What to do when Vitamin A bites back!

So you’ve finally decided to start using Vitamin A, yay! 

You get it home and excitedly slap on a pea sized amount, maybe a bit more. Who’s checking, eh? You’ve heard that this is the gold standard for youthful skin so you slap on a bit more the next evening, and the evening after that.

Suddenly, you wake up the next day and your face feels sore. You ignore it and later that evening your apply a bit more Vitamin A. Your face immediately starts to sting and burn, an itchy rash creeps up, inflammation creates swelling so your face starts to look puffy. 

Over the next 24 to 48 hours, dryness comes into play and your skin is even more itchy.  Then it starts to peel and flake like a hot mess. Since vitamin A is the only new thing you’ve introduced into your skincare, you drop it like hot coal. As quickly as it came into your life, it’s now making a hasty exit with a bad rep to boot!

But do you know why your skin freaked out? You suffered from the classic effects of too much Vitamin A too quickly. You developed Retinoid Induced Dermatitis because your skin did not have time to slowly adjust to this mighty ingredient and it wasted no time in telling you so. 

So what do you do when your skin gives your Vitamin A the red light?

“There is no evidence that suggests darker skin tones are at increased risk of Vitamin A irritation. However, retinoid-induced dermatitis can induce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and discolouration, so for black skin it’s safer to take it slow and steady.”

— Black Skin Directory

• STOP AND PAUSE

You’ve probably already done this, but if you haven’t and your skin is getting extremely dry, itchy and peeling excessively then it’s time to press pause on the Vitamin A. Your skin needs time to rebuild and strengthen itself as it’s now very fragile.

• PARE BACK ON THE ACTIVES

Abandon products that contain active ingredients such as vitamin C, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (lactic, glycolic, mandelic acids and others) and enzymes such as papaya and pineapple. Furthermore,  ditch the physical exfoliating scrubs and grains. Your skin doesn’t need any further exfoliation as Vitamin A is already encouraging the skin to regenerate itself rapidly.  

• SUPPORT AND REPLENISH

Focus on lavishing your skin with  ingredients that offer the skin maximum healing support and replenish lost moisture such as niacinamide, ceramides, peptides, vitamin B5 (panthenol) and growth factors. 

• GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

After your skin has calmed, you can re-introduce Vitamin A, allowing a few days rest for your skin in-between applications. Do this for a few weeks, slowly building your use and tolerance for everyday application.

There is no evidence that suggests darker skin tones are at increased risk of Vitamin A irritation. However, retinoid-induced dermatitis can induce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and discolouration, so for black skin it’s safer to take it slow and steady.