Retinol is notorious for making skin conditions worse before getting them better. The majority of people who expose their skin to retinol have significant breakouts, dryness, itching, and redness. Increases in acne, blackheads, whiteheads, and rashes are some of the initial negative effects of retinol therapy. That's called Retinol Purging. Depending on the quality of the skin, it lasts for about 2–6 weeks until the benefits start to intensify.

Retinol's tendency to irritate the skin can be lessened. The best method to use retinol safely is to start with a low concentration and work your way up to what your skin can handle. Start out slowly and progress to alternative apps until you can endure daily use.

Apply sunscreen religiously if you are taking retinol because it makes skin more susceptible to the sun and UV rays break down vitamin A.