Does retinoic acid ointment really remove acne? Analysis of the principle of retinoic acid ointment in removing acne

Some people question whether retinoic acid ointment is really effective in removing acne? Don't worry, take the time to read the analysis of the acne-removing principles of retinoic acid ointment.

Does tretinoin ointment really remove acne?

Many people do not believe in skin care products. They hope that some regular ointments can remove acne. Then some people start to learn about a certain ointment on the Internet and come to ask me whether this ointment can remove acne?

Retinoic acid ointment

Retinoic acid can remove keratin plugs by regulating the abnormal keratinization process of the sebaceous gland epithelium of the hair follicles, thereby preventing and eliminating acne skin lesions. In addition, retinoic acid has inhibitory activity on leukocyte chemotaxis, thereby playing an anti-inflammatory role.

Acne is usually accompanied by inflammation and abnormal keratin differentiation that clogs pores, so retinoic acid has a significant effect on acne, especially acne such as blackheads.

However, retinoic acid has relatively irritating side effects on the skin. When applied to a large area, it will irritate the surrounding normal skin and cause local redness, desquamation and stinging. Therefore, the concentration of retinoic acid should not be too high. Generally, 0.025% retinoic acid is used to avoid irritating the skin and damaging the skin barrier.

Retinoic acid is photosensitivity. After long-term exposure to sunlight or light, the drug will accelerate oxidation and form pigmentation, so patients can only apply it at night.

When using and applying retinoic acid, you should use a small-headed cotton swab to narrow the scope of medication and prevent excessive application of the drug from irritating the surrounding normal skin.

The skin side effects of retinoic acid are quite serious, so it is generally recommended to use the third-generation retinoic acid products, namely adapalene gel, which has fewer side effects than retinoic acid and is more suitable for acne-prone skin.