If you are in search of a skin care medication with many beneficial effects, Retinol might be the answer you are looking for.
Because of its long list of benefits, it is popularly known as one of the best skin care ingredients available on the market. Many people from all over the world would travel for long hours just to get Retinol prescription and other skin care medications from the best doctors in South Korea.
Keep on reading and discover more about what you can expect from using Retinol, see if this is the right medication for you, and find out if you can get a prescription in Korea.
What is Retinol?
Retinol is a type of retinoid – made from Vitamin A. It is sold as a gel, cream, or liquid serum and can be bought through prescription or over the counter.
Retinol works by penetrating through the outer layer of the skin, then eventually reaching the deeper layer of the skin, known as the dermis.
The small particles of retinol that go in the dermis helps neutralize free radicals – which means it helps increase elastin and collagen production, resulting in a “plumping” effect on the skin.
What does Retinol treat?
Retinol is a great skin care ingredient in treating several skin concerns such as:
- aging skin
- wrinkles
- pigmentation
- fine lines
- enlarged pores
- acne (blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cysts)
Moreover, retinol helps in improving your skin’s texture and tone by exfoliating the surface of the skin. This medication removes any excess sebum and dead skin cells, making your skin look smoother than before.
How can it be used, how often, how much product
How can it be used?
Retinol comes in liquid, gel, and cream forms and sold as either an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medication. You can apply it at night before you sleep. Make sure to cleanse your face before applying retinol.
How often?
How often you should use retinol usually depends on the product you are using, how reactive your skin is to the product, and what percentage of retinol you are using.
We usually recommend to start with once or twice per week and eventually increase it, once your skin is used to retinol. The reason behind this is, retinol can cause dryness on the skin and other side effects, especially for people with sensitive skin. It would take several weeks for your skin to adjust to the product.
How much retinol?
If it is your first time to use retinol, start with low doses of retinol. If your skin did not have severe reactions to retinol, you can slowly add up your dose of retinol.
There are cases in which strong doses of retinol are needed to be able to treat severe skin conditions. Therefore, we recommend talking with one of our dermatologists before using a specific brand of retinol to help you assess which is the right product and how many you should use for your skin condition and needs.
What can it be done together with?
Retinol medications can be used together with laser treatments (such as Genesis and Starlux), lifting treatments (such as Shurink, UIthera, Thermage), and botox treatments. To achieve the best results, it is recommended to stop using retinol one week before and after each procedure.
Laser treatment: Genesis
Genesis laser treatment can be used for skin concerns due to lack of collagen. You might experience slight redness or swelling for a couple of days.
This laser treatment is suitable for people with:
- Enlarged pores
- Inflammatory acne
- Pigmentation
- Redness
- Wrinkles
- Fine lines
- Oily skin with reduced skin elasticity
Laser treatment: Starlux
The Starlux Laser Treatment is a fractional laser that penetrates deep inside the skin to shrink enlarged pores. By shrinking enlarged pores, your face will produce less sebum or oil, preventing your skin from having breakouts.
Starlux Laser Treatment is suitable for people with:
- Wide pores
- Acne scarring
- Oiliness
- Fine lines
Lifting treatment: Shurink
Shurink lifting laser is a non-invasive, non-surgical lifting laser made in Korea. HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) penetrates through the skin, sending out ultrasonic electrical impulses. It targets the layer between fat and muscle, resulting in stimulation of new collagen production over the next 3 to 4 months.
Shurink laser treatment will be used on the whole face. You will experience slight downtime of 1 to 2 days after the procedure. You will also experience slight redness on the affected area. Makeup can be applied 1 hour after the procedure.
This laser treatment is suitable for people with:
- Sagging skin
- Lack of collagen
- Visibly aging skin
- Surplus of fat in their double chin and jaw area
Lifting treatment: Ulthera
Ulthera is a non-surgical lifting laser treatment used to treat sagging skin and wrinkles. This is also an FDA-approved technology that stimulates new collagen production. This laser treatment has a slight downtime of 1-2 days after the procedure. You may experience slight redness on the affected area and you can put on make-up 1 hour after the procedure.
Ultherapy is best suitable for people with:
- Sagging skin
- Lack of collagen
- Visibly aging skin
- Surplus of fat in their double chin and jaw area
Lifting treatment: Thermage
Thermage is a non-invasive lifting laser treatment that helps in tightening saggy skin and smoothes out wrinkles. This laser treatment is FDA-approved technology that uses heat from radio-frequency to stimulate production of new collagen in the skin. This laser treatment has a slight downtime of 1-2 days after the procedure. You may experience slight redness on the affected area and you can put on make-up 1 hour after the procedure.
Thermage Lifting Laser is best suitable for people with:
- Sagging skin
- Lack of collagen
- Thin skin
- Visibly aging skin
- Hollow areas in the face
Botox treatment
There are several botox treatments that are available in Theme Dermatology. However, we would recommend combining retinol with a botox treatment for the face for best results.
Botox is one of the most popular anti-aging procedures in Korea. You will be injected with a small amount of the naturally occurring botulinum toxin to relax the muscles in the targeted area.
We recommend getting botox every 3 to 4 months to maintain the effect. If you want the effect of botox to last longer, we recommend combining it with other procedures such as laser treatments.
Botox is suitable for people with:
- Fine lines or wrinkles
- People who want an easy and pain-free procedure
Precautions while using retinol
If you are pregnant or nursing, do not take retinol. You might also want to consider other medications if you have sensitive or dry skin, rosacea, and eczema. If you have any of these, it is best to consult with one of our dermatologists to properly assess your skin condition and prescribe you with the right products.
Some side effects of retinol include:
- Dryness and irritation
- Sensitive to UV exposure
- Redness, blistering, or swelling
- Skin color changes
Things to keep in mind to minimize risks of using retinol:
- You should avoid sun exposure, always put sunscreen (with SPF 30 or higher), and protective clothing
- Do not use more than what your doctor prescribes. Using it more will not increase its effectiveness but will only increase the side effects you will be experiencing.
- Lastly, always use moisturizer to avoid drying your skin.
How much does a Retinol prescription at Theme Dermatology cost?
At Theme Dermatology, retinol prescription without Korean insurance costs 16,000 KRW.
Theme Dermatology: Best doctors for safe prescriptions
Theme Dermatology is one of the best and longest-running dermatology clinics in Gangnam Seoul, South Korea. We have the best qualified dermatologists in South Korea. With their PhD-certified and board-certified credentials, they can help you with any skin concerns you may have.
Not only are they experienced doctors, but also well-trusted by many patients for over 20 years. Most of our patients are very satisfied with their results. Many of them return to the clinic to get additional treatments.
You won’t have to worry anymore about any skin concern because we are here to help you!
Summary
In summary, Retinol is a type of retinoid – made from Vitamin A, that has gained popularity in the skin care market because of its long list of beneficial effects. You can achieve better skin texture, increased collagen production, and reduced dark spots with retinol. Although it has many proven effects, it also comes with risks such as skin dryness, irritation, and redness.
To achieve better results, it is recommended to combine retinol with our laser treatments (such as Genesis and Starlux), lifting treatments (such as Shurink, Ulthera, and Thermage), and botox treatments.
Interested in learning more? Contact us now at Theme Dermatology so we can assist you with what you need.