long the retinol uglies should last. Here is what you need to know about whether or not the retinol uglies are normal and about how long they last. Let’s get into it!

First Off: Are The Retinol Uglies Normal?

In short: yes. 

The retinol uglies are very common for people who first start using retinol. Retinol uglies are also known as retinol irritation or retinization. They’re natural and a sign that your retinol is working, but nonetheless, they’re not a pleasant period of time. 

The retinol uglies are especially prevalent on areas of the face where the skin is thinnest, such as around your nose and mouth. Symptoms may be helped with appropriate skincare measures.

However, whether or not you experience the retinol uglies depends on the strength of the retinol you’re using, your skin, and how you’re looking after your skin while also using retinol. If you’re using a low-strength retinol and you don’t really suffer from skin issues like dryness or sensitivity, you may not experience the retinol uglies at all. 

Why Do The Retinol Uglies Happen?

Retinol is a form of vitamin A applied topically. It increases skin cell turnover and exfoliation for healthy new skin cells. What this means is that when you first start retinol or when you increase the strength of the retinol that you’re using, this can temporarily worsen your skin as it increases cell turnover. 

Basically, your skin is purging the dead skin and bacteria which can temporarily trigger problems like acne, flaking, peeling, and more. The retinol uglies are the definition of it gets worse before it gets better.  People with sensitive and/or dry skin experience worse retinol uglies for longer. 

However, once your skin is done purging, your skin should be smoother, clearer, and brighter than it was before. Patience and consistency are key. 

How Long Do The Retinol Uglies Last?

This depends. The retinol uglies can last anywhere from a few days to over a month, depending on your skin type, how often you use the retinol, and the concentration of retinol used. Flare-ups typically last about 4-8 weeks, or 1-2 cell cycles. 

However, if yours lasts longer than this, this could mean something deeper is going on, you should talk to your dermatologist. Bear in mind that if you have sensitive or dry skin, you may experience worse retinol uglies for longer. 

What Can You Do To Minimize The Retinol Uglies?

If you’re experiencing the retinol uglies, you may be tempted to hole yourself up in your home like a chrysalis, waiting for the transformation to complete before you show your face in public again. However, given how long the retinol uglies can last, this isn’t exactly possible for most people. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do in order to minimize the retinol uglies, such as:

• Drinking plenty of water
• Applying the retinol at night
• Wearing sunscreen (retinol increases skin sensitivity to sun)
• Starting with a low retinol percentage
• Exfoliating gentler
• Using a hydrating moisturizer and a hydrating cleanser 
• Using a facial steamer to help get rid of bacteria
• Avoiding using AHAs, BHAs, harsh scrubs, astringents, vitamin C, and the like with retinol, as the combination can dry out/irritate the skin 
• Doing a retinol sandwich – moisturizer, retinol, moisturizer

You may need to stop retinol use for at least a week before getting certain treatments, like facials, chemical peels, waxing, etc, since it increases skin sensitivity.

Should You Stop Using Retinol If You Get The Uglies?

It’s understandable to want to stop using retinol during the purging period. However, if you stop, this will also stop the purging process, causing it to start all over again if you go back to retinol. Instead, you may use a lower strength and gradually increase the strength as your skin acclimates to the retinol. 

You may also switch to using retinol 2-3 times a week and slowly increasing the usage to every day as your skin gets used to it. 

If you experience intense redness, peeling, or burning, stop immediately and talk to your dermatologist.

Aesthetic Solutions To Improve Your Skin

Intermountain Aesthetics provides all sorts of aesthetic treatments to improve your skin, including skincare products. From chemical peels to injectables and more, we’re here to help you feel confident in your skin. Contact us today to learn more about our skincare solutions and how we can help you achieve the skin of your dreams. 

Normal acne is already a pain, but although you can sometimes feel a particularly large whitehead, they’re seldom painful. Sometimes, they can be when you pop them, but for the most part, normal acne takes a hit more on your self-confidence than anything else. Cystic acne on the other hand? This does hurt. Even if you don’t try to pop cystic acne, it can still be painful, especially if you accidentally touch it. And if you do try to pop it… More likely than not, you’re well aware of just how much this worsens the pain. 

Why is this? What sets cystic acne apart from your more run-of-the-mill whiteheads and blackheads? Why is this type of acne so much more persistent, longer lasting, and painful?

Here’s what you need to know about this type of acne and why it tends to hurt so much worse than other types of acne. Let’s get into it!

What Is Cystic Acne?

Cystic acne is a type of acne where the pimples form deep under your skin. It is the most severe type of acne, and is more likely to result in acne scarring than whiteheads or blackheads are. Like whiteheads and blackheads, acne cysts form when your pores become clogged with bacteria, oil, dead skin cells, and other such things. 

Why Are Acne Cysts So Painful?

You know how your typical acne can be painful, especially when you go to pop it? This is due to inflammation. Acne cysts are so much more painful than your typical acne pimples because they have more inflammation. They are also deeper under the skin and closer to your nerves. The larger the pimple or the cyst, the more inflammation there is, and so the more painful they are likely to be.

Since acne cysts are generally much larger than your standard whitehead, it’s no wonder that they hurt so much more! Especially when they do not come to a head but stay under your skin. 

Why Does Trying To Pop Them Make Them Hurt Worse?

As much as we know we shouldn’t, many of us are guilty of popping pimples. After all, why deal with a white dot on your face when you can simply pop it? Wouldn’t popping pimples help them to heal faster?

In truth, popping pimples and trying to pop acne cysts can actually make them worse – both pain-wise and acne-wise. This is because when you get acne – whether they be pimples or cysts – this is your body trying to get rid of buildup in your pores. The acne is the result of your body trying to push said buildup out. 

When you pop a pimple or try to pop an acne cyst, what you’re doing is reversing the progress that your body has made. If the pimple has come to a head, this might not seem so obvious – after all, you just got some of the pus and gunk out. However, that’s only part of the buildup. Popping or attempting to pop acne cysts pushes at least some of the buildup back down into your skin, which worsens the infection – and your pain.

What Can You Do To Make Acne Cysts Hurt Less?

You’re going to hate us for this, but you already know one of the most important things you can do to help your skin clear up: don’t pick at it! If you find yourself struggling to break the habit of picking at pimples and acne cysts, you may consider popping a pimple patch over them. 

These come in a variety of colors and shapes and many are clear, so that you can wear them out and about. Not only do these cover your pimples and acne cysts up to prevent picking tendencies, but they also help to draw the buildup out. 

You will also want to practice proper skincare. This means cleansing your face and moisturizing your skin. If you struggle with acne, especially cystic acne, it can be tempting to overdo it on the skincare, as it would appear to make sense that the more you cleanse your skin, the sooner the acne will be gone. In truth, over-cleansing your skin can irritate it and worsen inflammation – which could make your pain even worse!

You can pop an anti-inflammatory painkiller, both to help with the pain and to bring the inflammation down. 

If you struggle with cystic acne and nothing that you do seems to work, it’s important to seek out the help of a dermatologist. This type of acne comes with a higher risk of scarring, so it’s important to treat it carefully. 
Intermountain Aesthetics provides a variety of acne treatments. We will assess your individual situation in order to determine the best course of action for you. To learn more about how we can help you with your acne, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment.

Many people have heard the term pores and understand that pores influence the overall appearance of the skin, though few understand precisely what pores are. Understanding what pores are will help to understand how they impact the appearance of skin, as well as the health of the skin. Pores are a regular structure of the skin and provide vital functions. It is important to keep in mind that the base size of pores is often determined based on genetics, though there are steps that you can take to minimize the appearance of your pores. Taking these steps will help to keep your skin healthier and allow you to maintain a better appearance. Here at Intermountain Aesthetics MD Spa, we provide many different services to help keep your skin in the best condition possible. Enhancing the health of your pores can go a long way toward preventing acne breakouts from occurring.

What are Pores?

Pores are an integral part of the skin structure that are essentially miniscule holes in the skin. They are generally invisible to the naked eye. There are two different types of pores. Sweat pores provide access to the sweat glands, while hair follicles provide access to the oil glands. These various types of pores allow oil and sweat to reach the surface of the skin. Regularly functioning pores contribute to healthy skin, as they allow for healthy moving of liquids in and out of the skin. However, when pores become clogged, they can lead to the development of acne. Whenever issues occur with your pores, it can be exceptionally helpful to consult a knowledgeable skincare professional.

The Causes of Large Pores

There are many different things that contribute to the expansion of pores. The basic size of pores is often due to genetics. Additionally, men tend to have larger pores than women. They also generally have oilier skin than women, which can lead to clogs in the pores. It is important to keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different, so it may require some experimentation to find the best product for your particular situation. Hormonal changes and skin hygiene also have a significant impact on the size of pores. When the skin produces excessive oil, the pores of the skin expand in order to accommodate the extra oil, which can create issues with the appearance of the skin.

Environmental factors can similarly impact the size of pores. For example, a hot and humid climate will result in an increase of oil production and sweat, which can clog the pores and cause them to enlarge. Alternatively, cold and dry air will dry out the skin. This will cause the oil glands in the pores to overcompensate, which can lead to excessive oil production, which will clog the skin. Pores tend to get larger with age, as the skin loses elasticity and is less capable of tightening. Sun damage can also cause issues with the size, health, and appearance of pores in the skin.

How to Minimize Pores

Though the general size of pores is often based on genetics, there are some steps that can be taken to help reduce the size of pores. For example, many pores expand because they have become clogged. Removing these clogs will help to reduce pores to their original sizes. It is important to follow a healthy skin routine to remove pollutants from your pores. Cleanse your skin daily to remove dirt and debris from the skin. Exfoliating is another vital component in minimizing the size of pores. This process helps to remove dead skin cells from the skin, which can prevent them from clogging the surface of the skin. Keep in mind that exfoliating should generally only be done twice a week, as over exfoliating the skin can lead to damage. It is additionally important to remove makeup from the skin before going to bed, as the makeup can lead to clogs in the pores when it isn’t removed effectively.

Eating more healthily can reduce oil production, which can similarly keep the pores clear of debris. Certain creams can also help to improve the health of the skin, though many of the ideal creams will depend primarily on recommendation from your dermatologist. They will also be able to prescribe stronger creams to provide further benefits to the skin. It is incredibly important to use sunscreen daily to prevent the skin from sustaining damage from UV rays. You should ensure that you moisturize your skin on a daily basis, as skin that is allowed to dry out will likely overcompensate when it comes to oil production. Many moisturizers contain SPF, which can further help to protect your skin. Staying hydrated is a great way to keep your skin in superior condition. Laser treatments and facials can further help to improve the appearance, health, and condition of the skin.

How Pores Impact Acne

Pores allow oil and sweat to escape onto the surface of the skin. When these secretions plug the pores, they can cause many issues. This depends primarily on the size and inflammation level of the pore, but they often turn into either blackheads or whiteheads. Without removing the debris from the pore, these issues can develop into pimples or even more severe inflammations of the skin. Acne commonly occurs on the face, but it may also occur on the back, neck, shoulders, chest, and upper arms. Issues with acne tend to indicate issues with the pores of the skin. Keeping your pores healthy and free of secretion clogs can go a long way toward improving the appearance and condition of the skin.

Contact Us Today

Here at Intermountain Aesthetics MD Spa, we offer a broad selection of services to enhance the appearance and health of the skin. These services can go a long way toward providing rejuvenated, younger looking skin that will completely enhance your appearance. To learn more about the services that we offer, or how pores impact the functionality and appearance of your skin, contact our experts today!