Does using things like acid toners , peels , retinol damage skin over time?

[Destinysdaughter]

I've never used any of them as I have sensitive skin prone to redness and I don't tan, if I'm on holiday I wear factor 50. So I'm a bit concerned about products that seem to be ripping off a layer of your skin and requires you to wear SPF daily. Not criticising anyone who uses them, but since I seem to have pretty thin skin anyway, I am not tempted to use them .Well actually I am, but am too concerned about the long term effects!

What do pp think ?

I can't use anything even vaguely anti ageing not even rose hip oil as I have a reaction to it. Over time my skin just gets redder and redder and then I give whatever extortionate product I bought to my mum. Some moisturisers have them in without advertising as anti ageing - I try to avoid but can always tell. So yeah, not for me sadly. I shall just have to age I guess

I'm in my 40's now and having always used retinol, acid toners from my early 30's, I suddenly now can't use them without them causing a reaction, dermatitis/eczema type reaction.

I feel the same op. My skin is thin and I worry about thinning it further, making it more vulnerable to uvas and threadveins, rosacea etc. I won't even steam my skin. Plus I hate that look peely people get where the face doesn't match the neck.

I agree, taking off the top layer of your skin can't be too good for things like UV damage, even if used in conjunction with a high SPF.

Someone who posts here regularly mentioned that her use of acid peels, even with a high spf, could have been behind a skin growth she had removed.

I think things like acid peels can be used short term with extreme caution on a limited area to help solve particular problems e.g. light scaring. I also think things containing a bit of salicylic acid can be used as need to help clear up a bad spot. But long term all over is asking for trouble I think.

Yes. You can certainly do damage.

Pass. I use acid toners maybe twice a week and retinol every 2-3 days. I have acne prone skin though and can chuck anything at it (mostly!) without it reacting. On the other hand I can burn wearing factor 50 so...
I guess there's the thought that it could make people wear SPF who wouldn't usually do so and therefore are actually protecting their skin more?

Retinoids can be used to treat some pre-cancerous skin lesions and I think there is some evidence that they can protect from squamous and basal cell skin cancers. But obviously important to wear spf.

I think overuse of acids can age skin.
SPF isn't 100% effective and also need reappplyingb regularly which almost no one does on an average day.
I do think some people are going overboard with the the cleansing, acids and retinols. But it is like any fashion it will pass once people's skin reacts or drys out a bit too much.
The worst is the non - dermatologist doctors who are trying to sell stuff.

Don't retinoids increase collegen which can thicken skin though?

God, it's a minefield...

Apparently so by the actual published evidence is thin and in the meantime it does cause skin to peel if you whack on lots.
It also comes with an spf warning and to not go out in the sun.
if someone could find a decent peer reviewed paper that might convince me!

I do use retinol 2% but just once a week and acids a little, but low concentration and not everyday. They do seem to work so I think it is easy to overdo it!

I feel this even about using linen face cloths as a scrub. That's the most I do. Or seems to me that the rest is akin to stripping off a layer of skin and I might need it for some reason!

I've had sensitive skin ever since I went through a phase of trying out a lot of new products, so I agree with you.

Sun damage is supposed to be one of the worst things you can do to your skin, so any advice to use a product with an SPF would set alarm bells ringing for me (unless it was short term and to treat a specific condition).

And although I'm no scientist, I can't help wondering whether that extra layer of skin is there for a reason.

My skin likes enzyme-type stuff but not acid type stuff. At least not the stronger acids. Lactic acid is ok.

I live acid peels. They keep my rosacia in check. I am not convinced not to do it just cos some random on the internet says 'you can certainly do damage'. Is there any evidence out there that these treatments are harmful?

Love not live. I'm not that keen

There's plenty of evidence that sun damage is very harmful indeed.

Yes, I know, I have used factor 25 pretty much every day for the last 25 years. I am wondering though if there is any evidence that using acid peels is damaging?

Well I think the onus should be on them to provide evidence that they're safe, not the other way round. The fact that some of them advise you to use an SPF is quite enough to warn me off.

I was using pixi glow and retinols and then got the most awful dermatitis on my face, It spread around my eye and down my nose to my mouth. It was dreadful. I switched to very basic LRP and bioderma which cleared it up, and my skin is glowing now, even though I am using only 4 basic products rather than the multiple, v expensive products I used to use. I would never go back and will stick to the French pharmacy brands in future.

I had some cosmetic interventions last year and as part of the aftercare the clinician recommended using retinol and glycolic products. My understanding was they encourage cell renewal so improve condition long term? I do have quite sensitive skin so it took a few weeks of spots and dry flaky patches to build up to using the retinol regularly but I am delighted with it now. It has evened out my skin tone and improved the texture.

She also recommended using SPF 50 every day but at this time of the year I am often only out in daylight for 10-20 minutes so I haven't been as diligent about that.