Don't use topical products such as retinol, Retin-A, retinoids, and glycolic acid for at least two days before the procedure. Avoid drinking alcohol 48 – 72 hours before your procedure – Save the happy hour for another night rather than the night before your treatment.
For a minimum of 3 days post-treatment, avoid using anything perceived as 'active' skincare. This includes products which contain Retinol, Vitamin C, Hydroxy Acids or Beta Hydroxy Acid. For 24 hours, avoid sunbathing, intentional direct sunlight and tanning beds.
Use Retinol Products
It has been demonstrated that the vitamin A derivative retinol reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. By enhancing the general health and appearance of your skin, using retinol products frequently can aid in extending the life of your Botox treatment.
Some topical products such as Retin-A, Retinols, Glycolic Acid, Retinoids, and Alpha Hydroxy Acid may break your skin, making you susceptible to bruises and infections after the procedure. You should stay away from topical products starting three days before Botox treatment.
It is strongly recommended that you do not use any facial scrubs or retinol based creams or exfoliating creams for at least 48 hrs after your filler injection. It may leave your skin irritated.
Avoid any additional facial treatments, such as massages, chemical peels or microdermabrasion, within 24 hours of your appointment. You may also wish to avoid using makeup and other topical creams like Retin A for at least 24 hours after botox injections.
It can take several weeks before you'll start to see results from retinol, and your skin may look worse before it gets better, so try not to get discouraged. Start slowly and increase your use of retinol gradually.
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
The results from Botox last anywhere between 2-6 months; the average result lasts about 3-4 months. Why does Botox eventually stop working? Your body makes new neurotransmitters all the time, so the “blocking” effect of Botox gradually wears off as these chemicals start circulating in your body again.
Botox wearing off at six weeks is a little earlier than expected and there may be several reasons for this. Receiving too little Botox or not having the Botox injected directly into the muscle belly may result in shorter lengths of effect.
"If you're overusing your retinol, or if you're using a retinol that's too strong for you, it can lead to peeling, irritation, and excessive dryness, which may have led to retinol's association with skin thinning," says Dr. Icecreamwala. "This will make your skin look older and accentuate wrinkles."
Be extra gentle when applying skincare products and steer clear of retinol, glycolic acid, and exfoliating agents for 24 to 48 hours post-treatment to minimize the risk of irritation, says Dr. Goldberg.
Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain antibiotics (including aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, polymyxin), anticoagulants (such as warfarin), Alzheimer's disease drugs (such as galantamine, rivastigmine, tacrine), myasthenia gravis drugs (such as ambenonium, pyridostigmine), quinidine.
"It is best to avoid other drying agents when using retinoids such as toners, astringents, and medicated cleansers. These products cause further irritation," mentioned Dr. Lipner. Instead, consider piling on rich, creamy moisturizers to counteract any dryness that may occur.
Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.
Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
You see, retinol impacts your skin's normal function, and when you stop it your skin has to re-learn how to regulate itself properly again. So typically when people stop using it they experience either bad acne or bad dryness for a few weeks afterwards.
With repeated use, retinol products begin to thin out your skin and will eventually make you more susceptible to UVA rays. If you're not wearing adequate SPF all the time, with passing years you'll have more melasma, more discoloration... Plus, they can be way too harsh on the skin, even if you don't feel the redness.
“This will make your skin look older and accentuate wrinkles” — which is probably not what you're going for when you start using the stuff. And there's no question that retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Retinol can penetrate deep into your skin's layers to activate collagen and elastin, which give your skin structure and support to prevent wrinkles. You can apply products that contain retinoids at home directly onto your skin as you would a lotion or a moisturizer.
Regulations. All-trans retinoic acid (Tretinoin) is banned for use in cosmetics in the EU.
Regardless of your skin type or which product you use first, a layer of moisturizer should always be applied after retinoids.