How many years can retinol take off?!
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free skin care · Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:31 pm

I've checked out some before and after pictures but I'm just getting worried that I have left it too late to get the best possible reduction in aging. I've been reading that many people start using them at 22, sometimes earlier and they end up having better skin than age 21 when they're 26!
I'm 30s now and just wonder if I could ever get my mid 20s skin back..
I guess it depends on individuals but what has everyone's "reduction in years" been from using it?

free skin care · Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:48 am

Its never too late! I think I was around 30 when I started but I started because of acne I dont know I would have know enough then to start for anti-aging.

I think its hard to measure how much it has helped because I also use other things that help, particularly sunscreen which most important and antioxidant serums.

I think the 3 best things you can do to prevent premature aging are:
*Sunscreen - must use sunscreen, if you dont then dont bother with retinols
*Retinols
*Antioxidant serums

free skin care · Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:49 am

I would think that different people would have different results. Don't worry that you are starting too late, just get started. There are many good threads on this board about how to use retin A, and the people here will answer your questions the best they can. You really improve your skin a great deal with proper skin care, diet, sleep, suncreen, and topicals including retin A.

free skin care · Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:57 pm

There are so many factors involved. But actually, just using sunscreen makes a huge difference. A study was done using prisoners to test skincare, and they found that they were able to reverse some of the effects of sun damage. So just stopping the ongoing damage from the sun may be enough to partially reverse it.

Cleaning up your diet, especially eliminating sugar, can make the appearance of your skin turn around. Eating a higher-quality, nutrient-rch diet in general. Think of a dog who has been badly nourished, how bad its coat looks, and the improvement in that coat when the dog is put on a better-quality diet.

We never get back the skin we had in the past, because we are no longer that person. But with dedication and intelligently focussed efforts, our skin can look its very best.

free skin care · Sat Aug 22, 2009 3:05 am

I started using retin-a about 5 months ago. I will say of all things I have used since joining this forum almost a year ago, it has been the single most effective product I have used. I am absolutely thrilled with the results even at almost 39 years old. I cannot really pinpoint exactly how many years I may have visually taken off my skin. If I had to throw out a guess, I would say my skin looks like my early 30's again but in some ways (color/tone wise) it looks better. I know some may say early 30's big deal, but, I've truly been blessed with good skin genes....not so much from my father's side of the family, but my mothers side. So early 30's for myself, I still looked like a baby Laughing

... Mom was adopted so she is all we have to go by, but she has always looked younger than her age (even her hair at 63, no grey!) so she has got something going on with her side of the family. But my issue has been damage from smoking, I could see what it was doing superficially to my skin and I was getting that smoker look upon close inspection (by me of course!) but retin-a has really taken care of that problem and my skin looks so smooth....I couldn't be more pleased with it thus far. Even at my age, I still get taken for being in my 20's....funny considering I have an 18 year old son!!! ha ha...

free skin care · Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:08 am

GirlieGirl wrote:

Its never too late! I think I was around 30 when I started but I started because of acne I dont know I would have know enough then to start for anti-aging.

I think its hard to measure how much it has helped because I also use other things that help, particularly sunscreen which most important and antioxidant serums.

I think the 3 best things you can do to prevent premature aging are:
*Sunscreen - must use sunscreen, if you dont then dont bother with retinols
*Retinols
*Antioxidant serums

I started using all of the above in my early 30 and I've seen positive affects. I was so amazed how good I looked that I went through a faze where I've stopped wearing makeup completely. I was so happy to have improved skin tone, smooth skin and my pores looked better. Then I got the Clarisonic brush two years ago or so and that improved my skin even more.

free skin care · Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:24 am

Omg, I'm starting way later than that!!!!!

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