Hi,
Ive been suffering with acne for a very long time. Ive done a Roaccutane course 2 years ago and I had really bad side effects. It took me months to recover.
My dermatologist now gave me a topical cream that has 1% Retinol in it. Im actually a little bit scared to start is, because I dont know if Retinol goes in your blood and because its also a vitamin A could cause the same side effects as Roaccutane did.
So my question is: does anyone know if over the counter Retinol (not Tretinoin) goes in your bloodstream or there are any risks of side effects? I dont want to do any further damage.
Thanks!
There are some concerns that over the very long term it could cause lower levels of Vitamin A in your body, but I have never heard of any non-surface side effects from use. It's extremely commonly used by many people for anti-aging also, as long term use can reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
There have been many medical studies done on retinol; it's quite comprehensively covered in literature if you want to read further!